NL and the All-Star Game

Com'n guys. This is getting ridiculous. Not since 1996 have you won an All-Star game. And apparently not since 1996 have you taken a pitch when needing one runner to work his way around the bases since the second inning and score a run. I know. I know. This is the new millennium. We don't play small ball anymore. Don't you know we're all stars. We hit the home run. Hey, guys, haven't you noticed, but this is not steroid ball anymore. All you guys are doing is making outs. And quick outs to boot. Yes, there were planes to catch. Yes, there was the post game meals and interviews. But would it be too much to ask if you thought about taking a walk, bunting the guy to second or stealing a base, then getting a single to push the tying or winning run across. This might be the best reason to get rid of the home run derby. Everybody thinks they're a home run hitter, but hey, NL batters, look at the boxscore. You had 5 hits. You batted under the Mendoza line. Ryan Zimmerman. You saw 3 pitches in 2 ABs. Miguel Tejada. You saw 4 in 2 at bats. Stop the madness. Take a walk. Take a pitch. Win a game.

And Charlie. You are the manager of my favorite team, and I know from the interviews you wanted to win this game. But Albert Pujols does not come out of the game until you actually win. Don't tell anyone, but he's on pace to be one of the top five players of All-Time. And Chase Utley does not come out of the game, because he's head and shoulders above the ability of the player behind him. Let's win a game. National League. Then worry about the feelings of everyone on the team. And I know you were probably as frustrated by some of the poor at bats by those reserves you stuck in the game, and it's really hard for an All-Star manager to install some discipline on players not on your own team. But some day, somehow, some National League owner, player, or fan is going to take hold of this festival that used to be a great, great game, and install a little discipline and focus on the players. It's time to win a game. It's time to play it to win. It's time to limit the team back to 25 players who are actually stars of the game. (Geez, if a regular team can exist with a 25 man roster for 162 games, why does a one game All-Star fest need 33). It's time, long past time, for the National League to win.