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MLB administration has already reversed an umpire's call, albeit it was the American League President, not the Commissioner, and it was not a pure out/safe judgment call - even though the OUT ruling made by McClelland was reversed (pine tar game).
Given that the impact of this rule reversal would be only historical stats, and not the outcome of the game, it seems it would be within the "ensure the integrity of the game" powers. And, besides, for a ruling by the pretend commissioner to be challenged, someone would have to challenge it, and no one would, so the ruling would stand.
Fay Vincent, in a radio interview on the issue, stated that the Commissioner probably does have this power (he left some wiggle room), but also that the Commissioner should not exercise it due to the precedent it would set.
I think the precedent would be horrible if the commissioner were to step in and reverse a pure judgment call.
However, given that the people in charge of official statistics have already changed many historical stats regarding such things as no hit games and such, the best way to handle this is to make it officially recognized as a perfect game, but let the umpire's call officially stand.
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Tom
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