2007 MLB All-Star Game Thread

[Karlifornia]

Because, hey, nothing else is on.

[Karlifornia]

I suspected some booing for Bruce Bochy....but instead it was just a feeble cheer.

[Brillig]

How true.

Did you see the Taco Bell thingy? That made me want to cry.

Also, come on people, don't boo players during the freaking introductions, show some class.

[molson]

I like All-Star games.

[kingfc22]

How true.

Did you see the Taco Bell thingy? That made me want to cry.

Also, come on people, don't boo players during the freaking introductions, show some class.

It's the freaking Dodgers. Of course we're going to boo.

I doubt a Red Sox player would get cheered in a NY All-Star Game

[Brillig]

The Dodgers I get. Still classless, but I get it. But booing the Angels? WTF?

[Young Drachma]

How true.

Did you see the Taco Bell thingy? That made me want to cry.

Also, come on people, don't boo players during the freaking introductions, show some class.

it annoyed me. I mean, how lame is it that the guy has to hit off a tee. At least give him a JUGS machine.

[Ksyrup]

That guy stood a better chance to win the money if he had tried to kick the ball barefoot punter-style.

[Dr. Sak]

This is one of the 3 baseball games I watch all year.

[Young Drachma]

That guy stood a better chance to win the money if he had tried to kick the ball barefoot punter-style.

True. His effort was pitiful.

[Young Drachma]

I like how they booed him.

[Brillig]

Yeah - if you're going to humiliate yourself on national television, at least make it look like you practiced a bit.

[Young Drachma]

Some columnist tomorrow will write a story about how Barry walked too close to Willie Mays and how it's because he's got too big an ego. I don't believe that to be true. But mark my words, someone is going to say it.

As for Jose Reyes, how classy AND cool was it that Willie offered to sign that ball for him. I mean, Jose gave him the ball.

[Ksyrup]

How awesome was that? Mays was pissed the catcher was too close! He seemed personally offended they didn't think he had an arm anymore.

[Young Drachma]

Pretty neat sight for the fans. Pretty good job by the folks in San Francisco so far, because no one is talking (today) about steroids, about baseball's mistakes or any of that.

And best of all, we haven't seen Bud Selig yet. I'm sure he'll go mess it up before too long though.

[kingfc22]

Willie Mays. Oh how I wish I could of been able to seem him play.

[Brillig]

And best of all, we haven't seen Bud Selig yet. I'm sure he'll go mess it up before too long though.

I saw him earlier...



or was that Homer Simpson?

[Mr. Sparkle]

The Dodgers I get. Still classless, but I get it. But booing the Angels? WTF?

There's absolutely nothing classless in booing Dodgers. Nothing.

[Ksyrup]

Buck got so close to McCarver I thought they were going to kiss.

[Crapshoot]

The Dodgers I get. Still classless, but I get it. But booing the Angels? WTF?


Umm - any awareness of baseball history here?You do know the Giants fans don't particularly care for the Rally Monkey's, right?

Also, if Booing the Dodgers is wrong, I have no intention of every being right. :D

[kingfc22]

Umm - any awareness of baseball history here?You do know the Giants fans don't particularly care for the Rally Monkey's, right?

Damn you Scott Spiezio.:mad:

[Schmidty]

If this pregame goes on any longer, I will beat my dogs, grill the cats, and make my family listen to Nickleback.

This has been horrible and boring. Nice job Fux.

[Ksyrup]

BANG BANG BANG BANG

VAMANOS VAMANOS


Hell Yeah! A bit of Clutch on national TV!

Er...sorry.

[Crapshoot]

Damn you Scott Spiezio.:mad:

Thou shall not speaketh that name! :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[mauchow]

Wow, it looks like they're about to start! Peavy is warming up.

They're bound to have another intro or something...

[molson]

I think the booing is done in a fun way at an event like this, as the fans are just trying to get into the game a little bit. I don't see why people get so uptight about it.

[Karlifornia]

Ichiro rings in a new contract with a signature Ichiro base-hit.

[Young Drachma]

Finally, the game starts.

[Young Drachma]

Who picks the umps? MLB?

[Karlifornia]

Whoopsie...will the flood gates open after the AL was given an extra out?

[mauchow]

Oh, vey.

C'mon Princey.


Saved by Wright though, with a beautiful diving stop to end the inning.

[Karlifornia]

Someone on McCovey Chronicles said the "Fielder" in Prince Fielder is now a misnomer.

[Young Drachma]

Ugh. Stupid commentator.

[Young Drachma]

I almost prefer Joe Morgan and Jon Miller to this guy.

[Karlifornia]

Haren's stuff is nasty....Base hit Griffey, Reyes scores...1-0 NL...Come on NL!

[Young Drachma]

Man...Reyes and Wright are one hell of a dynamic duo.

[14ers]

If this wasn't an All Star game would that have been an error on Arod?

[sterlingice]

Is this the point where the Yankees fans boo the best player of his era for not going all out on a play where he was beat by 2 seconds?

SI

[Young Drachma]

Yeah, let's spoil a perfectly fine game by bringing up steroids. Losers.

[sterlingice]

Yeah, let's spoil a perfectly fine game by bringing up steroids. Losers.

Not only that but to have some half-baked, local-sports-talk level "insight" about it.

SI

[Young Drachma]

Ichiro is a beast.

[Brillig]

Okay, that'll be replayed a few dozen times on Japanese TV...

[Young Drachma]

Damn. That was awesome.

[Young Drachma]

First inside the park HR in all-star game history. Sweet.

[Young Drachma]

I love the way Ichiro plays, because it's so obvious that he plays almost as if he knows he's going to hurt you, he's just trying to decide how.

[Karlifornia]

Shaping up to be another tight finish.

[heybrad]

Russell Martin with the expletive!

[Young Drachma]

It'd be better if Paula Cole was singing Take Me Out To The Ballgame.

[Ksyrup]

Where have all the on-key notes gone?

[Ksyrup]

It'd be better if Paula Cole was singing Take Me Out To The Ballgame.

You wanna take that back?

[Young Drachma]

She's not fun to look at on mute.

[Young Drachma]

You wanna take that back?

I was joking. I was thinking, "Gee, couldn't they have found anyone better as a retread to sing that song?"

[Young Drachma]

Tim McCarver is more grating than nails on a chalkboard.

[sterlingice]

Tim McCarver is more grating than nails on a chalkboard.

Especially after that "Little Papi" comment...

SI

[Karlifornia]

Especially after that "Little Papi" comment...

SI

Yeah...seriously terrible.

[sterlingice]

Absolutely filthy pitch, tho.

SI

[Schmidty]

This announce team is making me want to sleep. No energy. No insight. Not funny. Buck sounds like an effing robot.

[Young Drachma]

Yup. It's a pretty good game. But those guys are SO dull.

If nothing else, baseball's all-star game is the most like a "real" game of any of them. I heard that point made by Joe Morgan, actually. But it's a very true point. All of the other all-star games are fantasy-like, whereas baseball's...it's pretty much the same conditions as a real life game, save for the obvious quirks of an exhibition.

[Karlifornia]

Yup. It's a pretty good game. But those guys are SO dull.

If nothing else, baseball's all-star game is the most like a "real" game of any of them. I heard that point made by Joe Morgan, actually. But it's a very true point. All of the other all-star games are fantasy-like, whereas baseball's...it's pretty much the same conditions as a real life game, save for the obvious quirks of an exhibition.

Yeah...It is the only all-star game worth watching anymore...

NFL: Nobody wants to see someone get hurt, especially the stars, so it's basically like training camp.

NHL: Easy on the checking

NBA: No defense played at all

[Karlifornia]

Lmao...poor Bruce Froemming getting some kind of ASG send off.

[sterlingice]

Ok, good job with the mike there. That was a great exchange.

SI

[Young Drachma]

Yeah, only took them 8 1/2 to get it right.

[sterlingice]

Well, it wasn't between Buck and McCarver, it was between Froemming and Posada. Maybe they should call the next game ;)

SI

[mauchow]

Man, these AL pitchers making NL batters look bad. 9 or 10 k's now while the NL pitchers have struck out the AL batters a grand total of ONE time. Poor Grady Sizemore, what a loser.

[MikeVic]

Great. Now if Dmitri Young ever gets cut, I'll be worrying about him dying.

[Young Drachma]

Good. I wanted the NL to at least put up a fight. Even..if it's a fluke.

[Young Drachma]

Great. Now if Dmitri Young ever gets cut, I'll be worrying about him dying.

I just wondered if he got an AL Championship ring even though they released him.

[Young Drachma]

Awesome. Clutch job Soriano.

[mauchow]

ALfonso makes it interesting!

[Karlifornia]

There we go..nice, Soriano....Now it's up to JJ Hardy

[MikeVic]

I just wondered if he got an AL Championship ring even though they released him.

Yeah that was my first thought too actually. :D Then they mentioned the tombstone thing.

I remember after the 98 Jays win, some guy named Darrin Jackson or something got a ring during a game in which he was on the other team. He apparently played part of the season for the Jays, so he got a ring.

[mauchow]

Did you just see Putz look over to see who was on deck? Its going to be a walk for sure! He's scared.

[mauchow]

Dola, told ya.

[mauchow]

Can the Cubbies win this so they can get home field for the world series! C'mon guys, help yourselves.. even though you're no good at home this year.

[dawgfan]

Putz has been getting squeezed. Umps trying to make it interesting or something?

[Young Drachma]

Yeah that was my first thought too actually. :D Then they mentioned the tombstone thing.

I remember after the 98 Jays win, some guy named Darrin Jackson or something got a ring during a game in which he was on the other team. He apparently played part of the season for the Jays, so he got a ring.

Yeah, pretty much anyone whose played on the team gets a ring was the way I understood it. They get rings for everyone in the front office too, but their rings are a little different than player rings I think. (Not as much bling..)

Darrin Jackson was on the '93 Jays WS team. :) Aah, the glory days.

But I just did some research....and Dmitri got voted a full playoff share last year, so..surely he got a ring from the ballclub.

I just wondered if he got an AL Championship ring even though they released him.

A full share for the World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals is a record total of $362,173.07, surpassing the previous high of $324,532.72 per full share for the 2005 World Series Champion Chicago White Sox, Major League Baseball announced today. A full share for the American League Champion Detroit Tigers is $291,667.68.

The players' pool, formed from 60 percent of the gate receipts from the first three games of the Division Series and 60 percent of the gate receipts from the first four games of the League Championship Series and the World Series, was divided among 12 clubs: the World Series participants, the League Championship Series and Division Series runners-up, and the four regular season second-place clubs that were not Wild Card participants.

The club-by-club breakdown follows:

World Series Champions
St. Louis Cardinals (Share of Players' Pool: $20,016,735.81; value of each full share: $362,173.07) - The Cardinals awarded 48 full shares, 7.133 partial shares and 16 cash awards.

American League Champions
Detroit Tigers (Share of Players' Pool: $13,344,490.54; value of each full share: $291,667.68) - The Tigers awarded 39 full shares, 6.67 partial shares and nine cash awards.

League Championship Series Runners-Up
New York Mets (Share of Players' Pool: $6,672,245.27; value of each full share: $124,429.60) - The Mets awarded 40 full shares, 13.333 partial shares and six cash awards.

Oakland Athletics (Share of Players' Pool: $6,672,245.27; value of each full share: $140,624.90) - The A's awarded 41 full shares, 5.80 partial shares and 14 cash awards.

Division Series Runners-Up
Los Angeles Dodgers (Share of Players' Pool: $1,668,061.32; value of each full share: $27,035.00) - The Dodgers awarded 50 full shares, 11.478 partial shares and three cash awards.

Minnesota Twins (Share of Players' Pool: $1,668,061.32; value of each full share: $37,538.99) - The Twins awarded 39 full shares, 4.25 partial shares and 15 cash awards.

New York Yankees (Share of Players' Pool: $1,668,061.32; value of each full share: $28,598.24) - The Yankees awarded 45 full shares, 13.24 partial shares and three cash awards.

San Diego Padres (Share of Players' Pool: $1,668,061.32; value of each full share: $27,339.86) - The Padres awarded 52 full shares, 8.50 partial shares and 21 cash awards.

Second-Place Finishers (Non-Wild Card Clubs)
Houston Astros (Share of Players' Pool: $556,020.44; value of each full share: $10,285.70) - The Astros awarded 43 full shares, 11 partial shares and eight cash awards.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (Share of Players' Pool: $556,020.44; value of each full share: $10,154.79) - The Angels awarded 50 full shares and 5.25 partial shares.

Philadelphia Phillies (Share of Players' Pool: $556,020.44; value of each full share: $10,909.50) - The Phillies awarded 36 full shares, 14.417 partial shares and six cash awards.

Toronto Blue Jays (Share of Players' Pool: $556,020.44; value of each full share: $11,830.22) - The Blue Jays awarded 33 full shares and 14 partial shares.

[Karlifornia]

K-Rod vs. Derek Lee.....Here we go!

[Young Drachma]

They sure did put too many relievers on these teams to have them blowing games.

[mauchow]

Putz has been getting squeezed. Umps trying to make it interesting or something?

Squeezed? He was lucky to get one strike on Hardy.

[mauchow]

OOoh.. Exciting.

[dawgfan]

Squeezed? He was lucky to get one strike on Hardy.
The 3rd pitch to him could've easily been called a strike, and if you check the Gameday data it should've been. It's not the only one this inning - same thing happened with every batter he faced in fact, with at least one pitch being called a ball that easily could've been (and probably should've been) a strike. The worst one was his 2nd pitch to McCann.

[mauchow]

I think Lee got away with that one.. lol

[Karlifornia]

I think Lee got away with that one.. lol

Yeah, if that's the 4th inning, the ump would have rung him up, I think.

[Scoobz0202]

Ohhh... bases jacked.

[mauchow]

Rut Ruh

[Young Drachma]

Yeah, they gave him that one. But you can't end a game like this...with a call like that.

But K-Rod sure isn't making it easy for himself.

[mauchow]

I think Rowand should be swinging at the first pitch here.. imo

[mauchow]

Damn.

[Young Drachma]

Choke job. That first pitch was his only chance.

[sterlingice]

Nice of K-Rod to make that a bit more interesting but I could have done with more drama coming into the 9th.

SI

[Young Drachma]

All you need is a baseball hit and he's trying to go long.

[Karlifornia]

Damn, the AL continues it's dominance. Fun game, though.

[Karlifornia]

Anyone wanna ask..."Where was Pujols?"

[Young Drachma]

Bud Selig sucks. But Ichiro..is a beast.

[Arles]

Yeah, I really see no reason not to play Pujols. Lee has good speed at second and probably scores on a single. So, either Pujols gets out (lose the game) or he gets a hit (win the game). Either way, no reason to worry about defensive assignments for the next inning.

[MrBug708]

Damn. Now the Dodgers only get 3 games at home instead of four

[mauchow]

Yeah, bud would have called the game if they only tied..


and this interview is kinda brutal to watch.

[Karlifornia]

Yeah, bud would have called the game if they only tied..


and this interview is kinda brutal to watch.

Especially the part where Jeannie Zelasko was trying to sell Ichiro to the Giants fans, and punctuated it with an out of date "And he's gonna be a free agent, folks!!!"

[BYU 14]

Damn. Now the Dodgers only get 3 games at home instead of four


Smirk

Well the Yankees get the whole postseason off, so there!

[JonInMiddleGA]

I tried, I really did. I turned the game on early, tried to remember how big a deal this used to be 20 or maybe 30 years ago. The Mays tribute was a nice bit of nostalgia, so I thought maybe I was on the right track even if we did have to endure the presence of Barroid. I managed to write that off to being in San Fran and such, so I was able to get past it reasonably well.

Alas, I literally kept dozing off during the game. Probably had more to do with having too little sleep lately than it did the game itself but still it came down to me just not being able to convince myself that this was as important or compelling as it used to be. If anything, in spite of the (ridiculous) home field stipulation and all, it still felt to me more like the Pro Bowl than A-S games of old ... and I believe the meaningless of the actual Pro Bowl game has already been pretty well established for most people.

I'm not really meaning to bitch, it just makes me kind of sad to realize how far this event has fallen for me, one of those kids who enjoyed it so much that I actually still have old scorebooks where I sat at home & scored the game as it played out on TV.

[Chief Rum]

Damn you Scott Spiezio.:mad:

It's nice to know some fans out there still remember one of the best World Series ever--highlighted by one of the most amazing comebacks in an elimination game in postseason history (including at one point a certain 13-foul at bat by Mr. Spiezio :D ).

[Karlifornia]

It's nice to know some fans out there still remember one of the best World Series ever--highlighted by one of the most amazing comebacks in an elimination game in postseason history (including at one point a certain 13-foul at bat by Mr. Spiezio :D ).

Yes, of course "some" fans remember it. We're called the fans that were left crying in our beer.:(

[sterlingice]

It's nice to know some fans out there still remember one of the best World Series ever--highlighted by one of the most amazing comebacks in an elimination game in postseason history (including at one point a certain 13-foul at bat by Mr. Spiezio :D ).

And he didn't have that stupid tuft of bright red hair then

SI

[miami_fan]

Anyone wanna ask..."Where was Pujols?"

Albert does!

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/allstar07/news/story?id=2932400

SAN FRANCISCO -- Albert Pujols was angry about being left on the All-Star bench and the St. Louis slugger took aim at the National League manager -- who just happened to be Tony La Russa of his own Cardinals.

"It's the All-Star Game. He can do what he wants," Pujols said Tuesday night. "He does whatever he wants. If I wasn't expecting to play, I wouldn't have come up here."

Pujols, the NL MVP in 2005 and key to the Cardinals' win in the World Series last year, said La Russa didn't talk to him the entire game.

Pujols could only watch when Aaron Rowand flied out with the bases loaded to end the American League's 5-4 win.

"If he wants to get upset, he can get upset," La Russa said. "Whatever he wants to do, he can do. It's America. That wasn't the most important thing tonight."

With the 32-man rosters, it's not uncommon for few players to be left out. The AL used 27 players, while the NL used 28.

Pujols and Texas shortstop Michael Young -- last year's All-Star Game MVP -- were the only position players who didn't get into the game. Ever since the 2002 event ended in an extra-innings tie, managers have tended to hold a hitter back just in case.

La Russa said he indeed was saving his star player in case the game went long.

"Once we lost [Miguel] Cabrera and [Freddy] Sanchez, he was the guy we were going to use to protect ourselves in case we kept playing because of Albert's versatility," La Russa said. "I think we had the right guy at bat."

La Russa told reporters that he explained how he was going to use Pujols to his star slugger before the game.

"Albert was the guy who was going to do whatever we needed," La Russa said, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "If Albert doesn't understand that, I'm surprised and disappointed. It isn't that tough a thing. I explained his role to him before the game.

"Let me ask you this. If we go to extra innings, who's going to be our player to move around and play? Can Dmitri [Young] move around and play? Or is Albert going to do that? Who's the most versatile guy not playing? It's Albert. It isn't even that tough. He'll figure it out sooner or later."

Dmitri Young pinch-hit in the ninth inning, leaving Pujols as La Russa's lone bat left on the bench.

A six-time All-Star, Pujols finished about 770,000 votes behind starting first baseman Prince Fielder. He played left field regularly in 2002 and '03 and also saw time at third base in 2001 and '02.

Pujols said he was getting his body loose the whole night.

"I was ready to go since the game started," Pujols said.

Pujols is mired in a career-worst home run slump -- 22 games and a career-worst 74 at-bats. He is tied with Chris Duncan for the team lead with 16 homers and his last homer was off Kansas City's Jimmy Gobble on June 14.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Albert Pujols, utility man.

(Although if he'd actually hit a homer in the past month I bet LaRussa would have played the situation differently)

[MizzouRah]

LaRussa is a dumb fuck. I'm so tired of his "act". Yes he did win a WS for us last year, but I'm tired of him.

I would love to see him manage a team like Washington or Tampa Bay with their payrolls and see what happens.

How can you NOT play your all star player in that spot? Are you fucking kidding me?? That is the PERFECT spot for Pujols to come up and bat in. What a joke.

I wouldn't care as much if the game didn't mean anything, but it does.

My dad always tells me the Cardinals win despite LaRussa and I'm starting to believe him. Go ahead LaRussa, keep Duncan on the bench against lefties, play Miles at shortstop and play Taguchi in centerfield. Continue to let Wells start games and ruin Anthony Reyes. Grrrrrr! :mad:

[Ksyrup]

There have already been grumblings that he's likely leaving at the end of the year. If Pujols is tired of him, there's no doubt who the team will side with.

[Scoobz0202]

I really thought LaRussa's response to Pujol's was pretty pathetic.

"If he wants to get upset, he can get upset," La Russa said. "Whatever he wants to do, he can do. It's America. That wasn't the most important thing tonight."

[sterlingice]

The rumors they keep talking about in KC are that Jockety is also possibly on the way out. And one of the destinations they were talking about was Cincinnati with LaRussa, Duncan, and Jockety all going there. But I think that's all idle speculation at this point.

SI

[MizzouRah]

The rumors they keep talking about in KC are that Jockety is also possibly on the way out. And one of the destinations they were talking about was Cincinnati with LaRussa, Duncan, and Jockety all going there. But I think that's all idle speculation at this point.

SI

Yeah, and LaRussa would only go there if he's allowed to spend money. I think that's part of the reason he might be wanting to leave, the owners will not let the payroll increase.. I mean, with the new stadium all sold out and everything. ;)

I say, peace out TL!

[MizzouRah]

I really thought LaRussa's response to Pujol's was pretty pathetic.

"If he wants to get upset, he can get upset," La Russa said. "Whatever he wants to do, he can do. It's America. That wasn't the most important thing tonight."

I'm telling you, the guy has gone mad.

[Ksyrup]

LOL! I don't know who the announcers are for the AAA All-Star Game, but one of the guys just said someone "was crying his balls...er...eyes off."

Oh, I think it's Eduardo Perez, since he made a big deal about John-Ford Griffin being from FSU. Damn that was funny.