’99 > ’19

Last night’s All Star game was ultimately a snoozer. Two home runs on the night. JD went 0-2. Yelich went 0-2. A total of 23 strikeouts. It was a complete pitcher show. The MVP was Indian’s relief pitcher Bieber for being able to strikeout the side. Don’t get me wrong that was a pretty cool sight to see him get the home town crowd going like that. But if that’s your highlight to the mid summer classic it won’t do much to keep your biggest fan base of AARP members from dozzing off by the 3rd. Yet, I still  watched to the end where the AL went on to win their 7th in a row.

Because that’s all I can really recap I’m going to use this blog to dig up the time capsule and dust off the roid needles to recap the 1999 All Century All Star Game.

I wish I wasn’t born in 1997. I wish I wasn’t two years old for this. I’d legit give everything to be able to go back in time and watch both the homerun derby and All Star game that year in old Fenway Park. Not the Fenway Park of the Henry’s. The Fenway Park that probably still used lead paint on seats. The Fenway Park with a net on the Green Monster to save drunks stumbling out of the House of Blues. Go ahead and watch Youtube Videos of big Sox games at that same yet more loose Park. The place sounds and looks like it is rocking and rolling. And this couldn’t be more true than when the All Star weekend rolled through Boston.

First of all the Home Run Derby. Ken Griffy Jr. Sammy Sosa. Mark McGwire. The thickest of necks. The smoothest of swings. Just the best of home run hitters. These guys mashing the juiced balls we have today would be NSFW. I mean this event at Fenway is so illogical because righties would need to lift every hit to high heavens.  but you pump some super human, Captain American serum into these big boys and it becomes an arcade game. The best part of the night is Pedro having to take away Mark’s bat in the first round knowing damn well Mark will try to do the same to him the next night when Pedro pitches to him in the All Star game. Just honestly watch this whole first round.

Griffy ends up winning on the night which I think is poetic justice. I don’t care about steroids in the game, it honestly saved baseball and Bud Seileg knows this. It’s when you lie about it that it annoys me, we all can see you go from a twig to tree trunk. Just own up and take the punishment when caught *Arod cough cough*. But Griffy winning the derby shows that baseball still takes skill and fundamentals to be the best.

I’m watching NESN’s 99 rewind as I write this and they asked Pedro his favorite celebrity moment from the weekend and he said something I had never known. Matt Damon had asked for his Uniform to be signed by Pedro and strolled up to the Celebrity All Star Game in it. That’s just flat out Boston and I want that on an IV drip.

Now to Goosebump city. The All Century Team. The MLB named and brought out the top 100 living players. If you call yourself a Red Sox fan, no, a baseball fan and never watched this then you must hand over your fan card and watch it be burned. To avoid this stop reading this, you have me blessing, and watch this.

I know you wouldn’t lie to me, and trust that you all watched this. But this. This. THIS. This is why I was old enough to watch and attend this game. I can watch this 100 times and still get goosebumps. Imagine being Nomar and having the essence of Red Sox folk lore beckon you to come forth. And then he leans in and says “There’s the kid, sorry I missed your party last night.” First off, I wouldn’t do anything. I know I would freeze up. Second, he then calls you his own nickname. Pretty sure in 32% of countries that means Ted Williams just adopted you. And finally, he’s sorry he couldn’t make it to your gathering. No Mr. Williams. I am sorry. I am sorry I couldn’t make arrangements to make my shindig up to par for your presence to be made.

Finally, we circle back to a Pitcher winning the MVP. Just like this year a pitcher won in 99 also. Pedro Martinez retired the first six batters of the game. The first four batters all on strikeouts. And the last two a strike him out throw him out to end the inning. Those batters faced; Barry Larkin, Larry Walker, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, Matt Williams, Jeff Bagwell. Zero hits. 5 strikeouts. That is why Pedro won the MVP. He sat down the biggest names of the steroid era and did it two innings in a row on the biggest stage.