04/20/24
July 16, 2008
It was very ugly for Uggla: NEW YORK -- They cheered the legends. They cheered the hometown heroes. They cheered the old owner. They booed the commissioner, booed Terry Francona and Billy Wagner, even booed Sarah Jessica Parker. But towards the merciful end of The All-Star Game That Would Never End, the Yankee Stadium Bleacher Creatures had energy only for one chant: "Hit it to Uggla."
posted by knowsalittle to baseball at 10:24 PM - 19 comments
The fans did a lot of booing IMO...what happened to enjoying a friendly exhibition?
posted by Venicemenace at 11:25 PM on July 16, 2008
Remember Lance Berkman's first All-Star appearance? He struck out during the Home Run Derby. Just the jitters that come with being a first-time All-Star. Uggla will be there again, and perform better. *edit* Ok, maybe I exaggerated saying he struck out. But he did horribly, and you could tell he wasn't relaxed. Same with Uggla.
posted by freeze_over98 at 11:57 PM on July 16, 2008
...what happened to enjoying a friendly exhibition? I agree, I don't like the "winner gets home field in the WS" rule. It takes all the fun out of the actual game. The HR Derby has been great for quite a few years now. The Celebrity Softball game was fun to watch too. To me the game was as Lance Berkman described: "Tonight was the first time I felt this was less of an exhibition and more a competitive game that matters, with something on the line." It should be for fun.
posted by BoKnows at 12:32 AM on July 17, 2008
The fans did a lot of booing IMO...what happened to enjoying a friendly exhibition? Who said we didn't enjoy it?
posted by goddam at 12:48 AM on July 17, 2008
Who said we didn't enjoy it? And yep, she was there, and took some great pics. Well done, madam! Though you could now easily start an "Asses of Baseball Players" pool.
posted by Ufez Jones at 10:08 AM on July 17, 2008
I agree, I don't like the "winner gets home field in the WS" rule. It takes all the fun out of the actual game. Fun? Now what does fun have to do with an MLB All-Star game?
posted by BornIcon at 10:28 AM on July 17, 2008
Thanks Ufez. Here are some from the HR Derby. Though you could now easily start an "Asses of Baseball Players" pool. I'm sure there's already a group for that.
posted by goddam at 10:50 AM on July 17, 2008
Wow, goddam, that pic at sunset should be in a frame. Preferably on my office wall.
posted by hawkguy at 01:53 PM on July 17, 2008
I personally like the World Series connection- it does make the game exciting because I was watching the whole game through the 15th, texting with a friend about what was happening. Every missed opportunity, every great play to keep a run from scoring, made for some great drama. Certainly as a Sox fan, the whole time I'm even thinking "Shoot, is there even a small part of me that wants the NL to win, so that if the Sox make the series they can sweep and win at Fenway?" But I'm glad they kept playing, because the idea of a tie simply because it was "only" an exhibition... baseball should NEVER end in ties. Even if they had to continue the game the next day, for cripe's sake! :) Because it mattered, there was no way it would be ended prematurely simply because it was an "exhibition"; which meant I as the viewer knew that investing that time watching into extra innings wouldn't be wasted when it was suddenly declared a tie. I think the only flaw in the counting in the World Series is that the AL has now won 12 of these in a row (or 11, plus one tie), which I think means that since the "it counts" came into play the AL has gotten homefield 6 times now. However, in the past 5 world series the AL is only 3-2, so it doesn't appear to make a huge difference. Although coincidentally, in all three AL wins, the AL team (Red Sox, White Sox, Red Sox) swept the series.
posted by hincandenza at 03:15 PM on July 17, 2008
Those are some great shots, guys- that totally makes this thread rock! This photo of Mariano Rivera's kid showing some good form in throwing makes me nervous... we don't need Rivera 2.0 pitching for the Yankees in 10 years! And this photo is awesome for showing how truly tiny Pedroia is, although I'm not sure why he's wearing a "Lee" jersey. Oops, I might have linked the wrong photo there... his listed height seems to shrink each year as the wags at SonsOfSamHorn.net like to point out. :)
posted by hincandenza at 03:42 PM on July 17, 2008
I lasted until the top of the 14th, and then the fact that I had a heavy day of testing ahead of me took over. I'm really sorry I missed the ending. The pictures from goddam are great; thanks for sharing, and I'm glad you had a good time. I must say that more than a few alleged Yankee fans did not bring a lot of honor to the fair city of New York with their intense booing of the Boston representatives. It is one thing to give a good-natured hooting and ribbing, but from what I've read, this went far beyond that. Since Boston has lately won 2 World Series and the Yankees were not looking too good this year, I had actually begun to feel a little sorry for them. I have never truly hated the Yankees, rather I both envied and respected their success. Tuesday's performance by what I hope is not representative of real Yankee fans has kindled a thorough dislike of NYY. I apologise to you, goddam (and for that matter to all other SpoFites who are Yankee fans), if this causes offense. I am sure from reading your comments over time, that you are not this sort, so if you feel yourself included with the "animals", it is not my intention. What I want to say is that the Yankee fans on Tuesday showed a level of class well below that of an unflushed toilet.
posted by Howard_T at 04:00 PM on July 17, 2008
It is one thing to give a good-natured hooting and ribbing, but from what I've read, this went far beyond that. What exactly did you read? I apologise to you, goddam ... Don't bother Howard. I booed and chanted all night. And I make no apologies for it. I was there to have fun, not to put on a show for the home audience.
posted by goddam at 04:27 PM on July 17, 2008
And this photo is awesome for showing how truly tiny Pedroia is, although I'm not sure why he's wearing a "Lee" jersey. Oops, I might have linked the wrong photo there That was funny...thanks for the laugh! As to Yankee fans booing Red Sox players...I would have been shocked by anything else. Of course we boo our main rivals. Now, I did hear cheers for the Red Sox players when they got hits (at least it seemed as though they were being cheered). So, maybe it wasn't really that bad after all.
posted by dviking at 08:32 PM on July 17, 2008
What exactly did you read? We've got our nose out of joint around here re: the way Papelbon was treated. He's a friggin' yokel, but he's our yokel and it felt a little low-class the way the Daily News twisted his words*:
"I understand this is Yankees/Red Sox. I understand that everything Red Sock is going to be interpreted in the worst possible light in New York, just as everything Yankee is going to be interpreted in the worst possible light in Boston. So this was a batting-practice fastball for our friends 180 miles to the south. Papelbon is Clemens-like in his inability to string words together, and in the garble of whatever he said yesterday there were individual statements -- like "I'd use me" -- that were certainly damning. But it's clear the Boston media interpreted the entirety of Papelbon's comments in a completely different way than the New York media . . . and the New York interpretation was used to pour gasoline on the "us good/you bad" stereotype that both sides embrace."And then Papelbon made a mess of it, claiming his problem was the way his (emphasis on the) pregnant wife was treated. Then again, maybe he had a beef. *Not that the Herald wouldn't do the same, but it's getting old, the cynical us-v-them crap done solely to sell copies.
posted by yerfatma at 08:24 AM on July 18, 2008
What exactly did you read? Here's the article that was linked via Chad Finn's blog in the Boston Globe. I would like to iterate that good-natured hooting is perfectly acceptable at any sporting event. What is described in the link is not acceptable.
posted by Howard_T at 08:38 AM on July 18, 2008
Here's the article that was linked via Chad Finn's blog in the Boston Globe So you're upset about the parade or the game? Or both? I agree that if what Papelbon claimed is true (and from yerfatma's link I'm sure he heard quite an earful along the way), that's not cool. Boos are one thing, threats are another. But I can only speak for what happened at the game, which I think was to be expected. If you want to call it low-class, fine. If Sox fans are upset about it, I'm sure there will be payback next week. Like I said I was there to have fun, and although the game was excruciating to watch I had a great time. Actually it was like being at a Yankees game. Bases loaded, nobody out, can't score a run. It was great.
posted by goddam at 09:21 AM on July 18, 2008
If you want to call it low-class, fine. To clarify: I thought the paper's seemingly willful misinterpretation was low-class. The fan reaction was completely predictable and would have been the same or worse if positions were reversed.
posted by yerfatma at 12:20 PM on July 18, 2008
I'm a lot more upset about the parade, but one usually doesn't boo a member of the "home" team during a game unless he has turned in a really bad performance. In Paplebon's case, this was not so. He definitely could benefit from Effective Public Speaking 101, however. I have to disagree about the reaction being the same if positions were reversed. While it is probably true that Yankee All Stars would have heard the boos in Boston, I am fairly sure that it would not have approached the level shown in NYC. From this point forward, however, I think that the gloves are off for Yankee visits to Boston, and that's not a good thing. Actually it was like being at a Yankees game. Bases loaded, nobody out, can't score a run. It was great. Gee, goddam, I was under the impression that you thought more of the Yankees than that. ;>)
posted by Howard_T at 02:41 PM on July 18, 2008
That would be Dan Uggla, who turned in perhaps the worst performance in any All-Star Game. Ugly doesn't begin to describe Uggla's Midsummer Classic debut. An All-Star record three errors -- two in the bottom of the 10th, one in the bottom of the 13th. A strikeout with a man on first in the eighth. A double play groundout in the 10th. A strikeout with the bases loaded in the 12th. Another K in the 15th. Although he was screwed by the official scorer on the third error, I was very surprised to see such a sure handed guy (only six errors so far this season) boot the ball around. Even on a play he did complete, he could not come up with it cleanly. And when he had a chance to redeem himself at the plate, he was meager to say the least. Not the only player to really struggle in an All Star game, but sure made a showing he hopes everyone will soon forget.