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And That Happened

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My Morning in Exile

Baseball. Blogging. Whenever.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

And That Happened: All-Star Game Edition

I didn't really live blog and didn't even really keep too accurate a running diary. I mostly drank wine (like, a lot of wine) and cracked wise, occasionally remembering to write down my observations. And here they are:

If aliens came down from outer space and just looked at the starting lineups, they'd think it was the NL that owned the AL instead of vice-versa. Lots of depth behind the starters, sure, but I can't recall such a weak AL starting lineup in recent years.

A study in contrasts: Pujols predictably gets a big ovation during player introductions. Then Braun is announced and he's booed.

I really enjoyed all of the presidents talking during the everyday All-Stars thing. Am I nuts, or did Obama look like he's growing a little mustache? If so, +100 for him. George W. Bush looks more relaxed than he's been since his days as the Rangers' owner, which is totally understandable. Maybe it's because he's living with his dad now. At least I assume he is, because both him and H.W. Bush were speaking from the same room. Nice callback by Bush Sr. to the "points of light" thing, by the way. That's like a rapper sampling Young M.C. or something. Jimmy Carter is looking pretty spry. I think he's going to break Hoover's record for the most post-presidency years alive. Very underrated record, by the way.

Sheryl Crow did a good job on the anthem. Very businesslike. Almost makes up for the butchering she did of Dylan's "Mississippi" a couple of years ago.

My wife checks in for a few minutes during pregame stuff. She sees Lou Brock, Bob Gibson, Red Schoendienst, Bruce Sutter and Ozzie Smith in their red blazers and says "who are those guys, real estate agents?" Mrs. Shyster, ladies and gentleman, killing baseball buzzes since 1991.

I love me some Stan Musial, though I wish he wasn't in the golf cart. Reminds me of Ted Williams in the golf cart at the All-Star game in Boston several years back. The next time we thought of him after that was when he died and his son froze him in carbonite or whatever the hell it was. I'm a little sad now, realizing that we probably won't see Stan the Man in public again.

I LOVE that Obama came out in his White Sox jacket. Clinton would have conducted focus groups before deciding what to wear. Bush would have worn a bomber jacket or something. Obama is a fan, and no matter what your politics are, you have to respect that. As for his pitch: Eh, it was a lollipop job that made Tim Robbins in "Bull Durham" look like Roger Clemens, but at least it went over the plate. Unless Greg Maddux ever becomes president, I think George W. is going to hold the record for the sharpest Commander-in-Chief first pitch.

More Mrs. Shyster: "'Joe Buck?' Is that really his name? That sounds like a porn star's name or maybe a male prostitute. 'Midnight Cowboy II' starring Joe Buck as . . . Joe Buck." You're starting to see why I love this woman dearly.

Two pitches into the game and the uber-creative FOX graphics team has already kept us from seeing a pitch. Thanks, guys.

Lincecum plunks Jeter. It was an 81 MPH pitch. I want to believe it was intentional, but Timmy looks wild enough tonight where we can't be sure. Someone talk to Matt Cain and see if he really did have the leash on all day.

Pujols commits an error, and then the next play Lincecum fails to cover the bag. We may see Timmy and Albert fight here pretty soon. This could be hard for me, though, because I love both of those guys. I'm an underdog guy, so I suppose I have to root for Lincecum if they start raining blows down upon one another.

Obama in the broadcast booth is pretty sweet. First he hates on the Nationals, and then he says that "we're out of money." If nothing else you have to applaud him for his honesty. As all that's happening, Roy Halladay is roughed up.

Third inning, and Ryan Franklin is pitching. Really? If you're managing the NL is Ryan Franklin the second guy you have on the mound? Haven't the Cardinals fans had enough pandering over the past couple of days? OK, fine, he sets the AL down 1-2-3, so what do I know?

I blinked twice and missed the entire half inning pitched by Mark Buehrle. I really, really like that guy. I wish everyone pitched like him.

Based on the trailer, the "G.I. Joe" movie looks like the worst piece of excrement ever committed to celluloid. They could have done better by simply making a live-action version of that multi-part episode of the cartoon where Shipwreck wakes up with amnesia and is married with a family and everything. Don't look at me that way. You know which one I'm talking about.

Zack Greinke makes David Wright and Shane Victorino look really, really bad. Too bad his talents are being wasted in Kansas City.

I'm rally mad at Ichiro for fouling off the pitch on which Carl Crawford was trying to steal, because I wanted to see a Molina vs. Crawford showdown. Alas, I had to settle for Chase Utley's nice play in the hole throwing out Crawford at second.

Jumping to the sixth inning, I feel it's time to note, once again, that Adam Jones is the spitting image of Eric Davis. I wish I got more Orioles games where I am, because I think I'd enjoy the hell out of seeing him play every day. By the way, this game is humming right along. Just think: if it didn't take 50 minutes to get through the pregame show, we'd all be able to go to bed at a decent hour tonight.

Pujols finishes his night 0-3 with what will prove to be a costly error, but a couple of gems on defense as well. Go home and sleep now, Albert. You've been a fabulous host for two days, but the Cards need you healthy and rested for the second half.

AAAAARRGGH! Who in the hell is the scary bald guy in the suit, and why is there an ultra-up-close shot of him going to commercial? He will haunt my dreams for weeks.

Pujols being interviewed by Eric Karros:

Karros: So, does the best player in the game get butterflies?

Pujols: I don't think I'm the best player in the game.

Karros: Albert, we are men of action. Lies do not become us.

OK, that's not really what Karros said, but he should have.

Sweet snag of a would-be home run by Carl Crawford off of Brad Hawpe. Methinks that may be important. Then Tejada nails the next pitch to the wall as well. Buck calls Papelbon "automatic" but he's kind of scary if you ask me, even if he is effective. Inning ends with Jason Werth striking out. Matt Kemp wouldn't have done that.

Heath Bell is just a ridiculous human being. He's just big and choppy and sloppy out there, like he's with the Gashouse Gorillas or something. Oh, and he gives up a triple to Curtis Granderson. Wait, let's not blame Bell for that. Let's blame Jason Werth, who failed to hit the cutoff man. If he had, Granderson possibly stops at second or gets gunned down at third. Again, I must ask if Matt Kemp would have done that.

Granderson goes on to score on the sac fly. 4-3 A.L. with Joe Nathan and Mariano Rivera waiting in the wings. Remember what I said about the A.L.'s depth? Nathan and Rivera > Heath Bell and whoever the hell is left in the N.L. bullpen, and that's gonna be huge.

Brian McCann fouls out, and thus endeth the Braves' contributions to the 2009 All-Star Game. Now we just wait until Tommy Hanson gets the start in 2010.

Ryan Howard finally gets in the game as a pinch hitter. Is it just me, or does Howard look thinner than he's been in some time? No matter, he gets a big ovation from The Best Fans In Baseball. Then he looks absolutely horrible swinging at garbage in the dirt from Joe Nathan.

We're in the ninth and Morneau flies out to center. Nice catch by Werth. I think Kemp would have caught it too, however.

Mariano Rivera is in by the way. You know what's coming and you can't do anything about it.

Upton grounds out . . .

Hawpe strikes out . . .

Tejada pops out . . . ballgame.

AL wins again, which is fairly depressing for an NL Fan like me. Still, when you see Mariano Rivera closing it out, you have to appreciate how the currents of history are flowing these days. In 50 years, people are going to think about the mid-90s to the late oughts as a time when giants named Rivera and Jeter roamed the Earth, and games like this one are going to form the chronicle. To have interlopers like Francisco Cordero and Brad Hawpe screw with that narrative simply won't do, and we as NL fans have to accept that.

All in all a good game. Brisk. No silliness about everyone getting in the game. It felt like real baseball and looked like real baseball. I don't have any complaints. Good show Messers Manuel and Maddon. Crawford wins the MVP. He's as good a choice as any.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go pass out somewhere.

Posted by Craig Calcaterra at 12:13am

Comments

David said...

Way to go, Eric Stephen.

And even if, hypothetically, Kemp were feasting on the NL West, the West is the best division in the NL, based upon inter-divisional play.

NL East: .463
NL Central: .508
NL West: .533

The Rockies would probably be leading the East by a few games, as they’re above .500 against both the Central and the East.

Posted 07/15 at 11:33 AM

Motherscratcher said...

David, you seem to be a lot more worked up about meaningless and retarded ceremonial first pitches than any other petty Americans I’ve come across.

Posted 07/15 at 12:00 PM

David said...

Motherscratcher:

Well, since all I did was try to end any discussion about ceremonial first pitches, I’d think that I would “seem” to be worked up in the other direction.

But if I wasn’t clear before, I’ll be clear now: I have absolutely no desire to analyze ceremonial first pitches.

Sorry for the confusion, glad to have the chance to clear it up.

Posted 07/15 at 12:08 PM

george said...

Matt Kemp vs.

Western Division: .293/.365/.446/.811
Everyone else: .343/.413/.537/.950

Makes you appreciate the N.L. West’s pitching just a little more… Giants are in virtual tie for second best record in N.L., and Rockies are two games behind them.

Posted 07/15 at 12:23 PM

Dennis Koziel said...

I love the fact that the Fox announcers referred to the President as a “Lefty” and no one cackled at the comment. But I’m glad they didn’t. Baseball is no place for politics. It’s too important. The “hit by pitch” situation could have been worse. Colorado’s own BoB Davidson could have been behind the plate and he would have warned both benches after blowing the call.

Posted 07/15 at 12:37 PM

Steini's Famous Garbage Pitch said...

Any Pitch F/X analysis on Obama’s changeup yet?

And I really didn’t enjoy seeing Stan Musial in a golf cart.

Posted 07/15 at 02:36 PM

Nick Whitman said...

Slightly less angry at Joe Maddon today. Saving Wakefield as the long man makes sense, certainly, although he could have let Wakefield face the last batter or something. Mariano Rivera’s ego really doesn’t need to be stroked at every given opportunity, in my opinion.

I think it really just sucks that making the All-Star Game “count” robbed Tim Wakefield of his one chance to pitch in one. So I guess Bud Selig is to blame, as he is for so very many things.

I’ll just have to hate Joe Maddon simply for being part of the loathsome Devil Rays organization.

Posted 07/15 at 03:18 PM

Nate said...

Geez, heaven forbid the greatest closer of all time (and still extremely effective) get to close out the All Star Game. AFAIC, until he doesn’t deserve a spot on the team, he gets the call.

Posted 07/15 at 04:13 PM

The Commish said...

Dave and David:
I couldn’t agree more about the Jeter non-HBP. Imagine if the same thing happened to someone like A-Rod? The announcers would be all over him, questioning how he could take first base in an All-Star Game when he knows he didn’t get hit. I rant a lot more about this on my blog, and I posted the video of the Jeter non-HBP as well.

http://www.thecommishonline.com

Posted 07/15 at 05:37 PM

Ryan said...

Searching for a Matt Kemp comeback…can’t find any…he is legitimately destructive against East and Central opponents and outside of his home ballpark when looking at OPS. Should have done the research first, but then the comments wouldn’t be as much fun would they?

Posted 07/15 at 11:22 PM

Spiral Stairs said...

“I LOVE that Obama came out in his White Sox jacket. Clinton would have conducted focus groups before deciding what to wear”

Don’t forget that Clinton openly rooted for the Razorbacks back in their glory years in the 90s. He actually got some flack for this. If I recall correctly, one of the announcers (can’t remember exactly who)during the ‘94 NCAA final game said “Doesn’t the president realize that Duke is in the United States too?”

Posted 07/16 at 01:10 PM

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