This was my first year going to a professional All-Star game. In 2006 I went to the Cape Cod League All-Star game, and though it was a fun exhibition, it lacked the build-up and the pageantry that goes along with a pro event. The people of Greensboro put on a pretty good show as well, and the central location of their ball park definitely helped a lot as well, as did the presence of most of the full-time front office staffers for the Suns. Even though the All-Star break is the only multi-day break I get during the season, I didn’t really have any official responsibilities in Greensboro, so it still felt like a vacation.
The first day of the break was Monday, and after quite a long drive, the players and I got into town a little after mid-day. The only events of the evening (we missed out on the bowling tournament that morning, unfortunately) were the Boss Moss Classic and what was referred to as a “Shindig” at the ballpark to follow. The Boss Moss is an annual game between the front offices of the North and South divisions. Historically, that game was softball, but this year Greensboro decided to make it a baseball game with their pitching coach pitching for both teams. I played in the game, and even though I went 0-2 with an RBI sac fly* and at least one error and a ball I misplayed into a triple and the North coughed up a big lead in the final inning and I made the last out of the game for our team at the plate, it was fun and I played pretty well. Actually, that last sentence makes it seem as if perhaps I didn’t play all that well in hindsight. But at least it was fun. All except for the ball I dove for in left field in the top of the seventh that I missed (reports vary on how much I missed it by, two of the Suns front office members who encouraged me to dive on the play along with Lake Counties radio guy, all of whom were standing right above me on the play, say I missed it by multiple feet…personally, I think it may have grazed my glove) that is. And even there, at least I was wearing sliding shorts under my regular shorts, otherwise it could have been significantly worse.
The rest of the evening there was fun as well, just socializing with other front office members as the players from the various teams also got to know each other.
And while on Tuesday the game was officially the main event, and the Suns acquitted themselves well, it was the Home Run Derby that had everyone talking. Michael Burgess put on a display for the ages. Each bomb he hit seemed longer than the last and had the crowd roaring in disbelief. Most notably during the second round in which Burgess hit nine homers in six outs everyone in the VIP party deck (where all of us Front Office Types were sitting) was asking anyone from the Suns about his age, just trying to confirm that he is, indeed, just 19 years old. It was a pretty cool display, and hopefully he can keep it up for the rest of the season.
Bill Rhinehart was also excellent, picking up three hits and three RBI including a two-run homer in the bottom of the first, and was awarded the MVP of the game. Sean Rooney went 1-1 as a reserve catcher, and most impressively, threw out Everth Cabrera trying to steal second base. Cabrera stole 45 bases in the first half of the season, the most in baseball.
Now that the early week festivities are over, it’s back on the road to Delmarva (update: the Suns won game one 7-1 thanks to homers by Burgess and Boomer Whiting and Colton Willems’ most impressive outing to date: 8 2/3, no earned runs).
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