Simply not perfect

LIKE MOST FANS WHO watched the replay, I was appalled at the safe call that ruined a perfect game Wednesday night. The runner was clearly out, and there's been a backlash. The first-base umpire, Jim Joyce, has taken a lot of grief, and various "experts" have said that Commissioner Bud Selig should decree that the Cleveland Indian baserunner was out.

The pitcher, the Detroit Tigers' Armando Galarraga, has taken it well, though, although I can't help but think that the almost-perfect game will haunt him forever. Whether he says so or no.

The mistake is a good argument for instant replay, and some people have argued that, with existing technology, you don't even need umpires. The problem is that you can't argue with technology; it won't argue back.

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EMAIL: tgilli52@gmail.com  TWITTER: EDITORatWORK

MORE BLOG ENTRIES BY TOM GILLISPIE

• Resume for a writer and editor

• An editor's views on powerful writing

• Advice for be and would-be novelists

• Links to TG's stories online

• Favorite quotes

• What I do when I'm editing

ANECDOTES BY TOM GILLISPIE

• Wipeout at Death Valley

• Days with rainbows

• A desperate writer working in the dark

• Yer OUTTA there!

EDITOR@WORK BLOG ENTRIES

• You really DO need an editor

• Reminders for would-be novelists

• What I do when I'm editing

• What I charge (it's a deal) and what I edit

• Slogging through the Internet

• J-school: More eyes on your stories

• J-school: Go out and learn

• Rookie mistakes for magazine writers

ENTRIES FROM THE DOG BLOG

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• ... said the spider to ...

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BLOG ENTRIES FROM THE AUTO RACING JOURNAL

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(a book of great stories about the Intimidator)

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(the book of great NASCAR stories)

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