All Star Game Preview: Home Run Derby Review

I have to admit I am disappointed by two things last night:

1. Joe Mauer was my sleeper pick…that didn’t work out too well

2. Albert Pujols didn’t win, didn’t even make the finals

Now, I didn’t have a clear cut favorite last night but I have an admitted man-crush on Pujols so I would have loved to see him win it, especially at home. But I was really pulling for Mauer, don’t ask me why because I really don’t have a reason…maybe it was just the thought of a hit-for-average guy out slugging the big boys. Either way the 2 guys I was pulling for didn’t come through.

I was extremely impressed with Cruz and Fielder…wow those guys can hit. As soon as Cruz asked for his pitcher to throw it a little harder he started blasting shots that rivaled McGwire’s performance at Fenway in ’99. Prince is a beast and he hit some shots that I still can’t believe, when he gets into a ball he really gets into it. 503 feet is all I have to say. I hate to dwell on the Pujols thing but…if he told his pitcher to throw it probably 7-12 mph faster, he would have won it all.

To wrap up the preface to the All-Star Game Preview I have to say I enjoyed last night’s Derby, even though there were no Hamilton esque performances or towering numbers put up (in terms of homers) there were plenty of moonshots hit that made me and every fan stand up and yell as soon as they came off the bat.

Overall Grade: B+ Not the best I have ever seen but not the worst. Brandon Inge being in it drops the grade, I can’t believe another AL hitter wouldn’t enter it. The Cruz, Fielder extravaganza is the only saving grace for the event even though the Celebrity All-Star Game was a pleasure to watch too.

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Joba Wins!

Well if you are a supporter of Joba being in the rotation your prayers have been answered!!! I have been saying all along that I want Joba in the rotation, his stuff is too good to keep to one inning. I understand that the 8th inning is a huge gap right now, however if Joba has the ability to be dominant like that every time he pitches, where would you rather him be? I can’t imagine many people saying that he should be in the bullpen if he performed like that every start.

EARLY SIDETRACK: Wow that was quick….Let’s hear it for the Yankee defense!!! 18 straight with no errors, a major league record, and they had a bunch of role players in, probably thinking “Oh man, I hope I don’t screw up”…way to make us proud boys.

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Tex Message! (sorry, John Sterling moment)

I wasn’t listening to the game last night but I can only imagine how John Sterling responded to the epic Teixeira blast in the top of the first…The pitch is delivered (a 92 MPH offering on the inside part of the plate) Teixeira swings and smashes the ball to left field, John Sterling sits for a moment c0llecting his thoughts, waving Susan Waldman off (because this is his moment), all while saying “It is high, it is far, it is gone!”, then he comes out and says it, like so many times before, “A TEX MESSAGE…TEX MARKS THE SPOT”…now please understand I absolutely LOATHE his puns and obnoxious remarks and he should realize that every other Yankee fan does as well…STOP IT JOHN, JUST STOP!

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