The Only Thing Greater Than Perfection

by Ryan Rancatore

Imagine this scenario: You are a major league pitcher coming off a rough previous year.  In fact, you’ve recently spent time in the minor leagues.  Your career is teetering on the brink.

Then, one magical night, everything comes together.  It is the ninth inning and 26 batters have come to the plate – all have been sent straight back to the dugout.  One more out and you become the 21st pitcher in the 100+ years of baseball history to throw a perfect game.

Grounder to first. You cover the bag, take the throw, runner is out by a mile.  All that remains is the umpire’s “out” call – and HE BLOWS IT. “Safe!”, he utters, inexplicably.  In about a nanosecond, your dream has been shattered.  Literally, stolen away from you.

What would you do?

If it was me, I’d go psychotically ballistic.  I’d kick dirt at the umpire, rip my cap in half, fall to the ground, and sob like an infant.  Kind of like this guy.

But, if you are Armando Galarraga, you smile, head back to the mound, and get the next guy out.  And that is exactly what he did.  How he did so, I will never know.  Even after the game, Galarraga kept cool, saying about the umpire:

“He probably felt more bad than me…Nobody’s perfect.”

To me, this calm, reasoned reaction is utterly flabbergasting – and so amazingly admirable.  Friend and fellow blogger Jake LaCaze pointed out to me the dramatic effect this reaction would have on Armando Galarraga’s personal brand.  And how right he is.  Galarraga will be forever remembered not for his pitching performance, but for the supreme way he handled the worst situation imaginable.

How would you react in a similar situation? What if…

  • Your co-worker is given the promotion you deserve?
  • Your brilliant guest article is turned down by a prominent blogger?
  • Someone takes credit for your idea?
  • You are laid off, even though you gave 100% to a company for years?

In each situation, it would be easy to fly off the handle and lose control.  Yet, let’s all learn from Armando Galarraga, and remember his lesson the next time something goes “less than perfect”.

Photo credits, Jose3030 and SgtPepper.

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Tagged as: Perfect game, personal brand, personal branding

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  • http://jakelacaze.com/ Jake LaCaze

    The thing that stuck out for me was his quote: “Nobody’s perfect.” As someone else noted on another site, the statement is very ironic. But it also shows humility. Because of the way he handled it, this situation might be a blessing in disguise. If I'm starting a business, I want people with his attitude on my team. As you noted, he would be one of only 21 pictures in 100+ years to pull off a perfect game. But now he's truly in a class all by himself.

  • Mika

    he gets it.

    It's just a game

    Business is also just a game

  • http://www.kherize5.com Suzanne Vara

    Ryan

    He handled with such poise and professionalism. What if it was the last out though? Would have handled it as well? Tending to think yes as for him this was the best game of his career thus far (he could do it again, but that could be unlikely) and possibly for him he was pleased with what he had done. Though I mean really a perfect game on the line with 2 batters left, it is hard not to cry and be jumping down the ump's throat. He handled it the way that supports the contention of America's Favorite Pastime – baseball.

    I look at things this way – if someone is picked over me for a job then I needed to be working harder, if I was to be laid off after X years somewhere because of nothing I did, I would leave gracefully and if given the opportunity, would help the new person. To all my friends, I would chew em out but publicly never. Never let em see you sweat. You never know a few years down the road who might be sitting a top of the job you are applying for or the client you are pitching.

    PS – for the record, if I was an ump and the pitcher was 2 batters away from a perfect game and it was as routine of a play as it comes, I'd call the batter out even if he was not. I would never be the ump that called the batter/runner safe with 2 outs left.

    @SuzanneVara

  • Kenny

    @Suzanne

    “What if it was the last out though? Would have handled it as well? “

    It WAS the last out. You misread the article. “It is the ninth inning and 26 batters have come to the plate – all have been sent straight back to the dugout. One more out and you become the 21st pitcher in the 100+ years of baseball history to throw a perfect game.” 26 batters means 8 2/3 innings. Only one out left. That out SHOULD have been the grounder to first, but instead had to wait one more batter because of the blown call. There was only one batter after the blown call and it was not a double play. So in answer to your question, he did handle it that way when it was the last out.

  • Guest

    Suzanne,

    It was the bottom of the ninth with 2 outs. It WAS the final batter. So he acted exactly as he would if it was the final out.

    Your entire argument promoting being graceful, composed and morally strong is negated by your little PS statement. You would “call the batter out even if he was not?” Though a comeback is incredibly unlikely you would purposely make an incorrect call to get the pitcher that allusive perfect game? What is the purpose of holding such a strong bias? Just because you fear being viewed as “the bad guy” doesn't validate dishonesty to cover your own ass.

  • http://melissacooley.com/ Melissa

    That is, without a doubt, a very bitter pill to swallow — to have actually done all the work that was required of you, and to have it taken away by someone else's mistake. Armando reaction speaks volumes about his character.

    It all reminds me of something that Randy Pausch said in his famous “Last Lecture” at Carnegie Mellon:

    “Don’t complain. Just work harder. That’s a picture of Jackie Robinson. It was in his contract not to complain, even when the fans spit on him.”

    Armando Galarraga is truly taking that to heart.

  • http://www.kherize5.com Suzanne Vara

    thank you for the clarification on it *could* have been the last out. Ok so here 26 batters are sent home and with one left, you would think that all the umpires would be in the proper position to make the right call. Calls get blown, it happens in every sport but when you have an accomplishment such as this one on the line when only 20 pitchers have ever done it, there is a responsibility to make the right call.

    Thanks again for the clarification.

  • http://www.kherize5.com Suzanne Vara

    If it was a close call as this one was, I would have called him out. If it was borderline iffy, I would have called him out. So yes my come back is that yes I would purposely call him out if I was not 100% sure if he was out or safe or if it was close. I am not ashamed nor embarrassed to admit it and I am sure there are many others out there that would have done the same thing.

  • Guest

    “I'd call the batter out EVEN IF HE WAS NOT. I would never be the ump that called the batter/runner safe with 2 outs left.”

    Enough said.

  • http://www.kherize5.com Suzanne Vara

    thank you for being honest. This entire scenario became about the umpire and not the accomplishment of the pitcher. It will always be how the ump blew the call and not how the pitcher retired 26 batters.

  • http://personalbranding101.com/ Ryan Rancatore

    Great way to look at it, Jake. You are right – he managed to sneak in humor
    and humility all at once with that quote. Impressive!

  • http://personalbranding101.com/ Ryan Rancatore

    Appreciate the comment Mika – you are right. Heck, life is just a game!

  • http://personalbranding101.com/ Ryan Rancatore

    Thanks for clarifying Kenny – it honestly seems too incredible to be true, I
    can understand how the “real story” would be unbelievable to many. I didn’t
    believe it at first either. Truth is stranger than fiction!

  • Guest

    That was a quote of what you originally said. I was pointing out that your comments contradict each other.

  • http://personalbranding101.com/ Ryan Rancatore

    Interesting discussion, to be sure, Suzanne. Thanks for weighing in,
    pleasure having you “hang out” on my site for a bit!

  • http://personalbranding101.com/ Ryan Rancatore

    Yes, Melissa, you are so right about Jackie Robinson. Even as a die-hard
    Giants fan, I have incredible respect for Robinson (a Dodger), and how his
    unselfish actions progressed the game in a way previously thought
    impossible. Quite the role model.

  • http://personalbranding101.com/ Ryan Rancatore

    You are probably right that regardless of situation, the call should be the
    call, no matter what. Same goes for a basketball foul with 1 second left,
    or a holding penalty on a game-winning touchdown. Rules is rules! (But,
    tough calls to make, when human nature takes over)

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