MLB All-Star Game 2009

I will be the first to admit, it has been far too long since I have written anything. What better to post on than the mid-summer classic. I will be doing an expansion of my twitter posts during the game. I did quite a few so this could get lengthy. As always you can follow me on twitter here.

1. Really, all star game starting at almost 9PM EST? Way to reel in the young fans Major League Baseball! Stellar job as usual

This has been a pet peeve of mine growing up and seeing the trend toward later and later games. The first time i remember the lateness coming into play was in 1995 (I was 12). This was the first year of the wild card in the playoffs and the Redsox got in. We had tickets for a game 4, and i remember laying in bed with my radio turned way down listening to game 3 to see if I would get to go to game 4. The Sox ended up losing that game, and I laid in bed crying. I think it was then that I really realized what it was to be a pre-2004 Redsox fan.
Starting the world series before 8pm for the first time in 30 years is a nice step, but why not start the all star game at 8? I mean, aren't Boston and New York the only markets MLB cares about anyway? (sarcasm) Also, young fans care a lot more about the all star game than the world series unless their team is playing in it. I cared far more in 1993 and 1994 about seeing Scott Cooper come in to play 3rd base than I did about the Soxless world series games (1993 only, no WS in 1994). I just really think MLB is doing everything it can to remain an old-timers game, and before you know it those old timers are going to get the early bird special at 4pm and be in bed by 8pm. Good luck with that.

2. Pujols = All Star game goat? How great would that be!

I love Albert Pujols, you love Albert Pujols, we all love Albert Pujols...BUT there can be too much of a good thing. Maybe its the negative east coast sports fan in me, but by the time the game started Tuesday night I had enough. This post was made in the first inning when Albert let a ball go through his legs. I am back on the bandwagon today, but I had more than enough of the Fox/Espn Albert love-fest.

3. ugh - Obama, McCarver, and Buck. Surprised my TV hasn't blown up

If Gitmo was still open, they would be re-playing this video there. Cruel and unusual.

4. Who would want Halladay on their team? What a bum!

During Doc's 3 run second inning. Of course I kid! He would look really good in a Redsox uniform...otherwise he needs to go to the NL. This guy scares the crap out of me.

5. Its the Buzzsaw!!! BZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZ!

A tribute to 5th inning NL pitcher Chad Billingsly. Affectionately know as the Buzzsaw by the Fantasy Focus Baseball podcast on ESPN. My absolute favorite podcast. Even (especially) if you don't play fantasy sports, this podcast is really entertaining. I encourage all to check it out. Even my wife likes it.

6. Just when i got comfortable with the amount of Bono in my life, on comes the new Blackberry commercial.

Let the U2 overexposure begin (again)!

7. Was the MLB Network commercial the best commercial ever, or did it just look that way next to the taco bell commercial (WORST EVER!)?

Please watch this commercial, then turn on your TV and watch the first commercial you see. That will totally explain this.
Also, a follow up to Frank's post about the maker of the commercial needing to update his resume and look for a new job...
@franklyput He should make more commercials, but they need to be for things we DON'T want. Bubonic Plague, cancer, termites, Al Queda, ect

8. Bud Selig, Cleveland fans thank you for seeing their lone all star take an intentional walk. Home field advantage, gotta love it!

Look, I am all for a competitive all star game that doesn't end in a tie; however, we need to find another motivator for these teams. All the kids in Cleveland who waited until the 8th inning to see Victor Martinez enter the game only to see him thrown 4 consecutive balls out of the zone deserve an apology. I get the strategy. You cant fault Charlie Manuel for the call, but things like this should happen. Each team is required to have an all star to make fans all over the country interested in the game. When something like this happens, you totally take away that appeal.

9. Few things - MLB ASG plays more like a regular game than any other sport, Paps got the win which was nice, and 2hr 31 minutes that was quick

This was my final tweet of the game. I saw the final score and my first thought was how unlike hockey (high scoring), basketball (high scoring, defense is a joke), and football (barely a 'game') the baseball all star game is. It was a 'normal' score (4-3), there was strategy employed (as much as it stinks for Cleveland fans), and there were some great defensive plays (as evidenced by Carl Crawford getting the MVP for his great catch). I really enjoyed this as another game during the season, however it didn't feel like a big event. If I was a Nationals, Orioles, or Pirates fan and this game was the biggest one of the rest of my season I think I would be kind of bummed. I am really torn about how I feel on this one.
I always appreciate when a Sox player gets something done in this game. Hopefully this will be the only time we see Papelbon with the win and Rivera with the save.
The final statement ties back to the first. This really felt like a real, regular season game. Its like a regular season Greg Maddux start. I do appreciate the length because of the late start time, but I am not sure 'efficiency' is the way to go with what should be a big event like this. On the other hand, we could have used some of this brevity on Monday night with the homerun derby.

The only other impression from the game was some sadness that 17 year veteran and first time all star Tim Wakefield didn't get to throw a pitch. I totally understand the strategy by Joe Madden, however as a Sox fan this really disappointed me. Wake will pitch til he is 60 so he might get another chance, but I was still disappointed.

All-Star game 2009 in the books. AL makes it 13 wins in a row. Really well played game with plenty of drama on the field.