Looks like you guys got your wish. Chipper Jones is replacing Matt Kemp on the NL All-Star roster. According to ESPN's article, Kauffman Stadium (where the ASG will be held) is the only stadium in which he's never played, so this has worked out pretty nicely. Kemp withdrew from the ASG due to his injury, but oddly he's apparently still going to take part in the Home Run Derby. It seems that he'll be replaced in center field by Ryan Braun, rather than an actual center fielder like Andrew McCutchen. Because that makes sense.
Just watched a nice comeback by the Mets in the bottom of he 9th against Paplbon. No dancing of the jig tonight. Only his second blown save of the year.
I almost went to bed before the 9th, figured I saw this much, I'll wait it out. Great comeback, excellent game
One more All Star apperance isn't going to make or break Chipper's career really or help his Hall of Fame chances. Really I don't think he's going to make it simply because he's spent too much time on the DL this season already. If he does it'll just be because of his legacy more than anything else. Chipper's really an outstanding, oldschool type player. You rarely see people who spend their entire career with one team anymore. His HoF chances are iffy at best. He'd need at least 2 more seasons to get to 500 home runs and/or 3000 hits, which is pretty much what he'll need. Especially with all the 90's/early 2000's players with steroid inflated stats all retiring and eligble on the ballot. Next year's Hall of Fame vote is going to be really interesting. Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens are eligible for the first time, and all three are tainted in one way or another. Craig Biggio, Mike Piazza and Curt Schilling have HoF quality stats, even if they weren't AS famous(or infamous)
That has to be one of the worst non-trade panic moves in recent memory. Gotta keep selling tickets even though the team is nine out of the wildcard!
Eh, he hit a double on his first at bat.* I certainly agree, if he is feeling uncomfortable, he shouldn't be playing, but there's no reason to think he didn't want to return. * Granted, the team lost 5-0, but Ryan Howard isn't close to a cure for the problems that ail this team.
For once, I agree with a Braves fan. Mets have had a nice week, and still lost ground I think. It would be a sign of the apocalypse if the Nats (nee Expos) played Pittsburgh in the playoffs, not to mention a ratings disaster.
Well, the Cubs have won 9 of their last 13. [Lovie] All the pieces are in place [/Lovie] I just hope, when they trade Dempster (and they will after 5 more scoreless innings today), that they don't bring Volstad back up to take his place on the roster.
Volstad's still on the major league roster. Once they dump either Garza or Dempster, I imagine they'll call up Alberto Cabrera and give him some innings as the fifth starter. I'm not sure when that will happen, though: The Braves were reportedly going hard after Garza, and the response from Epstein and Hoyer was that they could have him for a box of baseballs as long as they took Soriano, too.
Volstad was optioned to AAA-Iowa. I don't think that he's still on the major league roster, but what do I know? As far as the Garza/Soriano idea, if it means they don't have to pay for Sori's remaining contract, it might be acceptable.
I'm flying into Kansas City tomorrow on a business trip unexpectedly. They picked the wrong day to send me!!
^ Speaking of KC: Frank White has a hissy fit. And the weather scares the shit out of the Twins and Rangers: [yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5B8qijvipbM[/yt]
Tony La Russa selected Matt Cain to start for the NL in the All-Star Game. Why? Because he was concerned about Posey catching an unfamiliar pitcher (Dickey). Seriously. Not joking. La Russa then began claiming that Dickey will pitch at some point, but only to Ruiz (which makes no sense, it isn't like the Phillies have knuckleballers). Half of the press conference was various reporters blasting him over this, to the point that Cain himself said it made no sense. Man, La Russa isn't just a troll -- he's just a straight-up jackass.