2012 MLB All-Star Break

            Despite an imperfect past and present, the MLB’s Mid-Summer Classic stands, in my opinion, as the best all-star competition in any professional sport. There is no real concept of not trying on defense, which plagues the NHL, NBA, and NFL counterparts. Also, I believe the Home Run derby drags the dunk contest through the dirt in terms of the individual competitions. The Dunk contest has been reduced to mediocre players using more props than raw talent in what has become a complete waste of time. The derby, on the other hand, still draws elite talent, is not left to subjective judging, and cannot be corrupted by gimmicks until they start putting targets in the outfield. I have plenty of problems with the game itself, but for the most part it is a job well done by the MLB.

            The derby was exciting as always and Prince Fielder continues to make himself at home in the American League. The big guy’s performance cemented his spot as one of the best derby hitters of all time, joining the likes of Ken Griffey Jr in the multi-winner category. This derby, however, had an interesting subplot that frustrated me more than your average insignificant storyline would. The derby’s newest feature selects captains for both the American and National Leagues and those captains each choose three “teammates” to represent his respective half of the MLB. Robinson Cano, as the defending champion, was chosen to lead the AL team of sluggers. His selections were Prince Fielder, Jose Bautista, and Mark Trumbo. The most notable, and not necessarily most worthy, snub was Royals first basemen Billy Butler. While other snubbed players may have even been better choices than him, Butler was the most significant omission because with the All-Star festivities in Kansas City, their “hometown hero” was not selected to represent the host city. As a result, the KC fans booed Cano throughout his homerless derby performance and continued to do so in the actual game. I guess you can root against your own team when the reward will not concern you anytime in the foreseeable future. Maybe I am taking it more seriously than most other fans because in the grand scheme of things players have been jeered for worse reasons and similar cases will happen. However, for whatever reason, I was frustrated by this whole experience. I did not enjoy watching my favorite player get laughed off the plate at a non-rival’s American League ballpark just because their slightly above average first basemen didn’t get his charity vote over players who simply deserved it. The best part is how the players Cano did choose came in first, second, and third place. He himself may have been terrible but it was his chosen three who were called into question and clearly justified the captain’s thought process. Of course the Royals should support their guy, but to express such resentment just because there were better choices is immature and, really, a summary of where that organization stands at the moment. This is as big an honor as they could receive in decades. For Cano, maybe he should do a better job as captain than selecting the winner, runner up, and second runner up. Hopefully he chooses more wisely next time so the home fans can be appeased. Outside of this minor distraction, the derby was a nice combination of established stars and upcoming talent. Seeing Fielder and Bautista challenged by a newcomer like Mark Trumbo showed a healthy distribution of talent and served as a pleasant reminder that we still have great power in the post-steroid era.

            I said earlier that the MLB All-Star game was the best exhibition game in professional sports because it most closely represents a real game. What bothers me is that despite this, Bud Selig and company think even more highly of it than I do and left the fate of a possible World Series game 7 up to a game that does not deserve it. It seems petty, but as a Yankees fan I do take World Series home field advantage pretty seriously every year because the season may come down to that. In a game that matters, managers should manage as if they are in a must-win situation. In this game, however, the league’s best starting pitchers are limited to one or two innings and the league’s best position players usually play about half of the game. There is also a rule that requires at least one player from each and every team to be selected by the managers, as opposed to the 33 best or most deserving. Again, this is nitpicking but I am happy with the way things are done now if this was truly an exhibition game. I say if you’re going to keep the way the game is played, that’s fine enough for exhibition, but reduce the prize to a pat on the back. I do not want the fate of my league to come down to everyone’s backups. If they do keep the home field advantage rule, that is also fine, but then manage the game like it really counts. Let Cy Young award winners go seven or more innings and then have a couple of elite closers finish the game in style. This All-Star game was obviously a disappointment, and not just because my team lost. The one time I get to have Justin Verlander on my team is of course his one bad start, and after the first inning the game just was not competitive. Verlander will likely have a chance to redeem himself when he starts this game again next season, but between that rough start and a dead offense this game never really got off the ground. People usually stereotype American League lineups as more potent, but what if National League hitters just face better pitching? I don’t have enough stats to start making those theories so I’ll leave that alone for now, but what I can be sure of is eleven great NL pitchers absolutely shut down the allegedly better lineup. It was nice seeing the former Yankee Melky Cabrera bring home the MVP. I always did like the Melk Man as a valuable role player, quality fielder and surprisingly effective clutch hitter. What’s even better is not having to resent him mysteriously becoming an All-Star after he left New York because we have gotten good pitching from Boone Logan in return. Who knew Javi Vasquez’s footnote would end up being the bigger acquisition.

The most exciting part of the All-Star break is that it is now over and we can soon watch the months of baseball that everyone cares about. Whenever I get passionate about anything MLB between opening day and now, some killjoy will remind me that it is “just May baseball” or “just one game in April”. Now, we can at least see the playoffs on the sports horizon and with every other major sport in the offseason, baseball has the spotlight. The Olympics may destroy that advantageous position but it is certainly better than battling NHL, NBA, and UEFA championships in the past month. Baseball always comes first for me in these months and, without competition from the other three major sports, I feel most people should agree with that. Give me the Yankees best months of the season (traditionally) over Dwight Howard’s mood swings any day.