| Armando Galarraga | |
|---|---|
Galarraga preparing to pitch in 2008 |
|
| Free Agent – No. -- | |
| Starting pitcher | |
| Born: January 15, 1982 Cumaná, Venezuela |
|
| Bats: Right | Throws: Right |
| MLB debut | |
| September 15, 2007 | |
| Career statistics (through May 30, 2011) |
|
| Win–loss record | 26–30 |
| Earned run average | 4.69 |
| Strikeouts | 329 |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Armando Antonio Galarraga (born January 15, 1982) is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. Galarraga made his Major League Baseball debut with the Texas Rangers on September 15, 2007. On June 2, 2010, while playing for the Detroit Tigers, he lost a perfect game following a wrong call made by umpire Jim Joyce in the top of the ninth with two outs.
Galarraga was born in Cumaná, Venezuela. He originally signed as a free agent with the Montreal Expos on October 31, 1998. He was acquired by the Rangers from the Washington Nationals as part of the deal that sent Alfonso Soriano to the Nationals in 2005.
Contents |
Armando Galarraga made his major league debut on September 15, 2007 against the Oakland Athletics. He entered the game in the eighth inning, and pitched a scoreless inning. He allowed no hits and one base on balls.[1]
On February 5, 2008, Galarraga was traded to the Detroit Tigers for Michael Hernandez, an outfielder that had spent the last season playing for the AA Erie Seawolves.[2] As a minor league call up for the injured Dontrelle Willis, Galarraga earned his first career win April 16, 2008 in a 13–2 victory over the Cleveland Indians.
On June 13, 2008 Galarraga pitched seven shutout innings in a 5–0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers. He finished the 2008 campaign with a 13–7 record, a 3.73 ERA, and 126 strikeouts in 178⅔ innings.[3] Additionally, he placed fifth in AL rookie of the year balloting.[4] When batters did hit the ball against him, they only managed a .237 batting average on balls in play, the lowest in the major leagues.[5] Galarraga threw sliders 38.9% of the time in 2008, more than any other starting pitcher in the majors.[6]
On April 10, 2009, Galarraga pitched the home opener at Comerica Park. Tigers manager Jim Leyland said Galarraga deserved to pitch Opening Day after having an impressive 2008 season. The Tigers won the game 15–2, which included a grand slam by Miguel Cabrera. On April 29, prior to a game against the New York Yankees, Galarraga received his 2008 Tigers Rookie of the Year award from the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association.
Statistically, Galarraga did not approach the success he achieved in the 2008 season. His 2009 ERA was a below average 5.64, and opposing batters hit a high .284 against him.
In seven innings of work in spring training of 2010, Galarraga allowed nine runs, 14 hits and seven walks. That, coupled with his attitude ("They've seen my stuff; they know what I can do," Galarraga said during his ineffective spring training stint), prompted the Tigers to option him to the Tigers' Triple-A affiliate Toledo on March 18, 2010.[7] Galarraga was called up to the Tigers in May 2010 and was put into the starting rotation. He had an ERA of 4.50 as of June 1. Galarraga was optioned to Toledo on July 6, 2010 but Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski has said he would return on July 20 and start against Texas.[8] On July 19, the Tigers recalled Galarraga.[9]
On June 2, 2010, Galarraga pitched 8⅔ perfect innings, but lost the perfect game on the 27th batter after what was ruled an infield hit. Rookie Jason Donald hit a ground ball to first baseman Miguel Cabrera, who tossed to Galarraga—who was covering first base—but first base umpire Jim Joyce incorrectly called Donald safe on a close play, ending the perfect game and no-hitter. Completing the one-hitter, Galarraga threw 88 pitches, 67 of them for strikes. If he had completed the perfect game (83 pitches), it would have been the lowest number of pitches thrown since Addie Joss' 74 in 1908, and the shortest game since Sandy Koufax's perfect game in 1965. It would have been the second perfect game in the Major Leagues in just four days, Roy Halladay having thrown his on May 29, the fourth no hitter of the season, as well as the third perfect game in 24 days.
Joyce later issued a direct apology to Galarraga, saying that the call was incorrect.[10][11][12] Galarraga accepted the mistake gracefully, saying later, “Nobody’s perfect.”[13] Observers pointed to the handling of the situation as an example of good sportsmanship on both sides.[14] He was presented with a "Medal of Reasonableness" for his reasoned response to Joyce's call at the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear.[15]
During the 2010–11 offseason, Galarraga was designated for assignment by the Tigers.[16] On January 24, 2011 he was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for pitchers Kevin Eichhorn and Ryan Robowski.[17]
On May 17, 2011, Galarraga was designated for assignment with the Reno Aces[18] After the 2011 season, he elected for free agency.[19]
|
|||||