Email   Print   Share By Dave Larsen, Sentinel Editor

Facebook Digg Delicious July 12, 2012 | Sports

San Francisco Giants outfielder Melky Cabrera was named the Most Valuable Player Tuesday night at Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game at Kaufman Stadium in Kansas City.

Cabrera went 2 for 3 at the plate, including a two-run home run in the top of the fourth inning to help the National League win for the third straight year, 8-0.

The NL exploded in the first inning, scoring five times on four hits and two walks against Detroit Tigers ace pitcher Justin Verlander. The NL ended up with 10 hits, while the American League stars could only scratch out six singles against 11 pitchers.

The game, honestly, was over once the first inning was in the books.

Verlander started out by striking out Colorado Rockies slugger Carlos Gonzalez, but it went south from there in a hurry. Cabrera followed with a single and was driven in by Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun, who doubled.

After striking out Cincinnati first baseman Joey Votto looking, Verlander issued free passes to St. Louis’ outfielder Carlos Beltran and San Fran’s catcher Buster Posey to load the bases. Third baseman Pablo Sandoval of San Francisco cleared the bases with a two-out triple. Atlanta Braves’ second baseman Dan Uggla drove in Sandoval with an infield hit to complete the first-inning outburst.

The NL victory means that the senior circuit gets the home field advantage when the league champions square off in the World Series this fall.



Old versus new

The best things about baseball are its traditions and rich history, that’s what makes the All-Star Game must-see television. Though interleague play has watered down the significance of the game for fans, it’s still baseball’s best taking center stage.

Some came to play in their final mid-summer classic, like Atlanta’s Chipper Jones. He ended his all-star saga on a high note by lacing a single past Texas Rangers’ second baseman Ian Kinsler in a pinch-hit appearance in the sixth inning. It wasn’t a game-winning blast, but it was still nice to see the future hall of famer go out with a hit.

New York Yankees’ shortstop Derek Jeter, another all-star graybeard, also collected an infield single in his first at-bat.

Other stars were making their first appearance. Of note were youngsters Bryce Harper of the NL’s

Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Angels’ outfielder Mike Trout for the American League squad.

In the fifth inning, Harper looked befuddled in left field when he lost a pop up off the bat of Texas Rangers’ catcher Mike Napoli. Harper ran in, lost the ball in the lights and could only raise his arms in frustration as the ball fell to the turf behind him. Napoli was credited with a single, but the 19-year-old Harper is credited for one of the unforgettable all-star moments from this year’s laugher.

Trout, 20, fared better. In his first at-bat in the sixth inning, the Angels phenom laced a single to center field. He walked in the eighth inning.



Slugfest

Though some fans find the annual home run derby boring to watch on television, I was watching off and on Monday night as Detroit Tigers first baseman Prince Fielder won the slugfest.

Fielder became the first player to win the home run derby representing each league (he won in 2006 in St. Louis while a member of the NL’s Brewers) and only the second player to win it more than once. The other two-time winner was Ken Griffey Jr.

The fans in Kansas City roundly booed Yankee second baseman Robinson Cano, the captain of the AL home run derby squad and last year’s winner, during the first round. One year after winning the contest, Cano didn’t manage to put a single ball into the seats. The boo-birds turned to cheers every time he fouled off a pitch or came up short of the seats.



Second half

Unlike football, which plays an utterly meaningless exhibition game on at the end of the year, baseball’s all-stars still have the second half of the season to play out. There have been some surprises thus far, though for the most part, the powerhouse playoff contenders remain in the pennant races.

The Pittsburgh Pirates came into the all-star break leading the NL Central Division over the reigning champion Cardinals. Last year, the Pirates started out hot but ran out of gas – and decent pitching – in the dog days of summer. Though the Pirates roster is improved from a year ago, don’t expect them to be a playoff team this year, folks. At best, they could break .500 for the first time since Barry Bonds left for the West Coast in the late 1990s.

In the AL, the Baltimore Orioles have been a big surprise. They have good pitching and a lot of power throughout their roster … ala the old Earl Weaver teams of the 1970s and ‘80s. The Yankees have a sizable lead in the AL East, but Baltimore could compete for a wildcard berth this year. If they make it to the postseason, Buck Showalter gets my vote for manager of the year.



Final note

The Olympics are coming up later this month and some big trades have been made and could be in the works in the National Basketball Association, but I’ll leave that commentary to our most excellent sports editor Daniel Cernero for the next couple of weeks. I’ll be out for the next two issues visiting family in Wisconsin, and stopping off at Miller Park in Milwaukee for a Brewers game and some brats.

Go Brewers, go!