Went to my first game of the year tonight

For a guy who talks a lot about baseball and watches even more, you’d think I’d GET to the ballpark on a regular basis.

But between work and being a father of two, I went to a grand total of one game last year.
It was on August 29 where I saw the Rockies beat the Giants at AT&T Park 8-0.

With a little more than a month to go in the season and the 4th place Rockies barely over .500, I thought it was a match up between two meaningless teams.

Little did I know that the Rockies would need every win to qualify for the playoffs and would win the Pennant.

Well last night I was driving through Los Angeles and passed Chavez Ravine and thought “Why not?” and pulled in to Dodger Stadium.

I missed the first inning and most of the scoring but I did see a kid names Chris Volstad make his first ever major league start... and throw a shut out into the 9th inning.

In all he lasted 8 2/3 innings.
Wow, imagine that! The kid was pitching well and they let him pitch!
Don't they know that you are supposed to baby them?

Don't they know that you are supposed to call paramedics if a rookie pitcher throws more than 30 pitches?

And he relieved one day and then went into the rotation?
Don't they know that is a long painful process the requires months of agonizing?

At one point the Dodgers had the trivia contest for some poor schmuck on the field.
The question was "Name the third Co-MVP with Pedro Guerrero and Steve Yeager for the 1981 World Series."

They gave the choices of Steve Garvey, Fernando Valenzuela and Ron Cey.

A guy in front of me yelled out "FERNANDO!"
I said "No! Ron Cey!" very confidently.

The guy looked at me and said "You seem sure of it." And yelled out Ron Cey.

The answer was of course Ron Cey.

The guy turned to me and said "You are a REAL Dodger fan."
I said "Nope. I'm not a Dodger fan at all. I just know it."

He responded "Did you Google it?"

I pointed to my head "This is my Google! When someone asks about the World Series, Google calls ME!"

THE MIKE SHARPERSON MEMORIAL ALL STAR AWARD

There is a rule in selecting All Stars for the once relevant Mid Season Classic that says each team needs to be represented.

This rule is of course insane because sometimes a team simply doesn't have an All Star worthy player... but it also means that every year there is a player that has no business playing in an All Star Game that gets to make the trip.

I am naming this honor after the late Mike Sharperson, the lone representative of the 1992 Los Angeles Dodgers.

That team, that lost 99 games, had a lot of familiar All Star names (Darryl Strawberry, Eric Davis, Orel Hershiser, Brett Butler, Tom Candiotti, Jay Howell, Juan Samuel, Mike Scoscia, John Candelaria) but Sharperson, who batted .300 in 128 games got to make the trip to San Diego for the All Star Game.

He came into the game in the 8th inning, and struck out in the 9th against Dennis Eckersley.

He was basically a utility infielder starting 33 games at second and 39 games at third. The rest of the time he was a pinch hitter.

That's right, the Dodgers lone rep for the All Star game was a bench player.

Some people think MLB needs to change this rule because it is silly to see the Robert Ficks, Randy Winns and Mark Redmans of the world supposedly representing the best of the best.

But I like it.
It's a funny quirk that to me allows us that inevitable moment where you shriek "[INSERT MEDIOCRE PLAYER NAME HERE] is an All Star?"

This year there is no glaring Sharperson candidate.

The Finalists would be

NATE McLOUTH of the Pirates.
BRIAN WILSON of the Giants.

I'd probably have to go with McLouth.

The official award will be handed out on the eve of the All Star Game.
I'm sure they will be thrilled.

I just can't wait to see the parade in New York where greats like Frank Robinson and Yogi Berra will be waving to the crowd along with A-Rod, Manny and Pujols.

How many people will be screaming "OH MY GOD!!! NATE McLOUTH!!!"?