All Star Game 2007

The Midsummer classic is almost hours from getting underway and I am remarkably unenthusiastic despite the six representatives from the Red Sox and the very real possibility that the outcome of this game could give the Red Sox home field advantage in the World Series, but let's not count our chickens before the all star game. The only Red Sox player who made the starting lineup is David Ortiz in the 1B spot due to the fact that the game is in an NL ballpark this year and as such there is no DH. I wonder if Big Papi had to look around to find his glove. The rest of the nation got a taste of "Manny being Manny" as he went MIA shortly after arriving in San Francisco and skipped various media functions. I really don't think Manny should have been an All Star selection this year. He's not starting, he's had a bad season thus far and he seems lethargic about attending at best. It pains me to think that a player who had a great first half and would have relished the opportunity to go to the All Star game is at home with Manny in his place. Part of me wants the NL to win the All Star game just to break the trend, but with the Red Sox sporting the best record in baseball and an encouraging second half schedule I'd like 4 Games in Boston.

The Home Run Derby is now a matter of record. Vlad Guerrero came back for the big win after getting a replacement bat from Big Papi on the sidelines, a matter which seems to have generated some serious controversy....like somebody would bother to cheat by using a cork bat in a relatively pointless exercise like the home run derby. I fail to see the appeal of the home run derby. The excitement and appeal of a home run is it's suddenness and unpredictability, a contest like the Home Run Derby removes those aspects entirely.