It may have taken 14 years for it to happen, but the American League’s big brothers finally got their revenge. Yes, after 12 wins and a tie, the AL’s unbeaten streak at all-star games is over.
Tuesday night’s all-star game was very typical of how this season is gone. It was pitching and defence dominated with hardly any displays of batting power.
You could say that the early innings were marred by the sun playing games with shadows over the infield, wreaking havoc on the hitters’ abilities to properly pick up pitches. And when you have guys like David Price and Ubaldo Jimenez – true flame-throwers – on the hill, you need to pick up those pitches very fast.
There was also a lot of turnover at this year’s midsummer classic. There were 17 first-time all-stars on the NL side alone and 33 in total. With the expanded rosters this year, that means nearly half of the players selected were all-star rookies. Both starting pitchers were first-timers as were two of the NL’s starting outfielders. It really shows that there is a changing of the guard in the game and that the future is strong.
And, in sad baseball news, Tuesday also marked the death of Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. The Boss was a true legend of the game, spending his way into making the Yanks both a dynasty and an empire. He ran his team with an iron fist and inspires many parodies throughout pop-culture, including Mr. Burns’ semi-impression of him on the Simpsons and his “appearances†on Seinfeld.
Steinbrenner may have out of the spotlight in recent years, allowing his sons to take control of the team, but now, he will be dearly missed. And not just by Yankees supporters, but by anyone who appreciates baseball.