Archive for All Star Game
2009 All-Star Game Thread
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Last night’s Homerun Derby was about as exciting as having your teeth pulled, so we can only hope tonight’s game is a bit more fun to watch. Last year’s 15-inning marathon was actually pretty entertaining, especially once Terry Francona and Clint Hurdle began to watch nervously as they tried to figure out what the hell they were going to do with the pitching staffs if the game kept going.
The American League has won every All-Star Game since 1996, save for that tie in Milwaukee a few years back. Looking over the rosters, it seems like we could be in for another AL win because of the quality and experience of the pitching and the depth on the bench. Remember, it’s the reserves that usually decide this thing. The starting position players get their two at-bats and hit the showers. And you know, this game decides home field advantage in the World Series. It’s dumb, but them’s the rules.
Unfortunately, Evan Longoria has an infected finger and can’t go tonight. He’s been replaced on the roster by Chone Figgins. For shame, Longoria was one of the few players I actually wanted to see. Anyway, here’s the starting lineups:
American League
1. Ichiro!, RF
2. Derek Jeter, SS
3. Joe Mauer, C
4. Mark Teixeira, 1B
5. Jason Bay, LF
6. Josh Hamilton, CF
7. Michael Young, 3B
8. Aaron Hill, 2B
9. Roy Halladay, SP
National League
1. Hanley Ramirez, SS
2. Chase Utley, 2B
3. Albert Pujols, 1B
4. Ryan Braun, RF
5. Raul Ibanez, LF
6. David Wright, 3B
7. Shane Victorino, CF
8. Yadier Molina, C
9. Tim Lincecum, SP
I’m not saying he belongs in the game, but I’ll miss seeing A-Rod wear those funny white cleats. The game is supposed to start at 8pm, but you know first pitch won’t be until 8:20 at the earliest after the starting lineups and all the unnecessary bells and whistles that’ll be attached to this thing. Joe Buck and Tim McCarver have the call. Enjoy the game.
Derek: This time, it shouldn’t count
Posted by: | CommentsDerek Jeter is no novice when it comes to the All Star Game. Tonight is, in fact, his tenth appearance in the last twelve seasons, and the AL is 9-0 with Jeter on the team. Yesterday, when speaking of the Game and how it is truly about the fans, Jeter slammed baseball’s decision to have the outcome of the All Star Game count for anything. “I don’t like that,” Jeter said. “I just don’t think this should determine home field advantage. I’ve said that year in and year out. I think it adds some excitement and more people pay attention to the game, maybe, but I don’t think it’s necessarily a situation where players play harder because of it. Even when the game didn’t matter, players came and played hard.”
Nothing about the All Star Game makes it a good indicator of home field advantage for the World Series. It’s a glorified exhibition game put on for the fans, and it should have remained that way. If only Bud Selig would listen to the Yankee Captain.
Teixeira, Jeter voted All Star Game starters
Posted by: | CommentsAfter weeks of going back and forth with Kevin Youkilis, Mark Teixeira was announced as the starting first baseman for the American League All Star Team today. Derek Jeter will also start the game at short. Congrats to those two. Mariano Rivera was the only other Yankee elected to the game. Interestingly, the Mets are sending four players to the game, the most of any National League club.
You can see the full rosters here. You can also vote for the Final Man here.
Teixeira takes a slim lead in ASG voting
Posted by: | CommentsWith the All Star Game a little more than a month away, Mark Teixeira has taken a slim lead in the voting over Red Sox’s first baseman Kevin Youkilis. In the latest numbers released today, Teixeira and his hot streak have powered the Yanks’ slugger to a 1209-vote lead over the AL’s leading on-base man. In reality, either would be an acceptable All Star choice, but do we really want to see Youkilis starting with Teixeira on the bench?
In other voting news, Derek Jeter is the clear fan favorite at short, but Evan Longoria has emerged as the Junior Circuit’s leading vote-getter. Joe Mauer has a seemingly insurmountable lead behind the plate, but still 582,715 fans believe Jason Varitek is worthy of an All Star spot. What are they thinking?
Jeter leads the way in early All Star voting
Posted by: | CommentsFor some reason, Major League Baseball insists on turning the All Star Game, a glorified exhibition for the game’s best players, into something that plays a determining role in the World Series, the game’s crowning event. It doesn’t make sense. It never will; it never has; and as long as the All Star Game continues to count, the popular fan vote method of balloting will continue to be utterly absurd.
Today, MLB released the first round of voting results, and we see a mixed bag of AL representatives. Derek Jeter, having a decent enough year, is the AL’s leading vote-getter. That Jason Bartlett, the true AL All Star at short, is in fourth, speaks volumes. In the outfield, Jason Bay is deservingly first, but behind him are Josh Hamilton, Ichiro and Ken Griffey, Jr., three players I wouldn’t want near my AL All Star team. The rest of the results make sense, but it’s hard to believe 281,549 people who care enough about baseball to vote for the All Star team think Jason Varitek is actually the most deserving AL catcher. (Fear not: Joe Mauer leads the way in that category.)
Pictures From an Exhibition
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In the bottom of the tenth inning, the American League loaded the bases on two errors by Dan Uggla and an intentional walk issued to Carlos Guillen. At that point, I figured the game was moments away from ending, and fitting, Mariano Rivera would get the win. I snapped a picture of my ticket and scorecard to preserve the moment forever. Little did I know that I would still be in Yankee Stadium for an hour and 38 minutes.
What follows are a select bunch of photos from my vantage point in Row N of Tier Reserve 31. For the first seven innings, I used my mom’s high-powered zoom camera, and I have some nice shots of the pre-game ceremonies. You can see them all in my flickr set. Click on any picture for bigger versions and click through the jump for a select bunch with my comments.
Game Thread: All-Star Edition
Posted by: | CommentsHooray for meaningless games. The lineups:
American League
Ichiro, RF
Jeter, SS
Hamilton, CF
A-Rod, 3B
Manny, LF
Bradley, DH
Youkilis, 1B
Mauer, C
Pedroia, 2B
Lee, SP
National League
Hanley, SS
Utley, 2B
Berkman, 1B
Pujols, DH
Chipper, 3B
Holliday, RF
Braun, LF
Fukudome, CF
Soto, C
Sheets, SP
Talk it up here.
Josh Hamiltowned (or Scenes from a Derby)
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As the Home Run Derby — or the Josh Hamilton Show — got underway last night at Yankee Stadium, the sun set behind New Jersey, lighting up the sky. Click through the jump to see more sights from last night’s Derby. I took all the photos, and you can find them and more in this photo set on flickr.
Papelbon wants to close the All-Star Game
Posted by: | CommentsPeteAbe’s got the word. Paps thinks he’s earned it by closing out the World Series last year. With Joakim Soria (292 ERA+, 2 BSV) Joe Nathan (348, 2) and the Hammer of God (384, 0) on the team, Papelbon (178, 4) should be grateful if he pitches after the 6th.
Just like the good ol’ days
Posted by: | CommentsPosted by mobile phone:
We’re in the top of the first at the All Star Celebrity Legends Softball game, and the Bleacher Creature just did roll call for Paul O’Neill and Tino Martinez. Awww.
