Baseball, Plato, and Socrates

Just watching CNN discuss the perfecto that wasn't from last night in Detroit.  Armando Galarraga was one out away from the first perfect game of his career.  Ground ball on the infield, Galarraga covers first base.  Replay clearly show he had the ball on the bag before the runner reaches.  Ump calls him safe.  Galarraga smiles and walks back to the mound.  Bedlam ensues.

After the game, the ump emotionally admits, after watching the replay, that he made the wrong call.  He even went so far as to look up Galarraga after the game to admit his error, and to apologize.  Does not change anything at this point, although there is speculation/fantasization that the commissioner of baseball COULD step in and rule that it was indeed a perfecto (the first in Detroit history) and make things all better.

So why the title "Baseball, Plato, and Socrates?  Well, on CNN this morning, one off the news anchors was interviewing a sports editor who brought up the Don Larsen World Series perfecto that ended with the umpire calling a third strike on a pitch that was clearly a ball.  The sports editor talked about ethics in the calls.  The news anchor, then attempts to retake control of the interview by sarcastically calling the sports editor "Plato", to which the sports editor responds "Socrates".

What does this have to do with the College World Series?  Nothing.  But it is what you get when I am up at 5 AM getting ready to get to work!!

Ain't blogging fun!!!