Armando Galarraga and Jim Joyce, together again at ESPYs

Armando Galarraga and umpire Jim Joyce teamed up again last night, going on stage together at the ESPYs to present the award for “Best Moment.” Joyce did most of the talking, saying:

Every umpire strives for the same thing, not to be noticed. So much for that. But it’s good to be here and good to be alongside a terrific young man and pitcher in Armando, who will always be remembered for his grace and class, regardless of what the record books say.

I’m in total agreement about Galarraga, who couldn’t possibly have handled this whole situation any better and certainly deserves all the recognition he wants. Joyce has also handled things well given the difficult circumstances, but ultimately he caused those circumstances by failing to perform his job well and for whatever reason it rubs me the wrong way to see him celebrating that fact, even if it’s being done in the name of celebrating Galarraga. Of course, if it doesn’t bother Galarraga then it probably shouldn’t bother me. After all, it did get him in the same room as Brooklyn Decker. Galarraga was dropped from the Tigers’ rotation and demoted to Triple-A last week, but has yet to start a game back in Toledo.