Meaningless

For the first time since 2002, the MLB All-Star Game didn’t decide home-field advantage for the World Series.  In fact, the All-Star Game didn’t count for anything but a bad joke.

There was Alex “Mr. Juice” Rodriguez walking out in his wingtips and suit to interview NL infielders as they took their positions in the top of the second inning; Joe Buck and John Smoltz of Fox chatting with outfielders George Springer and Bryce Harper as they played the field; and NL catcher Yadier Molina taking a picture of the AL’s Nelson Cruz posing with home-plate umpire Joe West, after which Cruz proceeded to bat with the phone stuffed in his back pocket.  Oh, if only Cruz had needed to slide into second base.

The only thing there didn’t seem to be was a stadium full of raucous fans. The standing-room capacity of Marlins Park is 37,442, as opposed to the reported attendance of 37,188 last night, not to mention all those empty seats I spied beginning midway through the game.  I can’t imagine that tickets were overpriced, not in a town that has so taken to Marlins’ owner Jeffrey Loria.  Just Kidding.  As much as anything, those empty seats showed that the Miami locals knew the game was going to be nothing more than a spring-training affair for the well-heeled.  Still, hats off to Cubs’ pitcher Wade Davis for giving up what proved to be the winning run in the 10^th inning of a 2-1 affair.  That won me a pizza.

Wade, let me know your schedule so you can come over for a slice or two.