Recap of the 2012 MLB All-Star Game

The 2012 MLB All-Star Game was played on Tuesday. The National League beat the American League 8 to 0. This game is important because who ever wins the NL win have home field in the World Series since the winning league in the game gets home-field advantage in the World Series. Home-field advantage has been important since the gave the winning league home-field advantage in 2003 the team with home-field advantage has won 6 of the 9 World Series. I thought the AL was going to win because of all the greats players they have but the NL stepped it up to win. The got 5 runs off Verlander in the 1st inning. The other time they scored was in the 4th inning when they got 3 more runs. Melky Cabrera won the All-Star game M.V.P. He had 2 hits in 3 at-bats and 2 R.B.I.s. Cabrera became the 6th player with 2+ hits and 2+ RBI in an All-Star game, all as a CF. The others are Stan Musial in 1949, Joe DiMaggio in 1949, Mickey Mantle in 1955, Ken Griffey Jr. in 1992 and Ichiro Suzuki in 2007. They were also a lot of firsts in this game since the game was not very close. The National League recorded a 5 run inning for the fourth time, in the 1st inning for the first time. That has happened 3 other times in 1954 in the 4th inning, in 1969 in the 3rd inning and in 2003 in the 5th inning. Tony La Russa managed the N.L. and became only the 2nd manger to mange a All-Star game after retiring joining John McGraw in 1933. Bryce Haprer's selection to the All-Star Game at age 19 made him the third youngest player ever to be named an All-Star among position players. Pablo Sandoval highlighted the N.L.'s big first inning with the first bases-loaded triple in the history of the All-Star game. The shutout in this game was only the 8th time in All-Star game history lasted happening when A.L. got shutout in 1996. Mike Trout got a hit and was 3rd youngest player to get a hit in the All-Star game. Chipper Jones became the 3rd oldest N.L. player to get a hit in the All-Star game. Derek Jeter now has 11 career hits in the All-Star Game, the most of any Yankee. Mickey Mantle had 10. Justin Verlander is the 3rd All-Star Game starter to allow 5 ER. Others were Tom Glavine in 1992 and Jim Palmer in 1977. Verlander is the only one with 1 IP or fewer. 61 players (32 N.L., 29 A.L.) took part in the game, surpassing the nine-inning record of 60 set in 2011. There were also 5 rookies who were selected most all-time. There 26 first time All-Stars and 19 players under the age of 26. There was a lot of fun young players coming up in the future and I will be excited to see these guys in future All-Stars.