Jim Joyce is the umpire whose wrong call cost pitcher Armando Galarraga a perfect game. Everyone feels bad for Galarraga. But ya gotta give Joyce credit for manning up and giving a full-on apology.

“It was the biggest call of my career, and I kicked the (bleep) out of it, I just cost that kid a perfect game. “I thought he beat the throw. I was convinced he beat the throw, until I saw the replay.”

Joyce also apologized to the pitcher.

Joyce felt badly enough about it that, long after the game was over, he asked to meet with Galarraga. It’s an incredibly unusual move, but given the circumstances, it was understandable.

Tigers president/general manager Dave Dombrowski brought Galarraga from the home clubhouse into the umpires’ room.

“He asked if he could see Armando and I brought Armando in there,” Dombrowski said, “and [Joyce] apologized profusely to him and he said he just felt terrible. They hugged each other and Armando said, ‘I understand.’

MLB gave Joyce the option to take today’s game off but he refused. Before the game, he said he was ready for boos.

“I’ll take it,” he said. “I’ll take whatever you can give me, and I’ll handle it like a man, and I’ll do the best I can.”

Here’s what happened:



Classy all the way around. Mistakes happen. Character is revealed by how you handle them.