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As if you haven’t had to put up with enough tributes to Yankee Stadium, get ready for admiration overload tonight when FOX broadcasts the All-Star Game from the Bronx.
But as blasphemous as it sounds, not every single baseball fan & player (outside of Boston) will be saddened to see the stadium go. In fact, some ballplayers will breathe a little easier knowing they won’t be visiting the old ballpark anymore. Read more…
• THE 700 LEVEL hears Phillies slugger Chase Utley giving a reasonable response to all the boo birds at Yankee Stadium on Monday night.
• Meanwhile, REAL CLEAR SPORTS catches Rick Reilly complaining about too many white players participating in the Home Run Derby.
• Speaking of racist chatter, DEADSPIN discovers Reggie Jackson having the chutzpah to call an artist Jewish, just because the two were haggling over the price of a painting.
• On a related note, BUGS & CRANKS raises some interest in presenting their MLB All-Dick Team.
The final votes are in, and the last two players to grab an invitation to the All-Star Game are … (drum roll) … Evan Longoria & Corey Hart!
As the Internet ballots were tallied up on Thursday, the Rays third baseman & Brewers outfielder finished out on top. Longoria reeled in 9 million votes, besting the Yankees’ Jason Giambi, the White Sox’s Jermaine Dye, the Orioles’ Brian Roberts and the Royals’ Jose Guillen.
Meanwhile, Hart brewed up 8 million votes, a head above the Mets’ David Wright, the Phillies’ Pat Burrell, the Giants’ Aaron Rowand and the Astros’ Carlos Lee.
But we wonder if online voters weren’t a bit confused as to who they were selecting for one last trip to Yankee Stadium. Read more…
The Little League organization in one Ohio town has decided not to hold an all-star game, since such an event can hurt a young player’s feelings.
MY FOX CLEVELAND hurls up news that the city of Beachwood has canceled its all-star game for its 9- to 12-year-old baseball players, believing that such a game would be damaging to their kids’ self-esteem.
Beachwood mayor Merle Gordon informed parents of the axed all-star event after reading an article from Fred Engh, founder of the National Alliance for Youth Sports: Read more…
The Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs will each send seven men (theoretically) to defend the honor of their respective leagues in the 2008 MLB All-Star Game, including two-thirds of the starting NL outfield and the right side of the AL infield. (”Theoretically” means David Ortiz’s limp wrist is listed but shall not participate. Alfonso Soriano may be iffy as well.)
Speaking of iffy, it’s not Griffey. Ken Griffey, Jr., did not make the team by fan vote, barely being nudged out by Ryan Braun by muscular Milwaukee voters. We assume Cincinnati showed more patriotism by leaving for a longer holiday before voting closed.
Read more…
The real reason to get into sports radio - procuring potential Playboy Playmates.
• Joe Buck bellows that he’s now bored with baseball. Boo-freaking-hoo.
• We cringe in sympathy for Diamondbacks catcher Chris Snyder, who’s been placed on the DL with a fractured left testicle.
• A sprinter runs for 30 seconds then rests for 30 seconds - but is it art?
• Tonight’s the last chance to stuff all those MLB All-Star ballot boxes! A-Rod & Jeter thank you.
• Who wears short shorts? The U.S. Olympic men’s volleyball team certainly doesn’t want to find out.
Today’s the final day to get your MLB All-Star ballots in. There are a few close races left (especially between Ryan Braun and Kosuke Fukudome in the NL outfield), but we come to you today with a choice that promises to tear our nation asunder. As MLB.COM points out, Alex Rodriguez has slipped just barely ahead of Derek Jeter in the race for the most votes between the two.
Sure, both players are safely ahead of the competition to start on the left side of the infield for the American League, but that’s not the point. Which man does America love more? Is it A-Rod, kabbalah extractor, Madonna knower, and home run derby skipper? Is it Jeter, who can’t help it if he loves too much in too many positions? (Unfortunately, none of them are shortstop, but still.)
• Keeping on the cancer stick shtick, KISSING SUZY KOLBER and WE ARE THE POSTMEN enjoy the smooth flavor of this classic Marlboro commercial for the NFL:
• FOOD COURT LUNCH jabs us wit their punchable faces of Chris Berman.
• WICKED GOOD SPORTS gives some tips to their Beantown brethren on how to avoid the stereotype of “that Boston fan“.
• MR. IRRELEVANT shows off proof that Dmitri Young had the same off-season workout regiment as Josh Beckett:
• It’s deja vu all over again, as Tommy Lasorda will be back managing the Dodgers this year - in some exhibition games.
• AOL FANHOUSE doesn’t think it’s turrible that Charles Barkley will be in Playboy next month (hopefully just talking & not posing).
• JOE SPORTS FAN feels their hearts racing after checking out this NASCAR dating site.
While LeBron James was earning kudos for his All-Star skills, SCOTT VAN PELT STYLE (via ESPN) finds one ex-NBA star dodging the dunks in New Orleans for the doings at Daytona.
John Salley spent his All-Star Weekend down in Florida, covering the 500 for Fox Sports’ “Best Damn Sports Show Period”. And it sounds like he’s happier at the racetrack than he would be hanging in the Big Easy: Read more…
