S3F High-Heat Matchup: 2006 All-Star Game (7/11 at 8:00 PM EST on FOX)

[missionhockey21]

We still love ya' Depod, wherever you are.

[DravenX]

Wow a braves fan asking for a steak to end!

This is a different kind of a streak and has nothing to do with the Braves.

[McKain]

He's a Special Assistant to Baseball Operations for the Padres now, I believe. Shame he got fired, since he brought the team to the playoffs for the first time in eight years. He's great working behind the scenes rather than up front as the GM, so he'll no doubt aid SD a ton.

[missionhockey21]

No doubt. And I am not surprised to hear the Padres brought him (about as surprised as when I didn't hear his name even as a possibility for an interview with the Reds job.)

Anyway, this NL lineup could be a lot of fun tonight. A lot of these young guys are being introduced to the casual baseball fan for the first time on a national stage and it will be interesting to see if their nerves get to them or will they feed off the excitement they have.

[redsrbetter]

Well Howard's nerves didn't get to him last night so hopefully the NL sticks can feed off that as well. I am looking for an NL win tonight as well. Big "Charles" Bronson Arroyo will be throwing his gem in there which will allow for an inning or so of domination of this stacked AL lineup.

Go NL!

[McKain]

It's looking pretty unlikely for me to make the thread for discussion mid-game, since I've been up since about 9 PM and don't have much energy remaining, so I hope you guys pick up the slack, and enjoy the game everyone.

[A'sDiehard]

I don't care who wins but it is a good reason to grab some beer and a pizza and be on the couch tonight.

My Prediction:

AL: 7
NL: 5

Ryan Howard will hit a 987 foot HR, Kenny Rogers will throw something at somebody knowing that his annual second half meltdown is right around the corner and the announcers will cause at least three suicides nationwide as they just cannot stop sucking David Ortiz' jocksweat.

Should be a good game.

[DravenX]

That is one crazy prediction.

[Witlon]

Mmmm, pizza.

Jason Bay is my hero and yours, and he will be the MVP in an NL 10-3 win.

*prays*

[realmofotalk]

I never got the criticism for that deal. Penny was an injury risk sure but one with obviously a pretty big potential payoff, but oh yeah, LoDuca was the heart and soul, blah blah blah. He's gone unnoticed and really (based on the coverage I've seen before the ASG), unless you followed his stats or the Dodgers, you wouldn't have much of a clue of what he's done. That's one of the nice stories for the night in my opinion, hopefully he'll have some good innings to finally give the NL a victory.

Brad Penny has been one of my favorite starting pitchers since his playing days in Florida and I was thrilled for the Dodgers to finally land a pitcher with ace potential, although it was rumored that DePodesta intended to use Penny as bait in a trade with Arizona for Randy Johnson. However, DePodesta deserved the criticism he received because he not only traded LoDuca but he also traded Guillermo Mota, who as the bridge to Gagne, was crucial to winning games. The Dodgers had to turn to Darren Dreifort in the 8th inning and the results were anything but pretty. In addition, you forget that Brad Penny only made three starts after he was traded to Los Angeles because of an injury to a nerve in his right bicep.

[missionhockey21]

I am not saying it was a good deal for the Dodgers are the time (in retrospect), but then and now I still feel like it was a good deal for the future. Of course back then I thought Choi was going to be apart of the future, but obviously things change. With not being a Dodgers fan like yourself, I suppose the effects of the trade for the playoff race aren't as visible (nor as important) to someone like myself. As with most deals (even with the Reds) I just look for the potential of future effects (probably since it's been years without being in any form of a race, you tend to look to the future.) I still thought it was a good deal at the time but since you mention it, I did understand the criticism a bit since I forgot the few number of starts he made upon his Dodger debut. And the effects of losing Mota in late innings.

Good post mofo.
+rep

[Kingdom]

Whatever happens, happens, but please God let Dan Uggla get a hit or do something fun cause that would be beyond awesome.

[HollywoodLeo]

Mmmm, Piazza.

I agree, Piazza should've been the starting catcher.

[Halladay_is_God]

go AL, so much better for me this year with 4 Jays that are playing (sad to see Rios get hurt he really deserved this) instead of the 1 from past season.

and go Jason Bay, show them who's boss

[riverdunesrat]

I voted NL, but not because of that Fuggla guy.....

And remember folks.....THIS ONE COUNTS......whatever the hell that means......