My 2008 MLB All-Star Game Pregame Diary

Well, now that Jeannie Zelasko and her bizarre pants are off my television screen, let's get to the REAL pregame festivities...only on FOX. 

For the next half hour, I'll be trying to give my best Bill Simmons impersonation, and offer my "First Annual MLB All-Star Game Pregame Diary."

Consider: the enormity of this event, its location in my home city of New York, and at the most important sporting venue in our country, as well as the fact that the NL is putting out arguably its strongest club in the past 10 years in hopes of breaking the recent AL all-star dominance. That makes this game significantly more important than ones in recent memory.  

So, without further ado, let's go to one of the most informative and wittiest broadcasters in the business: Joe Buck.  

7:55 PM

Television legend (and Bronx native) Regis Philbin introduces some of New York's finest athletes, entertainers, taxicab drivers, and policemen, as each group is shown reciting a line from Frank Sinatra's famous, "New York, New York." Doesn't get much cheesier than this...what else would you expect from FOX's producers.

8 PM

Joe Buck announces the NL All-Star team's bench, after giving props to legendary Yankees PA announcer Bob Shepard.

Some observations of the crowd's reaction to these players being announced: Alfonso Soriano gets a louder ovation than Lou Piniella, which was sort of curious to me.  

David Wright and Billy Wagner get mostly boos, as expected. Nothing else out of the ordinary.  

Now to the A.L. bench players/coaches:  Yankees' manager Joe Girardi gets a nice ovation.  

J.D. Drew, Jason Varitek, David Ortiz, and Jonathan Papelbon get booed lustily, as expected.  Grady Sizemore gets a surprisingly nice ovation.  Mariano Rivera gets a loud ovation, one that lasted the longest of any reserve announced.  

8:11 PM

49 Hall-of-Famers are shown around the Yankee Stadium field, placed in the positions in which they roamed during their respective careers. Some of the best pitchers of the previous century are announced. Goose Gossage and Whitey Ford get the loudest ovation, not much of a shocker.  

8:15 PM

Ben Sheets and Cliff Lee are introduced...the game's starting hurlers. Each shakes the hands of the Hall-of-Fame pitchers near the mound.  

Next come the best first basemen in MLB history...capped off by Willie McCovey, who gets out of his wheelchair to greet the crowd. A great moment.  

Kevin Youkilis gets lustily booed, as he's introduced after Lance Berkman.  

Rod Carew, Bill Mazerowski, and Ryne Sandberg are introduced at second base. They're met and greeted by starting second basemen Chase Utley and Dustin Pedroia.  

Brooks Robinson, Mike Schmidt, George Brett, and Wade Boggs are announced at third base. Wade gets a nice ovation. All four legendary third basemen are met by starters Chipper Jones and Alex Rodriguez...A-Rod gets a nice ovation and hugs each HOFer.  

The HOF shortstops are announced: Luis Aparicio, Ozzie Smith, Robin Yount, Ernie Banks, and Cal Ripken Jr. A great group of ballplayers right there. They're joined by starting shortstops Hanley Ramirez and Derek Jeter...the king of New York.

Chants of "Derek Jeter" emanate from the crowd in a great moment. Yes, I'm still a Mets fan.  

Paul Molitor is announced...a HOFer who was inducted as a DH. He's greeted at second base by tonight's DHs: Albert Pujols and Milton Bradley.  

Lou Brock, Billy Williams, and Mets legendary broadcaster and Pirates Hall-of-Famer Ralph Kiner are introduced in the left field. They're met by Ryan Braun and Manny Ramirez...who's booed heartily.  

8:20 PM

Willie Mays is introduced in center field, and receives a loud ovation. Willie's reaction doesn't seem to be a particularly appreciative one. In fact, he doesn't seem to notice Josh Hamilton when he tries to greet the "Say Hey Kid" out in center.  

Tony Gwynn, Al Kaline, Frank Robinson, Dave Winfield, Hank Aaron, and Reggie Jackson are announced in right field. This is easily the most recognizable and star-studded of the groups, and the crowd reacts that way.

Chants of "Reggie" echo from the rafters, as the HOFers are met by starting right fielders Matt Holliday and Ichiro.  Hall of Fame managers Earl Weaver, Tommy Lasorda, and Dick Williams are announced behind the plate. They're joined by Clint Hurdle and Terry Francona, another victim of the boo-birds.  

8:25 PM 

Geovany Soto and Joe Mauer are announced as the starting catchers and are meet the HOF catchers in front of the plate...Gary Carter and of course, Yogi Berra. Chants of "Yogi" are heard loud and clear through my television set. Yogi receives the loudest ovation of the night it appears, perhaps louder than Jeter's.  

8:30 PM

Cheryl Crow sings the National Anthem, guitar and all. Seems like a decent enough choice, and she delivers a soft and strong rendition of the anthem. She has kind of a tough time hitting a couple of the notes, but rebounds nicely at the end. The guitar didn't seem to add or take away from the performance to me. Not too bad.  

8:32 PM 

All of the Hall of Famers gather near the mound after greeting many of the current All-Stars.  

8:33 PM

George Steinbrenner is brought in via golf cart to throw out the first pitch. Not an over-the-top ovation for The Boss, but he doesn't appear to be in particularly good health. It's no wonder you're always hearing Hank instead of George these days. He doesn't look too hot.  

George is joined by the Yankee HOFers in attendance: Goose Gossage, Yogi Berra, Reggie Jackson, and Whitey Ford. They each throw out the first pitch to the current Yankee All-Stars. Another well-thought-out moment.  

Each of the Hall of Famers congregate around the mound after the first pitch. It was a cool pregame, but I'm not sure if it generated the momentous effect that FOX and Major League Baseball wanted. Maybe I'd be more overwhelmed if I were actually in the stadium.

Seeing so many of these living Hall-of-Famers come together for this event, seeing Willie McCovey get out of his wheelchair to greet the crowd, as well as the ovations received by Yogi, Derek, and Mariano, definitely affected me as an observer watching via TV.

I hope the pregame was appreciated more by the observers in the stadium.  

The pageantry has ended, so let's get to the game!