If there were mistakes to be made by MLB and its broadcast partner Fox, they certainly didn't disappoint. Stevie Wonder would have scored higher taking a driver's road test. Starting, of course, with the now-uniform uniforms. In another greedy attempt to market more merch, MLB concocted these fashion nightmares. You have some of the iconic and legendary uniforms in baseball. I am thinking of the Yankees and the Dodgers, for instance. But, in a dollar grab, they designed these atrocities. The AL one looked like a softball league uniform. The home NL uniforms were worse, resembling aprons from your local Benihana.
In their efforts to appeal to non-fans, Fox miked one player after another. And, no, this wasn't just confined to players watching on the bench. At one junction, the moronic voices of Joe Buck and John Smoltz were peppering a batter in the box with questions. Um, just what somebody needs to deal with when a 96 mph fastball is coming at him. During the ninth inning, they tried to talk to the AL pitcher who was trying to close the game. He ignored them. When it comes to Buck and Smoltz, most of America should adopt the same policy. If there ever was a reason for a mute button, it's those two.
Of course, both MLB and Fox had a very narrow focus on the game. The instructions were to discuss Fernando Tatis Jr, Vladimir Guerrero Jr, and Shohei Ohtani pretty much to the exclusion of everybody else. Forget about the white, non-diverse catcher JT Realmuto who hit a homerun. Pish tosh. Let's find out what kind of dress shoes Tatis likes.
When I was a kid, I loved the ASG and prayed that players from my team would do something good and nothing bad. This year, I barely knew when any Dodgers were in the game.
Of course, the largest black eye of the evening came before the game even started. Because he had passed away in January, there was a long and heart-felt tribute to the late Henry Aaron. But, at the same time, I couldn't help but think that this should have been conducted in the original site of this year's game, Atlanta, where Aaron played for years. That would have been so much more poignant.
But it was a nagging reminder that MLB caved into the now flimsy argument about voters rights in Georgia. I mean, voting laws are even tighter in Colorado. Duh. It was a colossal blunder...again...by MLB who chose to listen to the political assholes making this a false issue.
That said, the Aaron tribute also made me think that somebody else had passed away around the same time as Hank. Somebody with almost as long and deep a baseball legacy. But I guess Tommy Lasorda...a fat Italian...doesn't qualify as diversity. Nor does Tom Seaver or Whitey Ford, both of whom also passed since the last ASG.
Indeed, MLB should use this event to acknowledge those have passed in the last year. Sort of like what the Oscars do with their "In Memorium." That's a smart and doable innovation.
And exactly why MLB and Fox won't think of it.
I'm almost officially done with the ASG. But I do have one more in me. Next year in Dodger Stadium where I will probably have tickets.
Gee, I hope they don't pump Joe Buck over the loud speaker.
Dinner last night: Tortellini.
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