All Star game ends in tie

[Yankee 21]

Forgettable All-Star Game ends in 7-7 tie
July 10, 2002

Milwaukee (AP) — Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and Cal Ripken helped baseball begin the night by celebrating many of its most memorable moments.

By the time the All-Star game ended, the sport had another — but one it wants to forget.

Despite Barry Bonds homering and being robbed by a spectacular catch from Torii Hunter, fans booed and threw bottles when the game was declared a 7-7 tie after 11 innings Tuesday night because both teams ran out of pitchers.

“I want to take this opportunity to apologize to the fans,” commissioner Bud Selig said. “This is a very regrettable situation.”

Amid worries about a players’ strike and steroids, the bizarre ending may just have been the first work stoppage this season.

“This is terrible. These guys are going on strike and they’re doing this now?” fan Tim Dugan of Chicago said. “We’ve been ripped off.”

The sellout crowd of 41,871 at Miller Park loudly chanted “Let them play!” and “Refund!” as Freddy Garcia struck out Benito Santiago to finish it. A few fans in right field tossed bottles to protest the decision, which came after Selig conferred with both managers.

Selig, who lives in Milwaukee and formerly ran the Brewers, had hoped the summer showcase would let baseball take a one-day break from its troubles.

No luck.

And no MVP was picked, either. Bad timing, too, since the award was renamed this week to honor Ted Williams, the Hall of Famer who died Friday.

This was the second tie in All-Star history, the other coming in 1961 when it was stopped by rain.

It also marked the second time in nine years that an All-Star game finished with fans booing. In 1993, the crowd at Camden Yards jeered as AL manager Cito Gaston of Toronto let Blue Jays closer Duane Ward wrap up a 9-3 win while Baltimore’s Mike Mussina warmed up in the bullpen.

“The decision was made because there were no players left, no pitchers left,” Selig said. “This is not the ending I had hoped for. I was in a no-win situation.”

While players said they understood the decision — many games in spring training are stopped for the very same reason — the crowd did not.

“With everything going on in baseball, I’m sure the fans were very upset,” Hunter said.

It became apparent that a tie was possible after the top of the 11th when AL manager Joe Torre, NL manager Bob Brenly and umpire crew chief Gerry Davis went over to talk with Selig in the front row next to the first-base dugout.

At one point during the five-minute discussion, Selig threw up his arms.

“I feel bad for Bud,” Torre said. “Bob and I had talked. You can’t have it both ways. You can’t have all the people see all the players.”

After Luis Castillo flied out to start the bottom of the 11th, the stadium public-address announcer informed the crowd of the news, saying a tie would be declared if the NL didn’t score in the bottom half.

Fans, however, were not told why the game would be halted.

“They treated it like it was a meaningless game,” said David Cuscuna of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. “They’re telling the fans this game doesn’t matter. Not to mention the $175 face value for tickets. It sends a lot of bad messages.”

Garcia and Vicente Padilla, who finished for the NL, each pitched two innings. All 60 players — including 10 NL pitchers and nine in the AL — were used, prompting Selig to raise the possibility of increasing future rosters.

“They made the right decision. It’s only a friendly game,” Milwaukee shortstop Jose Hernandez said. “The fans weren’t expecting that ending, but they’ve got to understand. I know they want to see a great game, but there’s no more guys in the bullpen.”

The result left intact the AL’s five-game winning streak. The NL leads the overall series 40-31 — and now with two ties.

The night got off to an entertaining and poignant start.

Aaron, Mays and Ripken were part of a celebration that honored the sport’s past. Then there was a tribute to Williams, featuring his friend, Boston shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, and two other Red Sox players unveiling the No. 9 painted into left field to remember the “Splendid Splinter.”

Baseball also paused to remember St. Louis pitcher Darryl Kile and Cardinals broadcaster Jack Buck. Kile’s No. 57 jersey hung in the NL dugout and Buck’s widow was in attendance.

Bonds’ two-run shot off the facade of the second deck gave the NL a 4-0 lead in the third. It was fitting the San Francisco slugger connected on this night — he and Williams are perhaps the two greatest left fielders in history.

“This is great. This is fun,” Bonds said when he left after three innings. “What they did with the memorable moments was great.”

Bonds also got a firsthand look at Hunter, the Minnesota center fielder known for astounding catches.

With two outs in the first, Bonds launched a long drive to deep right-center field. Hunter glided into the gap, timed his leap and reached far over the fence — his elbow was way above the 8-foot wall — to pull the ball back into the park.

Bonds, who has 594 career home runs, and the fans could hardly believe that he’d been robbed of another shot. As Hunter came jogging off the field, Bonds playfully intercepted the Gold Glove winner in the middle of the field, hoisted the Twins star with two hands and put him over his shoulder.

“He said, ’Hey, good job,”’ Hunter said. “Then he tried to dunk me, but I wouldn’t let him.”

When Hunter came to bat in the second, Bonds and several other NL stars stood at their positions and watched the replay on the center-field video board.

Hunter called it his best catch ever.

“I had to go get that,” he said.

Lance Berkman, leading the majors with 29 home runs and 81 RBIs, hit a two-out, two-run single off Kazuhiro Sasaki in the seventh inning that put the NL ahead 7-6. The Houston outfielder delivered after Byung-Hyun Kim blew a lead in the top half.

Omar Vizquel, making a rare appearance at second base because the AL had five shortstops on its roster, made it 7-all with an RBI triple in the eighth off Giants closer Robb Nen.

Notes

Sammy Sosa was 0-for-9 in All-Star play before singling in the second. … Next year’s All-Star game is at Comiskey Park in Chicago, followed by Houston in 2004. Selig said he is not committed to alternating AL and NL sites beyond that

[Yankee 21]

I agree with what Torre and Brenly said on ESPN this morning. They both agreed that the other managers around the leagues entrusted them with their players and neither wanted to have a player get injured and not be able to go back to their own club and not be able to play.
I understand how some of the fans might be upset but they got to see one hell of a game both offensivly and defensivly and they got to see every All Star play. People have to realize that this is an Exhibiton game. It's supposed to be fun and it was fun.

[PissedPrincess]

I thoroughly enjoyed the game. I LOVE that it ended in a tie! How fitting! The best from both leagues couldn't beat eachother!

I wish there was an MVP though.

[I Are Baboon]

I have to disagree with you nut jobs who think the tie was a good ending. :biggrin:

Seriously, I didn't like it. If you are going to baby these $10 million a year players like that, just go ahead and cancel the game altogether. I don't want to see a tie. Regular games don't end in ties, so why should the All Star game? The basic premise of competition is that there is a winner and a loser, and we didn't get to see that last night. How could ending the game in a tie possibly be good for the fans? If I was at the game, I'd be seriosuly pissed off too.

The MLB All-Star game is the laughing stock of the sports world right now. A tie in an All-Star game. What a joke.

[PissedPrincess]

LOL. This nut job saw a great game. Bonds, HUNTER!, Damon's SB, and only the second tie ever. I loved it.

SO SUE ME!;)


:smokin:

[I Are Baboon]

Originally posted by pedro's princess
LOL. This nut job saw a great game. Bonds, HUNTER!, Damon's SB, and only the second tie ever. I loved it.

SO SUE ME!;)


:smokin:

No doubt it was a great game...until it ended! That Hunter catch was awesome. (and it saved D-Lowe from giving up the long ball)

[I Are Baboon]

Originally posted by pedro's princess
SO SUE ME!




BTW, my lawyers will be contacting your lawyers. :dance2:

[Yankee 21]

Originally posted by pedro's princess
LOL. This nut job saw a great game. Bonds, HUNTER!, Damon's SB, and only the second tie ever. I loved it.

SO SUE ME!;)


:smokin:

He can sue me too, Jacqui. Don't worry, I know a couple of good lawyers;)

[I Are Baboon]

I honestly do not see how a tie score is a satisfying ending. I feel cheated as a baseball fan.

[PissedPrincess]

I DO understand how you feel Babs, and if it was a real game, I'd feel the same way. I just thought it was cool that the BEST in one league could NOT beat the BEST in another in 11 innings.


Nut Job signing off.:biggrin:

[I Are Baboon]

Originally posted by pedro's princess
I DO understand how you feel Babs, and if it was a real game, I'd feel the same way. I just thought it was cool that the BEST in one league could NOT beat the BEST in another in 11 innings.


Nut Job signing off.:biggrin:

It's ok...we can agree to disagree. ;)





















You nut job. :uhoh:

[Baseball Guru]

I understand why they stopped it but I was not happy at all about it....Why not have the starters go at leat 3 innings??
If a player doesnt get in they dont get in...It is still an honor to be selected to be a part of the game....



I have a possible interesting solution: Why not have some sort of shootout like in soccer??

Pick 5 players from your team, get the batting pitchers out there and let them have a homerun shootout with the team with the most HR's win...

Just a thought:biggrin:

The MVP thing was a farce!!!!!!!
This was worse possible year to do this:angry:

This is just another blackeye on baseball on what will probably get worse before it gets better....

On another note: the pre-game festivities were FANTATSTIC!!!:thumbsup:

Very well done:biggrin:

[I Are Baboon]

Originally posted by Baseball Guru
FANTATSTIC!!!:thumbsup:

Very well done:biggrin:

Agreed!

The morons booing Barry Bonds should be shot.

[imgreat95]

Feeling cheated? Get used to it

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Jim Caple
ESPN.com


Sadly, this was the perfect, fitting ending to the All-Star Game played in a season that might end with a work stoppage.


Sorry, folks. Glad you enjoyed the first part, but we're calling it a night. Nobody wins. Thanks for your interest. Thanks for your money. Now go home while Bud holds a press conference.

I wrote Monday that the biggest problem with the All-Star Game is that nobody cares who actually wins the game anymore, and Tuesday proved it. Rather than play the game to its logical conclusion -- a victory by either the National or American League -- baseball told the fans to go to hell and called the game after 11 innings with the score tied 7-7.


This was supposed to be a tribute to Ted? Thanks a lot. Ted would be spinning in his grave had his son not frozen him and placed him upside down in a refrigerator.

What a disgrace. The night they name the MVP award after Ted Williams, they didn't have one. What a shame. The night they name the award after a legend who played the entire 1946 All-Star Game and won it with a ninth-inning home run, they stopped playing after 11 innings. What an embarrassment. The night they honor a baseball giant who played the entire All-Star Game several times, they ran out of players.


Ted would be spinning in his grave had his son not frozen him and placed him upside down in a refrigerator.


Of course, fans felt similarly abused after paying $175 a ticket (and remember, baseball now requires that if you want to go to the game, you must buy tickets to the Futures Game, the Home Run Derby and the FanFest as well), only to see the game end in a tie.


Fans in Milwaukee threw garbage on the field and chanted "Let them play," as if it were "The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training" instead of the All-Star Game. That was fitting, too. After all, the managers treated the game as if it were a Little League game, making sure everyone got into the game so as not to hurt anyone's feelings.


And it was also fitting that no one listened or cared what the fans think. Hey, we have planes to catch, people.


Afterward, managers Joe Torre and Bob Brenly were very defensive, saying they had no choice, that they ran out of players and they weren't going to risk injuring anybody. That's only partially acceptable. Freddy Garcia hadn't pitched in five days, yet he had only pitched two innings and 31 pitches when the game was called. Why couldn't he have pitched longer?


Granted, Torre and Brenly should not have risked injury to any player for an essentially meaningless game. But they managed themselves into that corner by following recent All-Star tradition of running players in and out of the game so quickly.


Barry Zito, one of the best starters in the league, pitched to exactly one batter. He threw three pitches. He was as superfluous as Jimmy Smits in "Attack of the Clones."


Brenly actually screwed up before the game when he put only three starting pitchers on his staff.


Torre, Brenly and Bud Selig sat in front of reporters after the game and said how unfortunate it all was but how it couldn't be avoided. Selig said he thought as hard as he could for a solution -- insert punchline here -- but couldn't come up with one. He talked about how it was a unique and unfortunate situation that had never happened before.


Well, there's a reason it never happened before, Bud. They did things differently in the old days. They let pitchers pitch more than one inning. They let players bat more than once. They didn't care whether everyone played. They tried to win.


You know why the 1941 game Ted Williams won with his homer is so treasured? Because winning was paramount. Not only did Ted play the entire game, so did Joe DiMaggio. Each team used just four pitchers each. You know why we cared so much about the 1970 game that ended in 12 innings? Because Pete Rose cared so much. Because after replacing Hank Aaron midway through the game, he stayed around long enough to crash into Ray Fosse instead of showering and leaving after one at-bat.


It doesn't work that way anymore. That's why interest in the game keeps declining. That's why Tuesday's catastrophe took place. The disaster hit Tuesday, but this has been building for a long time. People will say this was the last thing baseball needed, but this ending was what the All-Star Game needed most.


The All-Star Game once was one of baseball's crown jewels, the true Midsummer Classic. But it has been rotting steadily in recent years while everyone focused on all the glitzy events surrounding the game. Tuesday's travesty will force baseball to address the problems and fix them.


Here's how:



* Expand the rosters. As I wrote last week, in 1960 when there were just 16 teams, each league had 30 players on the All-Star team. Now there are nearly twice as many teams and still only 30 players. Expand the rosters to at least 35 and you won't run out of players.


* Allow unlimited substitutions. Remember. It's just an exhibition game. Allow managers to put players back into the game if the situation demands it later in the game. That way they can put everybody in if they feel the need and still be covered if the game goes into extra innings.


* Don't worry about getting every player into the game. That not only was the problem Tuesday, it's been the problem for at least a decade. The managers concentrate so much on getting everybody into the game that they no longer manage to win. That not only ruins the competitive nature of the game, it leads to situations such as this year when there weren't enough pitchers to go around.

Hey, it's great if everyone can play. But this is the major leagues, not Little League. We don't need to worry about hurt feelings and low self-esteem. If a player doesn't get into the game, tough. He can buy himself a lot of snowcones with the $50,000 incentive clause in his contract.


Trust me. The world will survive if Robert Fick doesn't get into the game. If a player is truly an All-Star worth worrying about, he'll be back next year.



* Put something on the line. Whether it's who gets home-field advantage in the World Series, or whether the DH gets used, or whether you pit the U.S. against the World or old guys against young stars, put something at stake. Give the players some incentive to play other than the bonus clause in their contract.


In short, make people care about the game's outcome again.

People may not care who wins the All-Star Game anymore. But they sure as hell care that someone wins.


Jim Caple is a senior writer for ESPN.com. He can be reached at cuffscaple@hotmail.com

[Trots]

I give up. Let's just cancel the game altogether. Maybe that will make somebody happy. Certainly nothing else about the All-Star Game seems to please too many people. Instead of a three day break with an All-Star Game in between, the entire process has become a two week complaining contest.

The game has been drowned out by the sounds of the fans and media trading complaints. Players "x, y and z" got screwed, they should be in and players "a, b and c" should be out. Why don't they use the DH? I hate the voting process. They shouldn't take on player from every team. I read this morning Tom Verducci of CNNSI.com, a very good baseball writer who did offer some disturbing insights, complaining about the accomodations, food and enviroment in Milwaukee. Now, the worst "shame" of it all, the earth shattering tie game.

Frankly, I was surprised to hear there has only been one other tie game. I would have thought teams have run out of players, sunlight, beer or something previously that would have brought about a deadlock. The fact it has happened only twice makes me even more confused as to the uproar. Sure, it was anti-climatic, but a travesty? Come on. Going on strike might qualify as a travesty, but not the result of an All-Star Game.

Then, to make matters worse, those who are crying over last night's game are suggesting things like HR contests, outfielders pitching or starting runners at second and seeing who can score first. Are you kidding me? That's ten times worse than a tie. Why? Because IT'S NOT BASEBALL!!!!!

Yes, all of these methods would give you a winner, so would flipping a coin. How about a baseball history test and the league with the most correct answers wins? I know half this community would outscore both leagues.

I'm all for constructive changes to the game, but stop the whining. It's the freaking ALL-STAR GAME people, not the World Series. Because two games in seventy some odd years ends in a tie, we need to have emergency provisions? Our country and this sport is in far greater danger from these horrible anthem singers than they are from a tie All-Star Game.

I'm sorry for rambling, but this is all I've heard all day long and I just dont get it. Count me in with the nuts, IAB. I look forward to hearing from your attorney.

PS- I loved Posada letting his son run onto the field.

[Baseball Guru]

A homerun contest is not baseball??
What the hell was I watching on Monday night???
Sorry Brian, but I feel somewhat singled out here since you pointed out my suggestion which was just that, a suggestion...(If this was not meant towards me then I apologize)

I dont tune into an entertaining game to see it end in a tie....
Truth is that the pitching should have been spread out a bit more evenly which was not the case...Managers are so inclined and try too hard to make sure EVRYONE gets into the game...This was still the case many years ago but if you didnt get into the game you didnt get into it....
Geez, the game was only 2 innings extra.....
Sorry but that is a joke!!!

And I personally think that if people want to whine (and I would hope that you were not referring to me and take another look at my original post if you did think I was whining) let them...This season has just about pissed everyone off anyways with all the talk about a possible strike....
Its bullcrap!!
Your sick of all the people whining about the game last night, well I'm sick of hearing about the imposing strike...
I'm sick of all this crap....Just play ball:angry:

[GiveHyzduashot]

Good post, Brian, and I completely agree.

I too am tired of hearing the whining that never ends. If the game ended in 9 innings but Padilla and Garcia never played, that draws complaints too. No matter what we did, someone would complain about it.

Complaining about the environment, food, accomodations, etc. is absurd. That's too ridiculous to even comment on.

I wouldn't completely object to having position players pitch. Just because they pitch doesn't mean it's not a game. If it happens in a regular game that does count, why not an All Star game? But only after 12 innings would I want that to happen.

Having a HR derby to decide the winner is ludicrous. If it EVER comes to that, I'll never watch another game again. If I want to see a homerun derby, I'll watch it the night before the game. After that happens, it's over with and done with until next year. No game should ever be decided based on who can hit the ball the furthest.

A baseball history test, that's a great idea. Not only would it celebrate the history of the game to fans who don't know much about it, but I personally would like to know how much the players know about baseball history. Heck, I wouldn't mind seeing that being an annual event.

My solution would be to have two backup pitchers for each league who were given permission to possibly throw three innings. They'd only pitch after every other pitcher has pitched.

I also loved Posada letting his son run onto the field. I thought that was a neat moment, seeing him in a jersey a size or two too big and then not wanting to stop when he got to the fouline.
:biggrin:

[Trots]

James, my friend, first I was not singling you out. I wouldn't do that to you. If I did, I would have the courtesy to call you out by name or address you via a PM. You should know me better than that. I wasn't really attacking anyone specifically. As I stated, I've been hearing this nonsense all day long (mostly on local sports radio) and don't get why everyone is so bent out of shape over it. However, I know this strike talk is wearing on you (we really need to talk about that) and I apologize for giving you that appearance.

As for the HR concept, yes it's baseball, like dunking is basketball. It's part of the game, but it is not the way to decide a game. As I sarcastically indicated, there are any number of ways to determine a winner, that doesn't make it right. If it did, then why not make the AL the winner, as Giambi won the HR contest the night before? It's not un-American or anything, just not really how the game is played. I would find a result determined by that type of contest more demeaning to the game than a tie.

Josh, people are still mad about Mussina not pitching in the AS Game in Baltimore years ago. These managers, who did do a poor job btw, really are in a no-win situation.

I love this stupid little game and to see everyone pile on over nothing just annoys me. It's just too easy and too trendy to bash baseball and I'm not buying into that.

James, if I don't PM you before, I'll still see you in therapy on Thursday.

[Panzram]

Of course the tie wasn't popular with anyone but what are you gonna do, put in Giambi and Berkman to pitch? And let's not forget the possible strike. I'm sure if that goes through, the tied All-star game will be the least of our concerns.

-KoZ

[RockieBill]

The All-Star game is practically meaningless now, at least from an AL vs NL perspective. Back-in-the-day, so to speak, the players actually took pride in the league they played for. These days, players can change leagues like they change their socks (or should change their socks).

I think the fans got their money's worth just getting to witness Hunter's catch. That will still be on the highlight reels a hundred years from now, presuming anyone knows what baseball is one-hundred years from now.

I enjoyed the game.

RB, also-a-nut-job

:biggrin:

[imgreat95]

Smizik: The All-Star Game is not supposed to be this stupid

Thursday, July 11, 2002








It's supposed to be the sport's shining moment. It's supposed to be a night filled with lasting memories. It's supposed to be best of the best. And it was all of that.

Until baseball ruined it.

Should we have expected anything different from the men who have taken a beautiful sport -- once the national pastime and now the national joke -- and done their best to run it into the ground?

Who's to blame for the All-Star Game being called and declared a 7-7 tie after 11 innings Monday night at Miller Park in Milwaukee?

Try just about everyone involved.

You can start with Commissioner Bud Selig and work your way down to Joe Torre and Bob Brenly, the managers of the American and National League teams, to the players and even to Fox Sports, which televised the game.

One and all -- along with a lengthy list of predecessors -- they have done so much to diminish the All-Star Game. What once was a powerful competition among players who performed with a passion fueled by league pride is now a social gathering where almost every attempt at competition has been snuffed out.

The most accurate sentiment involving the three-day All-Star extravaganza came from Texas' Alex Rodriguez, the best player in the sport, who said:

"This is what the All-Star Game is all about."

He did not say this after Minnesota's Torii Hunter dazzled a baseball world that knew little of him by leaping well above the outfield wall to take a first-inning home run away from Barry Bonds.

He did not say this an inning later when Bonds sent a ball crashing off the facade of the second deck, a place where no mortal could catch it.

No, he said it as he sat down to chat with the resident ESPN yucksters, Chris Berman and friends, at the Home Run Derby the night before the game.

It's true, it's true, it's true. The preliminary has exceeded the main event, and for a very good reason.

Competition is the essence of sports. Mano-a-mano competition abounds at the Home Run Derby as each participant tries to prove himself the best. The same feeling is virtually absent from the game the next night.

Part of the reason for the decline of competition has to do with the times. Most baseball players consider themselves more entertainer than competitor -- even in regular-season games. When they get to what is an exhibition, their competitive juices disappear and their entertainment and social juices flow.

In effect, the All-Star Game has become the Fourth of July picnic for the players union.

A major reason for the decline of the game as a competition has to do with the overstuffed rosters -- 30 to a side. And this in a sport that plays a 162-game schedule with 25 on a side.

Hey, the party's no fun unless there's lots of people.

The abysmal decision by recent All-Star managers to take what appears to be a blood vow to get everyone in the game also detracts from it. With players running in and out every half inning, the game takes on a carnival atmosphere.

The notion that everyone must play is straight out of Little League and doesn't belong. Surely, if they are told in advance that not everyone is going to play, these spoiled princes of sport could withstand an evening on the bench.

Many of the very best players -- Pedro Martinez and Randy Johnson, to name two -- turned down an invitation to play in the game and didn't even bother to come to the party. That makes it hard to understand why Torre, who is virtual manager-for-life in this game, in particular, is so intent on seeing that everyone plays.

It speaks to the grand stupidity of baseball -- a lack of brain power we see in so many other aspects of the sport -- that no one even thought of this possibility in advance. It's not like extra-inning games are unusual.

Selig didn't have a lot of options when the managers approached him in the 11th inning. Both insisted they were out of players after pitchers Freddy Garcia and Vicente Padilla had worked the 11th, the second inning for both.

Selig should have instructed the managers to send the pitchers out to pitch the 12th, which would have been three innings for both, something that once was common in All-Star games.

Fox added to the carnival atmosphere, with microphones on both managers. When the Pirates' Mike Williams pitched superbly in the second inning for the National League, the entire focus of the telecast was on an interview with Torre and Brenly and much discussion about New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, whose presence in the dugout beside Torre clearly indicated that the game was of minor importance.

It's no wonder Selig so readily called the game. It was late, and the party was over. The game, like the fans in attendance and those watching on television, never mattered.

In this amazing blunder, baseball was not a victim of circumstances. It was a victim of its own stupidity.

[imgreat95]

Wow... Smizik writes two good columns in a row. Must be a holiday week in Pittsburgh.

I like the mention of the fact that the FOX crew virtually ignored Mikey Williams' great outing..

I also like the idea of decreasing the rosters much more than the idea of expanding them.

[GiveHyzduashot]

Here's a thought: Why not have a 25 man roster with 5 extra pitchers named an AS, but they'd only pitch in an event like last night. Maybe reserve players too, in case of an injury.

I also liked the mention of Fox not mentioning Williams. All Buck said was he has 25 saves on a sub 500 team and has a great ERA. One chance at getting the respect he deserves, and Fox ignores it.

[Yankee 21]

Good Post Brian and very well said. I had to hear it all day yesterday also but the most of the people I spoke to thought it was pretty cool that it ended in a tie. Like you said, there's only been two ties in the All Star game. So everybody who watched it saw history in the making.
I also loved the fact that Posada sent his little boy out to the line! That has to be the cutest thing I've ever saw.

[I Are Baboon]

To quote Will Farrell in the movie Zoolander, "What is wrong with everyone!? I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!!!!"

I'm am surprised no one else is upset that the All Star game ended in a tie. But hey, it is just an All Star game and is really no big deal. I'm just gald the 2nd half starts tonight and the Red Sox are very healthy and very much alive. :)

[Baseball Guru]

Here's a link to ESPN's Mike and Mike show when they had US Senator Jim Bunning on last week....
Very entertaining interview..

Mike & Mike- Bunning (http://espn.go.com/espnradio/morning.html#)

Once at the site, just look to the right, under audio clips to hear the interview....