NL Fails Again

The Cubs have the billy goat curse. The Red Sox had one for the Great Bambino. Well, I am starting to think that the National League All-Star teams are cursed whenever they play in the Midsummer Classic. 1996. That was the last time a National League team was able to pull off what is now deemed almost unthinkable: win the All-Star Game. It was no different tonight when the American League was able to come back from a 3-2 deficit, and win 4-3. After the AL scored 2 runs in the first inning off NL Starter Tim Lincecum, every fan whose team belonged in the National League thought, "Here we go again." However, in the bottom half of the second inning, the NL was able to muster 4 hits in a row (with the help of an error also) off of AL Starter Roy Halladay. Yet the AL always seems to find a way to come back, and tonight was no different. Joe Mauer doubled in Derek Jeter to tie the game in the top of the 5th. Curtis Granderson (who I thought should have been MVP) tripled with one out in the top of the eighth to put the leading run in scoring position. After Victor Martinez was intentionally walked, Adam Jones was able to fight off some pitches from Padres closer Heath Bell before finding a pitch that he was able to drive to right field for a sacrafice fly to score Granderson.

The bottom of the eighth inning looked to be a cruise for the AL as they were quickly able to get two outs. However, Adrian Gonzalez was able to draw a walk and Orlando Hudson hit a single off of Jason Bartletts glove, advancing Gonzalez to third. Ok, so NL manager Charlie Manuel calls on his boy Ryan Howard with two guys on base. Here is the part that I don't really understand. Ryan Howard is a home run hitter. If he is not hitting home runs, he is most likely to strike out, which happens a lot more than hitting the longball. Yes, Howard has been hitting better this year, but would you still put all the eggs in his basket. He was the best power hitter left on the National League bench, but I don't think he was the best singles hitter left. But you may say that Howard was already in the on deck circle before Hudson was able to get on? Well, Hudson hits a single and with his speed was easily able to steal second with an uncontested throw putting two runners in scoring position. With Hudson on first and Gonzalez on third, Manuel has to get over the fact of playing his home kid and do what is best for the future of the National League: Getting home field advantage in the World Series. Freddy Sanchez or Hunter Pence, both who hit around .300, would have been the better play considering the situation. Charlie Manuel should have been pretty sure that Hudson's speed would easily take second base. With two runners in scoring position, why do you need Ryan Howard's power at the plate? Howard should be in the game if the NL is down 3, not one. Pence and Sanchez also have decent enough speed to get to first safely on a weakly hit ball for an infield single, something Howard would not have been able too. Sure enough, Howard strikes out and the NL spoils what was their last good chance to end the AL's run of thirteen games without a loss. Manuel has to get over playing his own guy and do what Herman Edwards once said: Play to win the game.

Yet, Manuel's decision was only big because it was late in the game. Another contributing factor was the NL's inefficiency to hit the ball against opposing American League pitchers. The NL was hitless in 18 at bats at one point in the game. I don't care who was pitching for the American League. These guys are All-Stars. If you can't hit, then you don't deserve to win. The performance by the American League pitching was one of the greatest in All-Star histroy, while the peformance by the NL hitting was maybe one of the most inexcusable moments ever. 4 of the 5 hits by the National League all came right in a row in one inning! The National League is trying to close the gap between themselves and the American League and this showing may have in fact separated them farther.

Another thought. Bad luck seems to follow the National League in the All-Star Game, mostly pertaining to the last three games. Two years ago, with Trevor Hoffman, the all time saves leader on the mound, the AL was able to get to Hoffman after a huge Michael Young triple in which they were able to take a one run lead. Hoffman blew the save, something that he does not have a tendency of doing too much in his career. Last year in the fiteenth inning with bases loaded, a sac fly that was caught by Corey Hart was throw only a few inches to the right allowing Justin Morneau to slide under the tag and give the AL the victory. This year, the AL got lucky again when Brad Hawpe hit a shot to left-center field. Carl Crawford ranged back and took a go- ahead home run away from Hawpe. A few inches longer, and that ball is out and the whole complexion of the game may change. Who knows? It just seems to me that the National League has a hard time catching some breaks in this game every year.

My last thought: I am sick of Albert Pujols. Yes he is the hometown hero. Yes he had one of the best first halfs in major league history. But come on, really? It seems all the media's focus was on Pujols this whole weekend and what does he do? He lays an egg like he seems to usually do in the All-Star Game. With the spotlight on him, Pujols had a fan's catch help him advance to the second round of the Home Run Derby the night before. And Chris Berman, just shut up. A few minutes before, Prince Fielder was hitting moonshots, and all Berman is doing is having a pleasent interview with Albert Pujols. Then when Pujols comes up, Berman sounds like Pujols is hitting the ball 500 feet plus, yet all of Pujols' "bombs" were five rows deep AT MOST. Can we get an announcer who can actually judge where the ball is going to end up please instead of hearing how great the shot is, only to see it land a few rows deep in the stands. Then Pujols has an error in the first inning tonight that led to the American League's first run of the game. And how many runs did the American League win by? Remember ESPN and FOX, Albert Pujols is human too. He may be the best player in the game, but that does not make him a god by any means. Even Ken Rosethal addressed Pujols in an interview during the game as the "best player in the league." Ok, Ken, we know that. The fans are not stupid. Pujols responded with class that he was by no means the best in the game. One thing I like about Pujols is that he is modest, but I just couldn't stand the attention that he had this week in St. Louis. After Wednesday, baseball can thankfully go back to the normal life of not hearing the name "Albert Pujols" every minute.