The All-Star Break

It's mid-season for Major League Baseball.  Last night was the Home Run Derby (Prince Fielder won for the second time.  His first title was for the National League when he played for the Milwaukee Brewers and now he's won for the American League while playing for the Detroit Tigers.)  Tonight is the All Star Game. 

For the Cubs:  Starlin Castro short-stop, and Bryan LaHair, formerly the first baseman and now the right fielder. 

But the big stories of the All-Star Game include

     1.  5 runs in the first inning for the National League (yeah!) against Jason Verlander (some kind of phenom pitcher for the Tigers)
     2. Two young players:  Trout (American League) and Harper (National League) that are both the "future of the game."   Veteran players were asked which one they like better (as players of course.)  Chipper Jones, a retiring outfielder for the Atlanta Braves (he's 40...holy moly...still an All-Star) said he loves Trout but has a man-crush on Harper.
    3.  Did I mention that Chipper Jones has a crush on Bryan Haper.
    4.  Still 5 to 0 National League (yeah) after 2 innings.
    5.  The Player To Be Named Later is watching the game with me, but now he is going to make popcorn.  I love that guy!
    6.  All-Star Game commercials are no longer the premier events they once were.  Once, All-Star Game commercials were as exciting as...Super Bowl commercials.    But now they are just...regular baseball game commercials.  With no capital letters involved.  sigh.
    7.  The Negro League museum is in Kansas City.  Now I want to go to Kansas City and visit that museum.
    8.  I am dreaming of travelling to cities all over North America and going to a game at every stadium.  (Yes, the game has slowed down a bit...3rd inning and still 5-0.) 
   9.  I can smell the popcorn downstairs...where is that guy?
  10.  zzz,,,huh?  Huh?  Oh...no, not sleeping.  Definitely not...where is my popcorn?
  11. Popcorn here and now National League up 8 to zip.  Discovered that the shortest player in all of Major League Baseball is Jose Altuve, 5 feet 5 inches tall, and is playing the All Star Game.  For the National (oh yeah!) League.
  12.  Lots of boring car commercials.  Definitely not premier clever or funny ads any more.  So sad.
  13.  It's good to blog during the game so you don't get annoyed at the BOring commercials.
  14.  Did I mention it's now 8 to zero?  In favor of the National League? 

Oh the popcorn was really good.   Yummm.

Through 7 innings and it's still 8 to zero.  The good news is that there are no relief pitchers for the Cubs coming in to either
a.  lose the game or
b.  walk a bunch of guys and then just at the last minute get 3 outs and win but in the meantime you've bitten your nails down to the cuticles. 

Wait, not you and your nails.  Me and my nails.  Ah.  Still I do love this game.