Journalism Showcase: E60 Producer Reflects on Making of “28 Outs – An Imperfect Story”

Sunday, August 18, marks the debut of a new ESPN E60 episode – “28 Outs: An Imperfect Story” – which airs at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN, streaming afterward on ESPN+.

The one-hour feature tells the incredible story of Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga’s near-perfect game in June 2010 against the Cleveland Indians and the Major League Baseball umpire who took it away from him.

Producer/director Simon Baumgart spoke with Front Row:

This is a story that’s well-known – how did you tell it in a way it hadn’t been told before?
Jen Lada (reporter) and I were working on a different project together when we discovered we both had an interest in this particular moment in sports history as the Galarraga game provides a plethora of humanistic, storytelling moments. While we weren’t blind to the fact that the game has been covered before in different iterations, we knew that we had to find a unique way to advance the story. It didn’t take us long to find out about Monmouth University’s law and society class and their project that argued to get Galarraga’s perfect game officially recognized by MLB. After thumbing through their convincing argument, we were so impressed and knew right away this would be the angle.

Did anything surprise you during the production?
It’s not always easy to gain participation from athletes. The baseball personnel who were part of this game jumped at the opportunity to be included in this story. It brought back many vivid memories for them, and they all had unique opinions on how that game should be remembered.

What did not surprise me was my talented team. Jen is an amazing teammate and really looks at everything from such a smart perspective. Managing producer Michael Johns was a guiding light on the project with incredible storytelling sensibilities, and editor Matt McCormick simply elevated the production in every facet.

Armando Galaragga is interviewed by ESPN reporter Jen Lada for "28 Outs" in Austin, Texas (ESPN/Simon Baumgart)

Former MLB umpire Jim Joyce is interviewed for "28 Outs" by ESPN reporter Jen Lada in Beaverton, Ore. (ESPN/Simon Baumgart)

ESPN reporter Jen Lada interviews MLB commissioner Rob Manfred for "28 Outs." (ESPN/Simon Baumgart)

E60 crew during shoot of scenes for "28 Outs" at Monmouth University (ESPN/Simon Baumgart)

What do you hope viewers take away from this?
Two things:

First: I can’t think of another moment in sports history where two people handled such a difficult, highly scrutinized moment in a better way. Armando Galarraga and [umpire] Jim Joyce, two men from two different worlds, came together and demonstrated true sportsmanship. They put each other before themselves, which should be an example to us all.

Second: The Monmouth University class found this game to be a deep injustice to Galarraga. Through smart and compelling research and advocacy, they were able to reach the attention of MLB’s commissioner which prompted him to consider their argument to officially grant Galarraga the perfect game. They are a great example of seeing a wrong and trying to fix it. Now, you’ll just have to watch the show to see his response!