Instead of recapping what happened last night (The AL won, they now have home field advantage in the World Series, again. End of recap.), I am going to take this opportunity to rant about the absurdness of the game.

Well, maybe I’ll do a little recapping. First of all, it actually was not a bad game, as all star games go. It wasn’t an obscene slugfest with no defense (Dan Uggla aside) and shotty pitching. There were actually some really exciting defensive plays, like Nate McLouth’s game saving throw to the plate, and catcher Russell Martin’s superb catch and tag on the same play. Not to mention the delightful meltdown of closer Billy Wagner in the eighth inning, giving up the tying home run to Red Sox outfielder J.D. Drew, the All Star MVP. In classic Wagner fashion, with the game on the line, he choked. The greatest thing that Ed Wade ever did for the Phillies was bring Wagner to Philly, allowing Brad Lidge to become the new closer in Houston, then allowing the idiot Texan (Virginian) go irritate the Mets, and then trading Lidge to the Phillies for mediocre trash.

Yea yea, Mets fan, I know what you’re saying. Wagner may have blown the save, but my boy Lidge lost the game. Yes, you are correct. Lidge did load the bases in the 15th inning and did give up the winning pop fly to Rangers’ shortstop Michael Young. But here is the ever important difference: Wagner had a normal warm up time and was perfectly healthy and strong when he went out there and blew the save. Lidge, on the other hand, had been warming up for five innings and threw over 100 pitches before he went out on the mound. Lidge doesn’t throw 100 pitches over the course of three games, let alone warming up for one. He was worn out by the time he came into the game, not that that was of any concern to our brilliant commissioner Alan “Bud” Selig.

According MLB.com,

“This game was going to be played to its conclusion,” Commissioner Bud Selig said about the 79th All-Star Game. “I hope you understand that. I know everybody understood that. There was no doubt about it. All’s well that ends well. It was a terrific evening and I feel pretty good right now. But we were going to keep playing, and both managers knew that.”

When asked what if Lidge had to pitch two innings, or Rays’ ace Scott Kazmir (who had thrown over 100 pitches on Sunday and was not supposed to pitch last night) had to pitch beyond what he was strong enough for, Selig responded,

“You know what? Then they would have had to use the last pitchers as long as they needed,” Selig said. “But it turned out we didn’t have to do it. And we can talk about those scenarios forever.”

What an arrogant, self righteous….this is a family site and I am not going to say what I really think of Mr. Selig. I didn’t have great feelings towards him before, but now I have absolutely no respect for him. He didn’t care if Lidge or Kazmir overthrew and wore out their arms over a stupid exhibition game. The commissioner refused to be humiliated and mocked again like he was in 2002 when the All Star Game ended in a tie. Selig’s inability to take criticism is what led to the abomination that is the current All Star Game system. Selig’s arrogance is what has led to the degradation of the World Series, the championship of America’s pastime.

Commissioner Selig, you have made a mockery of baseball and you deserve to be fired.