Major League Baseball lost out on a historic moment Wednesday night.

Armando Galaraga, a pitcher for the Detroit Tigers, was perfect through eight-and-two-thirds-innings. He had one man left to retire.

Galaraga winds up and delivers.

The batter hits a ground ball to the right side. The first baseman picks it up, throws to Gallaraga, Galaraga steps on the bag and the umpire makes the call:

“Safe!”

The stadium exploded with boos.

A replay clearly showed that Galaraga had beaten the batter to the bag. Joyce had stolen a perfect game away from Galaraga.

How could this happen? A third perfect game in three months is broken up not by a blooper to left, an infield single or an error by the rookie outfielder but by, of all people, the first base umpire.

History would have been made.

Granted, it was a close play but it could have easily been avoided.

This has got to be the final straw for the MLB. Instant replay must be implemented for such calls. How can Commissioner Bud Selig stand for such a ridiculously bad blown call?

The argument against expanding instant replay is that it will make the already lengthy games even longer. Games are long, but that’s baseball. It’s part of the game.

When I go to the ballpark, I plan on spending hours there reveling in the experience.

So what? How is that even relevant after Wednesday’s epic failure?

With today’s HD TVs and related technology how can looking at a replay of a play like Wednesday night’s take longer than 10 seconds?

If necessary, give managers the ability to challenge only two blown calls a night. That would stop teams from challenging every call that’s within a step.

Baseball needs to quit worrying about the length of games and start worrying about the quality and integrity of umpires.

Instant replay expansions would help umpires to control the game better.

Umpires could make the correct calls and do a better job of satiating the wrath of managers after a close call.

Baseball must do something.

This cannot go without consequence or reparation.

I cannot imagine what Galaraga feels like after last night’s game. He was one out away from being the 21st pitcher to reach perfection. He was about to make history.

Next time Bud Selig thinks about expanding instant replay he needs to think about one thing:

What would Galaraga do?

Jordan Boner can be reached at 581-7942 or at jeboner@eiu.edu.