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Quick All-Star Game React
July 11, 2006
Who'da' thunk it? The home team loses another one run game at PNC Park and Jason Bay can't get a ribbie
with RISP.
Quick notes that I may or may not edit later this week:
-The AL won this year's All-Star Game with a 2 out rally in the top of the 9th. AL Manager Ozzie Guillen had said he would manage it like it was the 7th game of the World Series and for the most part, he did. Prime example:
when the lumbering Paul Konerko got on base with 2 outs, he brought in pinch-runner Jose Lopez. It was a good
strategic move, but it proved moot as two batters later, Michael Young lined a triple off of Trevor Hoffman
to put the AL up 3-2.
-Overall, it was a good game, but I wouldn't put too much blame on Hoffman. I don't believe the eventual 2006 NL Champion will be throwing darts at Hoffman's picture when they reach the World Series and have to go the road.
I'm pretty sure the Marlins didn't hate Eric Gagne for costing them home field advanatge in the 2003 World Series (Gagne blew the ASG in '03 to Hank Blalock).
-If you wanna' single out some more blame, look to the Braves' Brian McCann in the 8th. He hit a bingle (tm, Bob Prince) to the third baseman and it was bobbled. The camera followed the throw to 1st, where McCann was jogging down the line and out by a good 8 feet. Anyone capable of running a sub-6.78 second 40 yard dash could have beaten that throw. Fucking Braves.
-The game was full of its usual tourism fluff. If you wanna' really break it down, I DVD'd the whole thing, editting out commericals, and it clocked in at about 1:45.
-Midway though the game, they stopped play for a special Roberto Clemente presentation. i'm not exactly sure what the award was, but Master Orate Bud Selig was on had for it. Vera Clemente was a much better public speaker than Bud Selig...and English is her second language. Selig walked out, proceeded to get tied up in the microphone cords, then acted like he had never heard of Clemente. Oh yeah, Bud-- it's pronounced "RO-BURR-TOE". not "RO-BEAR-TOE". Ro-bears were those annoying fucks in Thundercats. Also, Nicaragua is commonly pronounced "NICK-URR-OG-WAH", not "NICK-O-WOG-WAH".
-The National Anthem was sung by Carrie Underwood and "God Bless America" by Joe Legend. Coincedentally or not, these same two also provided the musical "enttertainment" at this year's NBA All-Star Game. Not that anybody watches the Pro Bowl, but I'm guessing both have been, or are going, to Hawaii for the NFL's All-Star gig. I'm not familiar with the whole American Idol crowd, so I was surprised to see that Underwood had a rotund lil' rack on her frame. But they looked like they needed a lift.
-If you've followed my Crappy Website in the past, you know the ASG is my annual check-up on
Joe Buck and Tim "Annoying Douchebag" McCarver. Joe Buck deserves credit, once again, for being able to restrain the rambling McCarver. When Derek Jeter made a put-out to David Ortiz at 1st, I cringed, thinking McCarver would soon say "and how ironic is it to see the Yankees and Red Sox working together?". Sigh of relief when they cut right to the next batter. But McCarver sounded sauced in the 2nd when he mentioned Alex Rodriguez had "fouled off a ball, so beautily". Yes..that's not a typo-- "beautily". He also talked about David Wright's "brother Alicia...and his father, too".
-Buck usually does his homework, so I was a bit disappointed that he didn't mix in a Bob Prince saying during the game. Like "atem ball", "rug cuttin' time" or "a dying quail". To start off the game, "Hidden Vigorish" could've dictated that the NL was due for a win. Or maybe a Benny Benack reference? The Green Weenie? Did David Wright or Vladimir Guererro get "Chicken on the Hill"?
--To see what the hell I'm talking about:
http://home.mindspring.com/~gearhard/pigunner.html
-It was nice to see Jason Bay and Freddy Sanchez get standing ovations. Also pleased to hear that
Jim Tracy didn't get the Jimy Williams Treatment and wasn't boo'ed in his home stadium (but he SHOULD
have been).
-Finally, I thought I heard a few boo-birds when the Reds were introduced. Nice. Kepe those rivalries
going.
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