Don't Run with Fear

The All-Star game was long and annoying and not managed particularly well on the part of Mr. Girardi. I've written the NL win off as our punishment for Doc and Scott Rolen being in the NL now.

Scott Rolen, owner of my baseball heart, put on a clinic on how to play baseball when you are a talented malcontent son of a bitch who plays like your ass is perpetually chapped.

A rocket third to first, a heads up first to third advance on a mushy single that set up the inning that led to the NL win and smacking a hit off Phil "Am I good for real yet?" Hughes. Plus a nice tag on Mauer at 3rd.

First to third, huh?

"That's how I play the game ... That's what the situation called for. We play (Friday) at home against the Rockies. If it comes up again, I'll try the same thing and see if someone can throw me."

But Scott, aren't you 95 ? How did you know you could make it safely? "I didn't ... That's the beauty of it. You take a chance. Don't run with fear."

Meow.

And no offense to Bryan McCann (who is one of the guys in baseball that looks like he could be Larry Walker's kid. ) but for my money, Rolen is the game's MVP. I thought John Buck, in his first All Star game, was the standout amongst the Jays. and hit a nice single (scored as l'optionnel) that might have turned into something had Girardi pinch ran ARod for David Ortiz. What? ARod on the bench? The more I think of it, the more it's annoying. Maybe he needed ARod to hit, but then maybe sub ARod for Papi's at bat.

Anyway, that was that. In Girardi's defense, losing The Boss on the day of the All Star game was probably tough on him, Girardi being a long time Yankee. And he cried during the moment of silence and was most asked about it all day long.

I'm going to miss Alex Gonzalez. He is kind of like Rolen in that he is excellent with his glove, provides a solid bat and is a rock to build an infield around. But younger is good, too. Let's see if the new kid can be reborn like Gonzalez and Scutaro were in that role.