A Night Of 1,000 Groundouts

As many have pointed out, the All-Star Game last night was ultimately pointless, if just because it doesn't really matter who has home-field advantage when the American League is just going to sweep anyway.

Still, it was dispiriting that the National League, in an ultimately kinda dull game, came just one strike away, losing on Michael Young's two-run triple in the ninth. Phil Garner did his best Jim Essian impersonation, particularly in the ninth inning; he obviously should have had the Cardinal at third base late, though, the way he was going, he would have screwed up at put Chris Carpenter in there.

Regardless, the game itself doesn't really matter, so we just have the spectacle. The game had little of it, we're afraid, so our lasting images will be of Young's hit, the ceremony for Roberto Clemente and, most frightening, the weird vagina-esque outfield design. We can't quite figure out what they were going for there.

Hey, Th All Star Game Is An Exhibition [SI.com]