American League Takes All-Star Game...Again

In a surprisingly exciting All-Star game the American League once again asserted their dominance in the mid summer classic in a 5-4 win. In the 9th inning Seattle reliever JJ Putz had a 5-2 lead until he gave up a 2 run home run to Alfonso Soriano. After Putz then walked JJ Hardy, Jim Leyland immediately went to the bullpen and brought in Francisco Rodriguez. Rodriguez then walked Derrek Lee and Orlando Hudson to load the bases. Aaron Rowand then came up to the plate and flied out to end the game.

Ichiro Suzuki was chosen as All-Star game MVP and provided the first inside the park home run in All-Star game history. This is just the 3rd time in this millenium that a player born outside the US won the All-Star MVP. Ichiro is having a pretty good week with not only winning MVP but also looks to be signing a 5 year, $100 million dollar extension with the Seattle Mariners. The American League has won 10 straight All-Star games played to a decision, with the Bud Selig 2002 tie at Milwaukee interrupting the run. The only longer streak was when the NL took 11 in a row from 1972-82.

There was some controversy however at the end of the game as Albert Pujols was extremely upset that he didn't get the chance to play in the All-Star game. Here is what Pujols had to say regarding Tony La Russa not playing him. "It's the All-Star Game. He can do what he wants," Pujols said. "He does whatever he wants. If I wasn't expecting to play, I wouldn't have come up here." I think it's safe to assume that La Russa had Pujols best interests in mind but how can you not play the 2005 NL MVP in the All-Star game? Maybe if Pujols had been able to bat in the game and helped the National League win it would have been exactly what he needed to break out of his 22 game homerless drought.