RAYS SHINE IN 2008 MLB ALL-STAR GAME

Well, that was a game wasn't it? A tip of the cap to fans across America that stayed awake until the American League notched their 12th consecutive All Star win in a 15 inning 4-3 marathon . Free Crackerjax to those who hung in there until the New Hybrid Ride was presented to MVP JD Drew.

Yankee Stadium was spectacular last night and the pre-game introductions were captivating. Watching greats like Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, and Yogi Berra feel the love of fans that never even saw them play just makes you feel good.

Every single All Star entered the game last night. Even pitchers who played on Sunday night and spent a few hours in 100 degree heat during the red carpet parade yesterday... and whose teams requested they not be used. Expect Bud Selig to feel heat from owners who think the health of their most valuable arm is more important than deciding World Series Home field advantage with a 5 hour game ending well after midnight that requires some pitchers to face two or three times more batters than they would in a typical outing.

PTown fan thinks the All Star game is a good time to bend the rules just a tad and allow the re-entry of pitchers in extra innings if the game will continue to have some bearing on The Series. What do you think?

You'll hear game recaps all day so I'll spare you another, and instead present the somewhat Rays-Centric All Star Pearls as Percieved by PTownFan:
Hall of Famer Intros. Top drawer presentation.

• Navarro's overthrow in the 8th to set up Papelbum's humiliating Sac Fly pitch to Adrian Gonzalez which scored the go ahead run for the NL. Karma's a bitch ain't it Papelbon? Quit yer whinin'.
• Navarro atones for setting up Papelbunion with a double play, catching a foul tip and gunning down Guzman at second. *
• Pinch hitting ROY contender Evan Longoria knocks in the tying run with a 2 out ground rule double to LF in the 9th.
• Navarro supplying his own wheels in a run scoring situation. Not only was there no one faster on the bench to pinch run for him... there was no one on the bench to pinch run for him. With no spare wheels available, Navi stayed in the game and kept a rally going in the 15th, moving the winning run into scoring position.
• McLouth's throw home and Martin's play at the plate as Wheels Navarro came in was one of the prettiest plays I've ever seen. Just three more Wheaties for either McLouth or Navarro and there wouldn't be water cooler talk all day about whether Navi was really safe. *
• Youkilis gearing up for the post game celebration with Red Bull at midnight.
• Every single American League player was still in the stadium at the end of the game... on the top step of the dugout... giving it up for reserves that played more innings than the starters.

* What is it about All Star Umpiring? Surprising number of blown calls in these games from Little League to MLB. When they go both ways and don't determine the outcome of the game, PTownFan can get over it, but it does make you wonder whether the best of the best get the call to don the inch thick black soles and assorted other gear and glory.

Yep. A night to remember. Especially for a Rays fan.

And... as a baseball fan... it's so fitting that Yankee Stadium wouldn't go down without a fight.