What an All-Star Game! Though I incorrectly predicted the National League would win for the first time since 1996, I enjoyed the game more than those in recent memory. My favorite play had to be Nate McLouth’s throw home to nail Dioner Navarro at the plate in the bottom of the eleventh. I wanted to see Rockies pitcher Aaron Cook named the All-Star MVP despite his team losing the game, but that has happened just twice in the award’s history, the last time being 1970. Cook survived two errors by Dan Uggla (who made three in total in extra innings after replacing starting second baseman Chase Utley) and tossed three scoreless innings, getting out of a bases-loaded no-out jam in the 10th that his defense got him into.
This year did not feature any terrible omissions from the American and National League All-Star teams. Jermaine Dye, Mike Mussina and Xavier Nady (as well as a handful of others) could have made it, but there are always guys having good seasons who aren’t selected because of limited roster space. The victim of last year’s biggest all-star snub was Kevin Youkilis, whose name was not on the ’07 ballot because David Ortiz, Boston’s regular DH, was listed as the Red Sox first baseman. Besides the fact that Youkilis was having an exceptional season and deserved to be not only listed but elected to start, Ortiz did not belong on the ballot because the ballot did not list Designated Hitters, as the game was to be played in a national league park, where pitchers must hit for themselves.
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