Reasons to Watch the All-Star Game

[soupcan]

Gwreck wrote: ="cooby"]Now if, for example the NL batted around in the first inning and the starting pitcher got up to bat, I'd say let him bat rather than come out of the game before he even pitched Happened a couple of years ago actually. I think Mulder had to bat for the AL.

And there's my point.

[Gwreck]

soupcan wrote: And there's my point.

So they guy who earned the right to start the game shouldn't get to? I think that the only circumstance in which they should bat, and it happens pretty infrequently.

Edit, because I wanted to know really, how often does this happen...and the answer is 8 times in the last 10 NL all-star games.

Pitchers Batting in an All-Star Game -- last 10 in NL Parks:

2004 - Mulder bats for AL after AL bats around in top of 1st

2002 - Padilla (N) and Garcia (A) bat in the 11th inning game as last pitchers left

1998 - David Wells (A) bats in the bottom of the 2nd. As the starter, he had only pitched 1 inning, and went out to pitch a 2nd inning.

1992 - Charles Nagy (A) hits for himself leading off the top of the 8th with the AL up 10-1. He was removed the next inning for a new pitcher, so this one is strange. (Nagy did single and score, but still, this one was strange).

Same game: Norm Charlton (N) strikes out with 2 men on to end the game. Strange.

1986 - Clemens bats once (starters were going 3 innings). Teddy Higuera (A), who also went 3 innings, bats once.

[Guest cooby]

metirish wrote: Best part about the All-Star weekend is Chris Berman doinf his thing during the home run derby, he's such a pro, the way he can make up names for the players on the fly is just amazing, the rest is bullshit.

Hahhahahhahahah just saw this, metirish is trying to make me pee my pants....