The All Star Game
By Tom Grout
July 16, 2008
What an All Star game. You almost got two games for the price of one as the game goes 15 innings in one of the longest games in All Star history.
I didn’t get to see the beginning of the game as they had what amounted to a Red Carpet event but I did see the pre game ceremonies and although they always go long it was great to see all of the All of Fame players on the field. It was a great touch. By the way I would have never recognized Gaylord Perry if they didn’t have his name on the screen. He has let himself go a little bit like most of us.
The Twins did their part in the American League victory as Joe Mauer walked and got an infield single, Joe Nathan pitched a 1-2-3 inning and Justin Morneau got two hits with a double and scored two runs including the winning run. So go Twins.
I couldn’t even stay up for the whole game as it was either 12 or after when I hung it up after 12 innings. I’m glad I didn’t live on the east coast; I think they could start these things a little earlier. But as always money talks and that time period is considered prime time.
It’s not that the game couldn’t have ended earlier as both teams had their chances with men on base. I think it was around the 8th inning or so, I can’t remember as I was getting tired, the American League had the bases loaded with nobody out and couldn’t score and late in the game the National League had the bases loaded with one out and couldn’t score. So I guess its true, good pitching stops good hitting.
Besides the late hour, the other controversy was each team was running out of pitchers. This happened a few years ago and they stopped the game and called it a tie. Last night the teams had to use pitchers that pitched a lot of innings on Sunday and they also used relief pitchers for more innings than they normally are used. With the way pitchers today are trained to only throw so many pitches, pitching our of their element could cause injury, which of course wouldn’t be good.
There are a couple of solutions to this problem though. One is expand the amount of pitchers you have on the roster and then let them know that it is a possibility that you might not get to play. Most managers try to do the right thing by the players and get everyone in the game, this way they would have some more pitchers in the tank if the games goes on forever.
Another possible solution is to give teams another day off after the All Star game. Right now they get the day before and the day after off. The Twins this year, due to some strange scheduling, also get the second day off from the All Star Game. Why not do that for every team. The All Star game is on a Tuesday so why not have them all come back on a Friday.
By the way, I thought there was no crying in baseball. Did you catch Yankee owner, George Stienbrenner, just sobbing as they drove him around the stadium that he is going to bring down? What a sad thing to loose Yankee stadium with all of its history
Wonderful game! Great showcase of pitching. Good timely hitting and a good number of excellent defensive plays. I thought Uggla got needlessly torched by the repetitive showing of his two errors. They didn't play a part in the outcome, so I wasn't sure why they kept being shown. The second one was a scorcher between his legs which I thought could have been ruled a hit. And the way the announcers repeated that Uggla's grandfather's wish was to see Dan play in Yankee Stadium and that it turned out so sour. Not the best day for him.
Way to go Morneau! He'll have Mauer carry his new hardware to the airport?
What a great night it was last night. The game was phenomenal, but I too had to go to bed before it was over. Great showing by the Twins players! I hope that MLB and whoever else really clobbered that idiot who called Morneau "Jason" after he won the derby. Good grief...the guy won an MVP in 2006 and just won the derby and he doesn't know the guy's first name. I felt bad for Justin.
I also felt bad for that pitcher from Cinci who was throwing bullets and gave up the homer to Trot. I did want to see the AL win, obviously, for home field advantage but I still felt bad for the guy.
The best, for me, was the pre-game with all of those past-day all-stars out at their positions and were getting introduced. Baseball has the truest of true All-Star games. No other sport's all-star game even comes close. A lot of those past all-stars I have seen play many times....Yount, Molitor, Boggs, Ozzie, Ripken, Fingers, Gossage, Carew....so many others that I wish I could have seen....Yogi, Willie Mays, and especially Brooks Robinson. I didn't cry, Tom, but it sure was fun taking that trip down memory lane.
Tdog..you know as well as I do that with Tim McCarver doing the announcing they will always hash and rehash some play that never ment anything.
Parker-I didn't cry either but it was great seeing all of these old timers. by the way it wasn't Trot who hit the home run it was JD Drew.
Good grief, I meant JD Drew. Thanks for the correction.
On another note, Huskerman who won the Wendell tourney? I haven't heard. Tom, I was there and thought I'd run into you somewhere but it didn't happen.
Hey Parker,
I wasn't there becaue I wasn't around. Knocking some things off the list that all husbands and dads have. The Elbow Inn won the tourney
Indeed...we beat Jason Muchows team to take the title..was hoping to see you sunday but im sure you had to get back home....was a fun time.....
I did manage to catch a look at the home run derby....WOW 28 is just plain sick...but he did hit himself out...but it was quite a show...What a good showing for the Twins....cant wait for the second half
Parker i think i wrote down the wrong email address clancorp or clamcorp?
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