2008 MLB All-Star Game Thread

There's the thing.

If a guy's been impressive enough to earn the All-Star start, nobody should have any problem giving the guy three, even four innings.

 

Of course, if Francona had used 5 pitchers but the AL had won in 9 innings, everyone on the board would be all over Francona, blasting him for not doing a better job of getting players into the game.

Not to mention the players themselves getting peeved.

 

Can't do that, either. Not every team plays the same number of IL games.

 

You're absolutely right. But if the game is close, he's got to manage it that way.

 

Not me. I well remember ASGs growing in which not every player made an appearance. In fact, it was almost expected that the only time some players would get any face time on TV was during the introductions (which is why I always looked forward to them the most.)

No reason for that to change, other than managers not wanting to upset their fellow managers and/or the players by "overplaying" the starters.

Making the All-Star team is the honor. Playing in the game is just secondary.

 

But each league plays the same total number of IL games. I'm not saying give it to the WS qualifier with the best IL record.

 

Gotta love this AP story, putting the final score of a game played 10 years ago ahead of tonight's (this morning's?) score:

NEW YORK (AP) -- All Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona needed was a green traffic light in the American League dugout.

The AL ran wild on the basepaths Tuesday night, stealing a record six bases in the All-Star game at Yankee Stadium. The previous mark also belonged to the AL, which swiped five bags in a 13-8 victory over the National League on July 7, 1998, at Coors Field.

Boston outfielder J.D. Drew had the record-breaking steal, taking second before White Sox slugger Carlos Quentin struck out to end the 13th inning. Michael Young of the Rangers finally delivered a run in the 15th inning, hitting a sacrifice fly to give the AL a 4-3 victory.

 

I will say this much -- it was nice for Royals fans to see their guy actually play in the game for the first time since 2005, when Mike Sweeney went 0 for 1. In fact, Soria became the first Royals pitcher to actually take the mound this decade.

As a fan, that was nice to see. Finally.

 

Wow, that is unequivocally one of the worst ledes I've ever read.

 

I'd have been pissed if David Wright or Billy Wagner didn't play. I want to see my guys.

 

Uhh, that's not the AP gamer, guys.

It's one of about a dozen sidebars, and the slug is specifically about the stolen base record (although I agree it shouldn't have the score from the '98 game in there.)

 

And for baseball, which situation is worse?

Trust me, my world would have survived if everyone hadn't gotten in. And the fewer players you use, the more it resembles a real game.

Look, I'm not saying every starter should play the whole game. But you shouldn't need more than six pitchers to get through nine innings, and why can't a position player or two go the distance?

Again, this was not a problem before the 1990s. In fact, the league presidents used to stress that the managers were in no way obligated to get everyone in.