All-Star Shame

Back like cooked crack was the MLB All-Star Game last night, and Josh Hamilton was NOT interested. You caught all worth watching in the first 30 minutes when they had player introductions with 40 some-odd Hall of Fame members present. If you stayed up for all 15 innings you saw the National League lose, not to be confused with the American League winning.

I personally hold the Mets' Billy Wagner responsible, but you know what? Holding someone responsible means I might care about this and I don't want Bud Selig to have that satisfaction so scratch that.

As I said, the best part was seeing Willie Mays, Mr. October, Yogi Berra, Hank Aaron, and all the others who played baseball in what I blindly assume to be a clean period of the game's history. I'm a bit of a traditionalist so when it comes to the monstrosity the All-Star Game has become I get a little turned off. I'm of the opinion the team with the best record at the end of the season should get home field advantage in the World Series. If by some chance the Braves make it to the World Series, I don't want our chances to ride on how well an over-rated Mets closer pitches.

Either way, I like to think my Dad put it best when he told me "Baseball is at its best when it is the main event of the evening." The whole pageant of the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby isn't as interesting to me as it used to be. If I never had to hear Chris Bermann say "BACK BACK BACK" again I might not be so bitter about this.

Other than seeing all the legends of baseball the only other thing I found entertaining was listening to George Brett give the motivational speech in the American League clubhouse. This was not entertaining because it was an awe-inspiring moment, it was entertaining because the only thing I think of when I hear the name George Brett is his freak-out over being called out due to the pine-tar on his bat after he hit a home run.

Now for a moment of Imagine If You Will Theatre

Apparently this clip isn't available on You Tube due to copyrights, but if you imagine the young lady standing up wearing a Kansas City Royals uniform, she will play the role of George Brett. Everyone else will be playing the roll of umpire Tim McClelland.

George Brett just hit a 2-run homer in the top of the 9th to take the lead at Yankee Stadium. After being asked to examine the bat by Yankees manager Billy Martin, home plate umpire Tim McClelland ruled that Brett's bat had more than 18 inches of pine-tar on the handle. He held up his fist to signal Brett out (over-turning the home run in the process). Brett charges out of the dugout, and the following ensues...

...also replace the "N-word" with "Umpire", because Tim McClelland raped George Brett...with his rule-book.