For all of us baseball lifers who center many of our days around watching Johan Santana carve up another major league lineup, or Alex Rodriguez launch beautiful tape-measure shots to right-center field, or even just the pure enjoyment of the oppossing team helping out a grounds crew (a la Philadelphia Phillies at Coors Field), the All-Star break can be quite a down time. Yes, we have the Homerun Derby, which by the way is never quite as entertaining as you think it is going to be. Yet for some reason we still keep looking forward to the next one with just as much anticipation. Why? That is baseball at its best and it keeps giving us opportunities to be excited about. The All-Star game is great for the fans and is the best way to showcase the amazing talents that fill the game, but it too is a little on the downer side. Nothing can match the day-to-day battles that we get to enjoy which some would call meaningless games in the middle of a gruelingly long schedule. That is where the passion takes over and pulls you in to enjoy the stories unfold during game 73 of 162. So with that I truly know what the rest of you baseball fanatics are feeling right now. Three days of no real game action feels like a life time. So to pass the time, here are just some thoughts during the break:
Honestly, I am ready for Barry Bonds to break this record so we all can move on and focus more attention on the other things in the game that are deserving. This is a big record, I know, I get it. But it isn't my fault that I am a little tired of the coverage when it seems like the countdown to Aaron's record started around 700. There needs to be a great celebration when he breaks it because it is that huge. It is a great accomplishment, one that will stand only until Alex Rodriguez decides which number he wants to set the new record at. The fact that the media is now spending the majority of the day debating whether it is right or wrong for Barry Bonds to be in the homerun derby blows my mind as well. Sure I would love to see it and it would be a great thing. But he is not going to do it. I wish players would just say that they are not interested in doing it and that they really are resting naggin injuries. Using age and fatigue are just excuses, even if they are somewhat valid. Lets hail Barry Bonds on the night he ties and breaks the homerun record, and then lets focus our energy to creating new stories.
I am excited that Matt Holliday was chosen to round out the Homerun Derby field. This guy is one of the most exciting players in baseball in my opinion and is truly becoming one of the best hitters. He hits for power and average and can launch balls out of any part of a baseball field. He is simply country strong, and his party isn't being ruined by steroid allegations. Those might just well come though when he hits 50 homers a year which he is capable of doing. It is sad that our society has come to that type of questioning when an amazing talent comes through. But nonetheless, I love this guy and the way he plays the game, and am thrilled to see him be in the spotlight tonight. He deserves it.
The White Sox finally came to their senses and worked out a deal to keep Mark Buehrle in Chicago for another four years. It is refreshing to see a player like Mark Buehrle handle negotiations the way he did. There is no reason to believe that Buehrle couldn't of gotten a contract around $100 million if he opten for free agency the way the market is booming right now. But for a man who is entering the prime of his career to admit that he is happy where he is and is willing to take a huge paycut to give his home team a chance to keep him around is a great thing to see. Buehrle may have lost out in the total dollar amount on paper, but when it comes down to it, he really didn't lose out on anything. There is no proper price take for happiness and being comfortable agt a home that you enjoy. For some reason, that always takes a backseat to the total dollar number these days. Players are willing to pack up their families and move to a brand new city in order to get more millions. That is their choice, and I understand it is a business. But it is great to see someone recognize all that he does have that money cannot buy. $56 million is a ton of money. Nobody needs upwards of $100 million. Mark Buehrle understands this and kudos to him for appreciating the life that he has been given and placing his family ahead of the dollar sign.
That will do it for now since there is no need to beat any more subjects into the ground. I will just have to endure this three day break like the rest of the baseball world. Man, this is going to be tough.
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