This week marked the unofficial halfway point of the unnecessarily long Major League Baseball season. Judging from the lack of interest in Tuesday's all star game it seems safe to say no one cares. This year's mid summer classic drew the lowest television ratings of any MLB all star game to date. It was reported that the viewing audience consisted mostly of the close relatives of the less talented players (The Pujols family no longer wastes their time with the all star game), the extended family of Omar Infante (sorry amigos, he didn't play) and bored sports fans around the world who grew tired of stabbing their Lebron James voodoo dolls just in time to catch the game. Those who did catch some of the game were treated to a good one. Well, maybe not a good one, but certainly a quick one. Although it was strange to see an all star game without a ridiculous, novelette score like 15-10 or something of that nature, the 3-1 final made for a refreshingly quick pace that if nothing else kept me awake. That's right, I stayed awake for an entire MLB all star game. Strange eh? Even Omar Infante's great aunt dozed off before the 6th inning. Infante jokes aside, I've gotta say the game was a pretty accurate representation of the way this season has unfolded thus far. The pitching, on both sides, dominated from start to finish the same way it has all season long and many of the position players displayed the talent that got them to this point. David Ortiz hit in the clutch, Carl Crawford stole a base, Marlon Byrd made a big defensive play, and Omar Infante sat on the bench and massaged the feet of Charlie Manuel (did I really say Infante jokes aside?). Here's a quick look at some mid summer classic tidbits that stood out for various reasons.
The Good
Big Papi's back baby!
It was great to see David Ortiz get back to doing what he does best. Granted he has been crushing the ball fairly consistently for the last couple months but we all know the man loves to perform on the big stage, and perform he did. On Monday his effortless power stroke was on full display as he won the Home Run Derby with ease and followed that up with a clutch single in the ninth inning of the big game. His struggles to begin both this season and last are well documented and his critics are still more than ready to suggest that the Dominican slugger is "done" at the first sign of a small slump. But to his credit he has bounced back in a big way this season the same way he did last year and Big Papi continues to look like a young version of himself. Not a guy you want to face if your an apposing pitcher, even in an all star game.
A National League victory
Finally! The last time the NL won an all star game was in 1996. This made for an AL winning streak that was starting to get a bit ridiculous, especially in a game that now "means something". Granted the AL appears to be a far superior league with the best division in baseball, great hitting due in large part to the DH position and teams like the Royals and Orioles to beat up on (they just pad the stats, its like batting practice that counts). However this could very well be the beginning of a power shift led by a group of NL pitchers that are big, young and poised to dominate for years to come. That was the difference in this one.
The Bad
Poor managing
If this game is going to "mean something" (which is dumb, and we'll get to that later), than at least manage it the way you would any other game. In fact it's far more important than any other game. Maybe that's not the case if you're John Buck. If I'm John Buck I am actually considering sitting on a small stool behind home plate just so I don't have to deal with the uncomfortable crouching during a completely meaningless game (for the Blue Jay's catcher that is). But if I'm Joe Girardi, manager of the AL leading New York Yankees (and perhaps one day I will be) I am managing this game like it is THE MOST important game of the regular season. Home field advantage could very well mean everything in the world series and Girardi manages a team that is the odds on favorite to get there, therefore there is no excuse for leaving Alex Rodriguez on the bench. For the record A-Rod should also be pretty concerned about the outcome of this game for the very same reason as his manager. Now I'm not even slightly buying the reports of A-Rod's "minor thumb injury" keeping him out of this game. And even if Girardi was in fact concerned about his star third baseman aggravating this injury during an at bat, at least allow the far quicker Rodriguez to pinch run for Big Papi in the ninth inning before he runs into an impressive but not at all shocking crucial out at second base. Could be a costly error for Girardi. He should really apologize to Ron Washington and the Texas Rangers, who are actually going to win the AL. That's right!
Girardi hates Michael Young as much as he hates winning all star games
Poor Michael Young. The Ranger's third baseman is one of baseball's stand-up guys (whatever that means). On top of that he is having yet another great under the radar season, only this time he is doing so atop a prolific offense on a division leading team. He has done nothing to harm Joe Girardi (well I don't know that for sure but he is a "stand-up guy" so what's the worst that he could have done). However, on the day before the all star game was to be played, the American League manager announced at a press conference that Young would join the AL roster as an injury replacement for Adrian Beltre. Later that day Girardi called an audible, taking back his invitation to Young when he realized Beltre had never officially ruled himself out of the game. How embarrassing. And pretty rough for Michael Young, who is without a doubt a more deserving all star than many of the actual all stars. On top of that, Young's contract is structured so that he would have been in line for a $50, 000 bonus if he made the all star team this season. Wow, Girardi's finger prints are all over what turned out to be the AL's first loss in 13 years.
The Ugly
Everything else about the game
Bud Selig you magnificent moron! You have really gone out of your way to make the MLB all star game less relevant than the Pro Bowl haven't you (if that's even possible)? Everything he has done with these all star festivities has been an absolute mess. First and foremost, the fact that the mid summer classic STILL determines the league that gains home field advantage in the World Series is laughable. How has this mistake not been corrected? Of course, Selig instituted this twist to the all star game after the 2002 game ended in an embarrassing 7-7 tie. After that public relations nightmare, he believed that making the all star "mean something" would attract more fans to watch the game. He continues to be proven wrong. The reasons why this "twist" is ludicrous have been discussed to death so I won't even get into them. All I will say is this; how can you justify the requirement that all teams, even the horrible ones, be represented in the all star game when the result of this game will determine the fate of the great teams that will ultimately make it to the World Series? However, at the very least its comforting to know that this game could have been lost by the manager of the AL favorite Yankees and it was won by the catcher of the potential NL favorite Atlanta Braves (Brian McCann). While I'm on the subject of the "all teams must be represented rule", I'm going to suggest that perhaps Michael Young may have made a more deserving all star than career journeyman Baltimore's Ty Wigginton and perhaps literally anybody would have made a more deserving all star than Pittsburgh's Evan Meek. I'll also mention that Selig's rational for this rule is to increase the television ratings for the game in the cities of the crappy teams. Yikes. How bad would the ratings have been if the city of Pittsburgh was not represented? Finally, I have a bit of a problem with the all star selection process if it allows a 66 year old man to single handedly select Omar Infante to the team. Charlie Manuel defended his highly controversial decision to name Infante to the team by leaving him on the bench, the same place he has spent most of his career. This just in from the office of commissioner Selig, if more people read this blog than the number of people who watched the all star game, I will be selected by Manuel to participate in next year's mid summer classic. It seems doable.
On that note, the first half of the 2010 MLB season has actually been pretty solid. We have witnessed the remarkable comebacks of several previously "washed up" vets while also getting a good look at baseballs young stars. With the steroid era in the past, it is evident that we have been introduced to some of the future household names that will represent the new era of baseball (no I'm not just talking about Stephen Strasburg). So without further adieu I give you the first half award winners of the 2010 MLB season...
AL MVP: Josh Hamilton
This is definitely a close one. Major honorable mention to Miguel Cabrera and Robinson Cano both of whom are having career years to add to their already impressive young careers and are doing so playing for two of the better teams in the AL. That being said J-Ham has been fantastic. He may hit in a hitters park in Texas but the formally troubled phenom is a legitimate triple crown threat so I'm willing to ignore that fact in this case. Although we have seen this dominance from Hamilton in the past, the difference between this season and his brilliant 2008 season is the 51-win first half he has lead his team to. He's as clutch and talented as they come and for the first time he is putting it all together and it is finally starting to translate into W's for the Rangers.
NL MVP: Joey Votto
While it is hard to argue against Josh Hamilton, Votto certainly appears to be a controversial pick for MVP, especially considering he failed to make the original all star roster. However, as discussed above I can assure you that is not his fault and he is certainly much more deserving of this award than fellow all star Omar Infante. You can make a case for Ryan Howard who is having yet another great season however his team is underachieving. A case can be made for David Wright for his comeback to greatness this season. Finally Albert Pujols is always in the running but he has been more of a mortal than a god so far in 2010. Quietly Votto has been just as good if not better than those mentioned above and he is doing it all for the Central leading Reds who are, in my opinion a greater surprise than the Rangers. So for that reason I'm giving it to the underrated Canadian.
AL CY Young: David Price
The great young pitching in the NL has been getting all the pub of late but lets not forget about Tampa's young ace. Price is a prime example of why there is no reason to panic when a hyped pitching prospect goes through some growing pains in his first couple of seasons in the big leagues. Coming off of a rough rookie campaign with the Rays he has flourished as a sophomore and has helped Tampa keep pace with the Yankees in the AL East. As always he has plenty of Cy Young competition in his own division as Jon Lester, CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte have all been lethal but no one has been as dominate as Tampa's David Price.
NL CY Young: Ubaldo Jimenez
This is where it gets tricky. Josh Johnson has been unhittable, Roy Halladay has been a workhorse as usual and Adam Wainwright has been even better than last years career season. Any other year and we would also be talking about the fine work of Tim Lincecum, Yovani Gallardo and Mat Latos. However, when a pitcher in Colorado dominates and puts up the type of numbers Ubaldo has this season you don't question it, you say "thank you sir, may I have another". He currently has the Rockies in the wild card spot, he has almost one third of his team's victories and prior to his last four starts which have been a little less pretty his ERA was just slightly over 1.00. Impressive. Give the others credit, they have been great but give Ubaldo the award, he has dazzled.
AL Rookie: Neftali Feliz
If the Indians organization was not so cruel, Carlos Santana would have been called up to the majors much earlier and he would be the clear winner of this award. That being said you should not sleep on Feliz. The young fire-baller got a taste of the bigs towards the end of last season but technically speaking he is considered a rookie in 2010. Technically speaking we should also discount his last outing that increased his ERA by almost an entire point. But life as a closer in the Major Leagues is not easy especially for a 22 year old. Austin Jackson is really the only other rook in the AL who even comes close. And really, he's not that close. Feliz has 23 saves for the AL West leading Rangers and 42 Ks in 37 innings thus he is the rookie of the first half and probably the eventual rookie of the year.
NL Rookie: Stephen Strasburg
Strasburg vs. Heyward. One has only pitched in 7 games while the other has been injured and inconsistent. Although inconsistency is to be expected from a rookie as young as Heyward, the efficiency machine that is Stephen Strasburg has been as consistent as rookie pitchers get. Dominate from day one, its hard to deny Strasburg what's rightfully his, despite the small sample. If the Nats allow him to pitch enough this season he will win his first trophy for his shelf that will soon be filled with perennial Cy Youngs.
AL Comeback Player: Vladimir Guerrero
Shocking, another Ranger. Honorable mention to Alex Rios, the majors most complete player in 2010. But much like Rios, Vlad was also a castoff. The Angels wanted no part of the supposedly declining talent that is Vladimir Guerrero but now the joke is on them. The idea of Vlad being "done" is even more ridiculous than the very same accusation directed towards David Ortiz. Vlad can hit anything, anywhere, anytime and he has been doing so this season and will continue to until he is so old that he can no longer stand. At which point he will continue to hit anything while sitting in a chair.
NL Comeback Player: Corey Hart
This man was left for dead in Milwaukee after his performance or lack there of in 2009. Hart went from a prospect with limitless power and speed potential to yesterdays garbage in just one season. He started the season in an outfield platoon, fighting for at bats and now leads his team in home runs. A team that employs Prince Fielder I might add. The strikeouts are down and the production is up, almost in every major category. Chris Young has made a similar comeback in Arizona but his re-invention falls just short of Hart's
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