All-Star Game Re-Cap

The annual Mid-Summer Classic was held last night in Arizona, showcasing the best baseball has to offer.  Well, sort of.  Except that a handful of the best players missed the game due to injury or "exhaustion."  Or the league's rule that prevents pitchers that started on the Sunday before the game from being eligible for the All-Star game deprived us of aces like Justin Verlander, Felix Hernandez, CC Sabathia, and James Shields.  Oh yea, plus Albert Pujols, the most dominant hitter of the past decade, was mysteriously left off the roster.  All the missing stars that need to be replaced added up to a lengthy list of "All-Stars" for each side.  Apparently half the league is now an All-Star.

But hey, the game still counts! 

Here's a rundown of what transpired last night:

• The pre-game introductions took a while due to the number of players attending (regardless of if they were able to play or not).  There was still plenty to keep us entertained during this long stretch.  Some players, such as the Diamondback's representatives Justin Upton and Miguel Montero received big ovations.  Arizona natives Paul Konerko and Jacoby Ellsbury did as well. 
• Yankees players of course got booed, because that's what fans outside of New York should do to Yankees players. 
• Prince Fielder got the loudest jeers from the crowd, as the fans apparently haven't gotten over the fact that Prince left Justin Upton off his Home Run Derby team. 
• Division rival Giants players got booed as well, but it was interesting to see that the Dodgers apparently aren't relevant enough to have their player's booed. 
• Awkward moment of the night goes to when Joe Buck messed up and introduced Seattle's Felix Hernandez when Detroit's Miguel Cabrera was clearly next in line.  Miggy looked confused, but played it off well, getting a good laugh out of it. 
• Roy Halladay deservingly gets the start for the NL and retires the first three batters in order to start the game.  Asdrubal Cabrera gets the start and hits in the 2 spot in place of Derek Jeter, who is home resting.  He strikes out, which is something the Yankee Captain would not have done.  Jeter would have at least hit a weaker grounder for an out.
• Brian Wilson introduces the starting line-up for the NL in a pre-recorded segment.  For some reason he only mentions three players, including Carlos Beltran, who he points out has been linked to trade rumors.  He openly campaigns for Beltran to come to San Francisco.  I'm not sure that's actually allowed, and less sure that Wilson really cares if it is or not.  He's kind of a weird dude.
• Jered Weaver is the AL starter.  The league leader in ERA doesn't get nearly the attention he deserves.  I'd still place Justin Verlander ahead of him, but with the Detroit ace ineligible for the game due to his start on Sunday, Weaver was a good choice to be the AL starter in this game.  He gives up a walk to MVP front runner Matt Kemp before retiring the side in his one inning of work.
• Red Sox Nation gets a scare when it's announced that Josh Beckett has been scratched from the game after his knee stiffened up during warm-ups.  It's likely just a precaution, but the knee did give him some issues before the break, so this has to raise some red flags.  With Lester and Buccholz already on the DL, the Sox can't afford to lose Beckett.
• Instead of using Beckett in the 2nd, manager Ron Washington turns to Yankee reliever David Robertson for the 2nd inning.  The decision was made because he was able to warm up on short notice easier than a pitcher that typically is a starter, but why not just let Weaver pitch another inning?  It's not like he threw many pitches in the 1st.  Doc Halladay went 2 innings for the NL.
• The decision to bring a set-up man into the 2nd inning doesn't backfire, as the inning ends with a strike 'em out, throw 'em out, double-play.  Not clear if it was a botched hit and run.  Holliday didn't even swing at a pitch right down the middle of the plate, and it's hard to imagine Berkman being given the green light for a straight steal given his speed (or lack thereof). 
• Cliff Lee exchanges 1-2-3 innings with Mariners rookie Michael Pineda for a quick 3rd inning.
• Home Run champ Robinson Cano grounds out in his first at bat.  Too bad his dad wasn't still pitching to him.
• The AL gets on the board first when Adrian Gonzalez hits the first All-Star Game Home Run in the past three years.  Nobody told A-Gon that the HR derby is over, so he's apparently still trying to catch Cano.  
• That run equals the total number of runs Lee gave up in the entire month of June. 
• Things begin to unravel quickly for Lee after giving up the long ball, as he gives up singles to Jose Bautista and Josh Hamilton.  All of this coming with 2 outs, before Bochy makes the move to bring in Tyler Clippard.  Yes, I'm confused on why he made the team too, but I suppose someone from the Nats had to and Ryan Zimmerman was injured for most of the year.
• Clippard gives up a single to Adrian Beltre, but Bautista is thrown out at the plate by a mile.  It was a great throw by Hunter Pence, but considering the ball was hit so hard that Pence had it in his glove by the time Bautista was at 3rd base, there's no way he should have been waved around to try to score.  That 3rd base coach is no All-Star in my book.
• Either the AL team is running out of pitchers already, or Washington is just favoring his own guy, as he brings in CJ Wilson for the bottom of the 4th.  Maybe he should have tried using his better starters for more than one inning.  Wilson gives up a three run shot to Prince Fielder, which hits the top of the wall before bouncing over for what would prove to be the game winner.
• CJ Wilson's response to blowing the game: "Bummer."
• Troy Tulowitski singles in the 5th and is replaced by pinch runner Starlin Castro.  We're told that Tulo has been battling a sore hamstring, which is why he's being run for.  That, and the game is half over so they needed an excuse to get another SS in the game.
• Castro steals second and third to put him in position to score on Andre Either's single.  Not sure why Either thought he could advance to second, as he's easily tagged out when the throw to home plate is cut off.  Luckily for him, the run scored first, so damage done.  4-1 NL lead.
• Justin Timberlake is interviewed about his new movie, which apparently is about him getting to hook up with Mila Kunis.  Wow, that sounds like a tough job. 
• Was he drunk for this interview?  When asked what his favorite food at the ball park was, his response was "Beer.  Beer goes with everything.  It goes with hot dogs, it goes with nachos.  Beer doesn't get mad at you when you don't call her back."  It got even weirder when he kept praising Joe Buck for the job he was doing commentating the game.  Buck got a little annoyed, as he seemingly wasn't convinced of the sincerity of JT's remarks.  When he went on to also praise Tim McCarver we knew he must have been joking.
• So this game is supposed to mean something, but the AL decides it's a good idea to put in Carlos Quentin, Matt Joyce and Matt Weiters despite that they're trailing.  Apparently he didn't get the memo and just wants everyone to get a chance to play, like in little league.
• Miggy Cabrera left the game with an injury to his left side.  He was replaced by Michael Cuddyer, who's only here because Joe Maur missed too much time this year to get an All-Star vote.  Yup, the AL is in trouble.  Detroit fans are sadly nodding as they wonder what's wrong with Miggy.
• Youkilis singles and Konerko walks to give the AL a chance to get back in the game.  The comeback attempt stalls when we realize that Howie Kendrick had already replaced HR champ Robbie Cano.  Thanks Ron Washington!
• Pablo Sandoval hits a ground rule double to put the NL up 5-1.  See, this is why Bochy brought Kung Fun Pando along, it's not just because he wanted to pick "his guy."  Nope, that example is named Ryan Vogelsong.
• How many commercials for the movie Moneyball are they going to show during this game?  Funny how the movie doesn't come up until after most teams have already evolved to the next stage of sabermetic team builder, centered around pitching and defense.  The book was great, but it will be interesting to see how it translates into a movie.  Not that it matters, people will see it anyway because of Brad Pitt.
• Not much action until the 9th inning when the NL brings in Joel Hanrahan in to try to close it out.  I'm convinced Bochy instructed the Pirates closer, who must have just been happy to be on national TV for once, to allow a couple of base runners in order to make it interesting enough to bring in his guy, Brian Wilson, for a save situation.  Fear the beard!
• Wilson retires the last two batters to secure victory for the NL - their second straight win.

So the NL will once again get home field advantage in the World Series.  Not that it matters, since we know when the Red Sox make a World Series they sweep anyway, so at least Game 4 will be in Boston this time.