Wednesday Banter: All-Star Day Recap

I think yesterday's game was the first time I've watched an All-Star game from beginning to end in years. I planned to watch until Bo Bichette got an at-bat, but I enjoyed watching the players having fun. And I wanted to see Vlad get the MVP award.

I mean, the Jays generally have fun, but this was a little beyond that:

Anyway, the game:

• Vlad missed Max Scherzer’s head by about a foot with a 111 MPH line drive (the hardest-hit ball of the game) in the first inning (and hugged him after).
• Shohei Ohtani threw some 100 MPH pitchers and then came out after the first inning but also stayed in.
• Marcus Semien drove in a run in the second inning.
• Vlad hit a home run that went 468 feet (third hardest-hit ball of the game, Aaron Judge hit a ground out that came between the two).
• Teoscar Hernandez doubled in the fifth, and Vlad drove him home with a ground out. Vlad came out of the game for the bottom of the fifth, and Bo came into the game for the bottom of the fifth.
• In fifth, the NL got a run on a J.T. Realmuto home run
• Mike Zunino (he of the sub .200 BA) homered in the sixth.
• NL scored on a passed ball in the bottom of the inning (leading to Buck complaining about catchers setting up on one knee, but he wasn’t broadcasting, so we missed it).
• Bo struck out in the eighth, his only at-bat of the game.
• NL got the tying run to the plate off a swearing Liam Hendriks, who thought the mic they put on him was just for show but didn’t score.

Our Jays All-Stars went 3 for 8 with a double, home run, 3 RBI, and 2 runs scored. Bo made two perfect throws on defense.

Before the game, Rob Manfred told us that the 7-inning double-header would end this year and the Manfred Mann at second would also end but then talked that one back this morning.

And he also threatened Oakland with losing their team to Las Vegas, which, in a just world, would get him thrown in jail or attracted by wild dogs.

He also said that the contraction in the minor leagues was an ‘unmitigated success,’ a win for every single group involved, totally ignoring that many people lost their jobs, dreams, or lost the ability to go to local games and develop a love for baseball. But he’s making more money, so it is a success.

This is great (though I could do without the music):

And there is a little bit of actual Jays news:

Anthony Castro has been optioned to the Bisons. The plan is that Ryan Borucki will be activated after the break. It will be good to have him back in the pen.