So last night was the MLB All-Star Game. “The mid-summer classic” Wait… Does anyone call it that anymore? If these games (that mean nothing) are such classics, how did last year’s All-Star Game end? I’ll even give you a minute…
…Can’t remember? Either could I, so I had to look it up. Robinson Cano hit a walk-off HR in the 10th to win it for the AL. That’s about the best ending you could ask for, yet no one remembers, because no one cares, because it doesn’t mean anything. (Oh yeah and this year Cano is banned for the juicy juice.)
There are really only two moments in MLB All-Star Game history that anyone remembers:
The first was when Pete Rose absolutely destroyed Ray Fosse for the win in 1970. That’s when players WANTED TO WIN. “YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME” –Coach Herm.
The second is 2002 when Bud decided to end the game in a 7-7 tie because, well they ran out of pitchers. They couldn’t even award an MVP. They decided to make the game decide WS home field advantage but everyone flipped shit, so.. It’s back to being played for nothing.
This year’s game is stacked with talent like Trout, JD Martinez, Mookey, Nola, Harper & DeGrom. But, as you know I’m a Yankee fan, Soo.. JUDGE (ALL RISE) HR first AB, Sevarino (1.0 Inning S/O) Chappy & Torres didn’t play b/c of injury but were in the building! (Chapman wouldn’t have blown it bottom 9.)
The start of the game gave us what we all want.. LONG BALLS! Judge, Trout and Contreras all went yard by the 3rd. (Everyone went NUTS that Snell didn’t make the All-Star game first selection, he made it… BOOM gave up a dinger to the first batter he sees.) Add another HR by Story in the 7th, a 3 run bomb for Segura top 8, a solo blast for Yelich bottom 8, a 2 run HR for Gennett (who?) bottom 9, then back to back Houston jacks by Bregman & Springer top 10, and a solo shot by Joey Votto bottom 10!! (Ok the whole game gave us what we wanted!)
This is why we want less All-Star Games and more.. HR Derbies!
No one watches the Pro Bowl (is it before the SB, after the SB?) NBA All-Star Game… It’s usually like 756-755, no thanks! Hockey probably does it the best with the 3v3 tourney but still no one watches.
With the Slam Dunk contest gone to shit, the HR Derby has quickly become the best All-Star event in all of sports. I freakin loved seeing those dudes slugging dingers back to back to back! (Even if Bryce and his dad cheated, who cares get the kids off the field and mash!) The only thing that would have made this year’s better would have been Boomer trying to say “BACK BACK BACK BACK BACK… GONE!” 10 times in 90 seconds!
I will give MLB credit, they have tried to do a lot to get us involved. Players taking selfies & posting on social media. I love the RED WHITE & BLUE socks and sleeves! But, do we really need Joe Buck interviewing Mike Trout in game about how he’s “really into weather” or asking Matt Kemp if Machado is going to LA? (Wait Matt Kemp is a Dodger again?)
What the game needs is less friendly chats with Joe Buck and more badass dudes like Pete Rose! (LET THE MAN BACK IN) We need players that want to win the game, because hell, they are athletes and competitors… They are supposed to hate losing more than they love winning.
Chalk another one up for the AL after their 8-6 win. That’s six in a row and 13 out of 16 since the tie of 2002. I guess MLB got message about the HR Derby & tried turning the All-Star Game into Derby night part 2. (10 HR’s, most all time & 13 of the 14 runs scored were on HR’s.)
It was fun, it was a “mid-summer classic” but next year I’ll be back to quiz you and see what you remember. My guess will be very little to nothing at all. Now lets get to the second half and GO YANKS!
Final: AL 8 NL 6
WP: E. Diaz
LP: R. Stripling
SV: J.A. Happ
MVP: Alex Bregman
-Kevin “That Guy”