2008 MLB All-Star Game Was One For the Ages

How do you put a coherent sentence together to describe what transpired on Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning?

I simply cannot put into words how much I enjoyed watching the 2008 MLB All-Star Game.

I know what you’re saying, “Come on now, you’re getting giddy over an All-Star Game?”

Yes, I certainly am.

Anyone can sit back and bash this 'til they are blue in the face. You can talk about how stupid it is that this decides home-field advantage, and it is. Or you can thumb your nose to the fact that Scott Kazmir was working after throwing 104 pitches on Sunday. You can even frown upon the fact that this could have very well ended in a tie.

But you cannot take away from the greatness that was this game.

You won’t forget it as long as you live, I can guarantee that. It was a memorable moment, watching Terry Francona celebrate like he just won the World Series, when, in fact, the only thing he won was the relief of not having to deal with over-using his division rival's best pitcher.

There is a point in time when you know you’ve seen a great game. That is the point where you can’t pick one moment out of it and designate it as your most memorable.

Everything is sticking out at this point. From Nate McLouth’s perfect strike to home plate to nail Dioner Navarro, to Aaron Cook bailing out Dan Uggla after his complete defensive meltdown.

This game was loaded with memorable moments.

What was even greater about it was the players that rode it out. They weren’t the starters, the guys who, for the most part, probably didn’t have any business playing for long time. It was the true All-Stars, the guys who made it in on their peers' votes.

Players like Justin Morneau, who scored the winning run, and Michael Young, who knocked him in. Young stars like Grady Sizemore, who scored the tying run, and rookie Evan Longoria, who made it happen with a double.

I’m not sure what the story will be on ESPN on Wednesday morning. I really don’t know what the public will think of what just happened. Will Bud Selig’s head be on the chopping block?

Will there be mass outcry to remove the silly stipulation of home-field advantage?

Does it really matter?

For once in our lives, let’s take this in stride and enjoy it for what it was: a good, old-fashioned baseball game. There were stolen bases, bunts, great pitching, solid defense, spectacular plays, and the game wasn’t won on a walk-off home run or a big flashy play.

It was won on a flyout to right field.

The only thing this game lacked was a decent play-by-play crew. All-around, it was everything a real baseball fan could want in a game.

If you paint the jerseys two different colors and black out all the thoughts about what was on the line and what the circumstances were, you won’t see a more exciting game all year. Anyone can sit around and downplay it because of the circumstances.

But no one can bad-mouth just how fun this game was to watch.

That is, after all, the reason we watch these games, right?