Things To Watch For (Or Cringe At) At the All-Star Game
- Tuesday, July 13, 2010 9:03 AM
- Written By: Andrew Simon
The bickering and moaning (mine included) about roster selection is done with. So are the ancillary events, like the home run derby (snooze) and the legends and "celebrities" softball game (actually kind of fun -- who doesn't like Rickey being Rickey and popping a leadoff homer before stylin' around the bases? And oh yeah, Marisa Miller). With all that out of the way, it's time to play the actual game tonight in Anaheim.
Here are a few things I'm most looking forward to about the Midsummer Classic ... and a few I'm dreading.
Pro
1. Batter vs. Pitcher: At its heart, baseball is all about the one-on-one battle between a pitcher and a hitter -- the mind games, the test of wills, the physical pitting of talents. And as much as the All-Star Game is something less than real, these are still competitors with an awful lot of pride, and I firmly believe that when they take the mound or step in the box, they want to come out ahead. With as many great players as there are in the game, this sets up some juicy matchups. And I'm not just watching for the result, but also the process. Does Ubaldo Jimenez just try to overpower Ichiro and the top of the AL lineup with fastballs, or does he mix things up? How does David Price attack Albert Pujols, a man with almost no weaknesses, whom he's never faced in the regular season? Any fan of the game would have to be excited to see these types of matchups, even if free agency and interleague play have removed a bit of the mystery.
2. The introductions: I'm willing to believe I might be alone in this, but I kind of enjoy the pre-game, when players for both teams stand along the foul lines and are introduced to the crowd, one by one. Maybe I'm just a sucker for hat tipping. But I do find it interesting and sometimes entertaining to gauge the crowd reactions to various players. Tonight, for example, we will probably get raucous cheers for locals like Torii Hunter, confused silence/a smattering of polite applause for unknowns like Pittsburgh middle reliever Evan Meek and perhaps some boos for folks like Alex Rodriguez.
3. In-game interview with Charlie Manuel: Since the game is televised on FOX, I'm assuming they will do their inane in-game interviews with each manager. Normally I find these annoying and pointless. But I will be turning the volume up tonight when the announcers talk to NL manager Charlie Manuel, because the guy is a goldmine. From being 66 years old or from West Virginia or some combination of the two, Manuel can have some interesting interpretations of the English language. During yesterday's press conference, during which starting lineups were announced, he had to ask for help on Martin Prado's name (Pardo? Praydo?). He also flubbed the names of Andre Ethier and coach Bruce Bochy and confused Evan Meek with fellow NL reliever Matt Capps. The real highlight came when LA Times reporter Dylan Hernandez asked Manuel why he decided to start Ethier (a terrible defensive right fielder) in center field. From Hernandez's article:
Asked how he settled on Ethier — or "Ether," as Manuel initially called him in a news conference Monday — the 66-year-old Phillies' manager didn't offer a clear explanation.
"The reason he's playing center field is because when we did the fan voting and the player voting, we, uh, Hart had the … he was ahead of the outfielders," Manuel said. "He has to start. He was supposed to start the game, and Ethier's the one I chose to play center field because I remember he played there a lot.
"We do not have what they call a true center fielder right now. We have some on our roster… at the same time… that was the reason why he started in center field."
For the record, Hernandez explains that Corey Hart, not Ethier, has some history with playing center field in the big leagues. Naturally I will be interested to see what other gems this World Series-winning skipper has to offer.
Con
1. BuckCarver: I'm not being overdramatic when I say I can barely stand the FOX broadcast team of Joe Buck and Tim McCarver. Without getting into too much detail, they pretty much hit all of my baseball announcer pet peeves. And the worst part is, you can't get away from them, especially in the postseason. Same goes for the All-Star Game. This will never happen because of the FOX TV deal, but wouldn't it be great if fans could decide on ASG announcers, just as they do with players? Maybe I'm having too much faith in humanity here, but I would think people would have enough sense in that case, to vote for the great Vin Scully, especially this year. The game is in his town (kind of), and as much as I wish he would be around forever, realistically he won't be calling games for too much longer. If he were willing, this would be a great opportunity for people around the country to experience the best announcer describing the actions of the best players with his signature grace, wit and passion.
2. Late-inning letdowns: Admittedly, the ASG has been close in recent years, with each of the last four decided by one run (not that a close game is necessarily a good one). The problem is, the games tend to get more ordinary as they go along, depending on the managers' strategies. Since most managers try to get most guys on their roster in the game -- keeping a few aside for extra inning situations -- we tend to end up with some of the bigger stars expended early. Then you might be watching in the seventh inning when John Buck steps in against Matt Capps. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but you might be pinching yourself and asking if you are in fact watching an "all-star game." This is what happens when expanded rosters and injuries leave you with more than 80 players earning the all-star label.
3. The #@$*%& AL always wins: I consider myself a National League fan. My favorite team plays in the NL. I grew up going to games at an NL stadium. I enjoy the strategy that comes with pitchers hitting. And the last time the NL won an all-star game, I was nine years old and their starting lineup against AL pitcher Charles Nagy included Lance Johnson and Dante Bichette. I'm sick of it, and I have little faith things will turn around this year.
Enjoy the game, everyone!
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