Galarraga-Joyce relationship gets more bizarre with book deal

The actions immediately following the Jim Joyce’s blown call eliminating Armando Galarraga’s perfect game on June 2, 2010 was all positive. Upon viewing the replay after the game Joyce was tearful in his apologies and Galarraga accepted it. A true tale of sportsmanship. A tale that could someday be described in a book.

Well that book is now a reality.

In a somewhat bizarre development in all of this, Armando Galarraga and Jim Joyce will now be co-authoring a book entitled “Nobody’s Perfect” which is set to be released in May of 2011.

Now this is something that I can for sure see being done once one of the two men retire from the game. However, they are both STILL actively involved in the MLB with Joyce still umpiring and Galarraga now pitching for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Not only is this bizarre as it stand now but the MLB has some issues at hand with a player and an official having a deal set in place in which they are business partners making money off the field.

FanHouse’s Ed Price points out the obvious conflict …:

This is no different than if an active player and active umpire decided to start a sports bar together, or opened a car dealership. They both profit from the same business.

… while Bob Harkins of Hardball Talk agrees:

There is no questioning the ethics of Joyce and Galarraga. Both men proved their character — and then some — last year. But Price is correct on this. It’s about appearances, and you can’t have an umpire calling games in which the pitcher on the mound is his business partner.

Yahoo Sports’ Big League Stew points out that the MLB currently splits up umpire Jim Wolf and his brother Randy Wolf who is currently a pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers and that the MLB should take the same measures with Galarraga and Joyce.

Source: Yahoo Sports, HardballTalk.com, Fanhouse.com