Scott Carson

Stats man Scott Carson is now in his 18th season as "third man in the booth" during Blue Jays telecasts.

Jim Joyce went from anonymous umpire to the Today Show in one blown call.

Not sure who had a worse fortnight; British Petroleum or Major League umpires?

Let's start with the most recent black eye on the umpiring profession. Tigers' right-hander Armando Galarraga threw the first 28-up, 28-down perfect game in baseball. And when umpire Jim Joyce missed what should have been the final out of the game, forcing another hitter to be retired, a new line in the record book of the infamous needed to be prepared.

Joyce admitted his mistake, Galarraga accepted it (like the sportsman that we all should be) and it's time to move on. Galarraga "only" got screwed out of baseball immortality; it can't top Don Denkinger's call that cost the Cardinals the 1985 World Series. That's on another level in the isolation ward of the Bad Call Hall of Shame.

By all accounts, Joyce is a well-respected umpire, considered by both players and managers as consistent when working the bases or behind the plate. In fact, before Wednesday night I reckon not a lot of you reading this even knew his name or could pick him out of a police lineup. Now, he's the poster child for the human side of the game. And before Wednesday night, most of you knew who Joe West, Angel Hernandez, or Bob Davidson were -- all for the wrong reasons.

I've been going to games for 18 seasons, well over 2,100, and I have never seen worse umpiring -- especially behind the plate -- than we got in the final two games of the Rays/Jays series this week. On back to back nights, West and Hernandez both employed a strike zone of evolving shape and never stationary. That led to ejections from both teams, although the calls were equally bad/questionable on both sides. The comedy in all of this was watching Rays' pitbull manager Joe Maddon arguing with Hernandez and then, after realizing he probably would have made his point better yelling into a garbage can, giving West an earful at third base. This interchange came just over a week after he was punted by umpire Davidson (along with Carl Crawford) for questioning balls and strikes, an argument that got very heated with the ump showing aggression.

In every walk of life you come across people who aren't very good at their jobs, yet they continue to work thanks to union protection or, worse, nepotism. It's the way it is, and will never change, so we all accept it. Umpiring isn't immune; there are going to be bad umps.

What is interesting is how commissioner Selig had to make some ruling on this to appease the digital masses. The call was made; it now stands in the books like everything else that has transpired over the years. The only good thing that may come of this is that bad umpiring gets exposed nightly with every game -- two versions on most nights -- on TV for all to see.

Joyce is not one of those bad umps. He just chose to act like one at the worst possible time.

AU REVOIR, KENNETH

A tip of my cap to the just-completed career of Ken Griffey, Jr. after 2,671 games, 630 home runs (fifth in history and non-tainted by the spectre of steroid use) and 1,836 RBI -- the last of which was a pinch-hit, walk-off single to beat the Blue Jays. It was his final contribution to a home win before a crowd that always loved him and his infectious smile. In all, Junior contributed in one way or another to 684 wins in either Seattle's Kingdome or Safeco Field. A first ballot induction into the Hall of Fame awaits him in five years, the crowning achievement of his stellar career. After all, he put up some of the best numbers in the history of the game during a time when many of his contemporaries were using chemicals to get an advantage.

TAKE A DEEP BREATH EVERYONE

Yes, I realize the Jays blew two ninth-inning leads to the Rays and lost two winnable games. Not saying I'm cool with that in the least, but over the past two games it's as if they didn't win 21 out of the previous 31 games. Everyone can refrain from lamenting here we go again; it is not the case. Consider how the recent stretch is very reminiscent of the 1983-84 Jays who were trying to keep up with Tigers, and yet had the likes of Roy Lee Jackson and Joey McLaughlin cough up late inning leads. Both of this week's losses to the Rays had that same feel. The Jays basically outplayed the Rays for 23 of the 27 innings yet came away with just one win. Tough, but they were able to play with a superior team. Not having a top-shelf closer means losses like that happen. But in the grand scheme of Alex Anthopoulos' rebuild, the Jays are in a good place.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

Orioles' manager Dave Trembley must have been a meteorologist in a past life because that's the only explanation I can come up with why it took so long to tie the can to him. The Orioles dropped their eighth game in a row on Thursday, following up a sweep last weekend by the Jays with one mid-week in New York. And somehow people thought they would finish in fourth in the A.L. East. Right now the O's are on a pace to finish 45-117, the worst record in the history of this once-proud franchise ... Perhaps Joyce's blown call will lead to a closer look at instant replay for all calls. I don't see anything wrong with the NFL-style of throwing the red flag, only once a game to take a second look at a play, any play. Getting it right should be of premium concern in this digital age with calls being missed on a weekly basis ... Glad to see the names Jose Canseco, Roger Clemens and Brian McNamee back in the news as the grand jury looking into to whether Clemens perjured himself during the 2008 congressional hearings looking into drug use in baseball. Also glad to see that nobody cares anymore. Just tell us who used and then let's move on. The cheats know who they are and will live with that until they die. Some probably before their time ... Watch for the Minnesota Twins to be a major player when the Astros finally put long-time ace Roy Oswalt on the market, as per his request. This is another advantage to having a deep and fruitful farm system. Makes it easier to trade "what might be" for "what already is" and the effect that can have on a deep playoff run ... Next Thursday will mark the latest arrival of a pitcher who'll change the face of the game. Before Stephen Strasburg makes his MLB debut against the lowly Pirates in Washington, we will be reminded of all the hype that arrived with the likes of Mark Prior, Kerry Wood and David Clyde. But no one will need to remind Strasburg about the pressure of being a franchise saviour. The house will be full that night and into the not-so-distant future with winning the expected outcome from fans where losing has become all too accepted.