All-stars shine long into the night

The 2008 MLB All-Star Game featured great defense - and poor defense (3 errors by Marlins second baseman Dan Uggla - along with clutch pitching by both teams. The American League won the 15-inning contest by a score of 4-3.

I had hopes that a Cub would make a positive mark in the game. For a while it looked like Carlos Zambrano would get the win, having been on the mound when the NL took the lead. Unfortunately, Edinson Volquez saw to it that the AL would tie the game.

As a baseball fan, I wanted to stay up until the end. I also faced the practical matter of a morning outpatient surgery. Needless to say, baseball won out in the end.

It was cool seeing all the Hall of Famers during the player introductions.

All-stars with a Cub flavor

The Major League Baseball All-Star rosters are nearly set, but the Cubs are leading the way with 7 players selected to the squad including catcher Geovany Soto, the first catcher to start for the National League.

I've always enjoyed baseball's all-star games. You get to see the best of the best (although there's always room to argue about fading stars making it and deserving players staying home). One thing I've grumbled about in recent years are the players who sit out due to "injuries."

Even before they changed the rule to making the winning league the home team for the World Series, the game meant something to players. From the days of Ruth and Gehrig through Mays and Aaron to Rose barrelling over Fosse, players played to win. This was no mere exhibition.

Be sure to tune in Tuesday, July 15, to FOX to catch the action as Yankee Stadium takes perhaps one final moment in the sun before it is scheduled for demolition after this season.

The Sandberg Game

Twenty-four years ago - June 23, 1984 -I was sitting in Wrigley Field watching the Cubs play the St. Louis Cardinals.

For most of the game, it was miserable. The Cubs trailed 7-1, then 9-3. A bunch of us Cub fans sitting under the upper deck overhang on the third base side of stand had to put up with a loud-mouthed Cardinals fan during the game. The Cubs rallied to make it 9-8, but the outcome looked dismal as the Cardinals featured one of the game's best relievers, Bruce Sutter.

Leading off the ninth inning was Ryne Sandberg. The young Cub had been making some noise that year after a productive, but not exciting, two years in Chicago. But today would be a turning point in his career.

Sandberg deposited a pitch from Sutter into the bleachers in left field to tie the game at nine. Wrigley got LOUD! But in the top of the 10th inning, the Cardinals scored twice to take a 11-9 lead.

With two outs, Bob Dernier walked, bringing up Sandberg with the tying run. Everyone was hoping - and only the most desperate would have bet money - that Sandberg could hit another homer.

The folks watching at home - a nationwide audience thanks to a rainout of NBC's other game that day - were watching the credits role. NBC announcers already named Willie McGee - who hit for the cycle and drove in six runs - as its player of the game.

Then it happened.

Sandberg blasted another home run near the same spot he'd hit the first one. If Wrigley was loud before, it was at another level now. The Cubs eventually won the game 12-11 in 11 innings. Sandberg - with two home runs and seven runs batted in - was named player of the game. Cardinal manager Whitey Herzog (perhaps in a fit of hyperbole) proclaimed Sandberg as the greatest player he ever saw.

But maybe Whitey was on to something. When Sandberg did hang up his cleats 14 season later, he was rewarded for his outstanding career with election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

I've been to some great games in Wrigley, but this one tops them all.

Are you ready for some (virtual) football?

If you're like me and you've got some time on your hands (read: like to waste time) and you like football, the folks at Goal Line Blitz might just have the game for you.

It's free to sign up and free to keep playing. If you want to invest some disposable income, you can purchase points to help upgrade your players. You can also purchase and operate teams.

From a player standpoint, it's been neat to build your players for the week in, week out games. Your players get better via a combination of training and "leveling up," which improves their numbers in 14 physical attributes and football skills depending up their position.

From a team owner standpoint, I've not tried that, but you build your stadium, set ticket prices, sign players, set up how you want the offense/defense to perform.

The games are simulated remotely (you can't view them live), but you can go back and look at the play-by-play which is depicted with small circles moving about a gridiron.

It can be mildly addictive, so beware. Otherwise, have some fun.

Griffey Jr. joins 600 club

The Kid is in some manly territory now. Ken Griffey Jr. surpassed a high-altitude mark with his 600th home run on Monday in Miami vs. the Florida Marlins.

I saw Griffey play in person only once and was treated to a home run. It was in Milwaukee when he was still with the Seattle Mariners. The ball took off like a meteor down the right field line, banged off the foul pole (which is in fair territory - shouldn't it be called fair pole?) and caromed close to center field. The force of the shot had the pole wobbling for several seconds.

At one time, it was assumed Junior would not only get to 600, but probably 700 and perhaps be the person to top Hank Aaron's career mark. Injuries slowed the former Seattle Mariner and current Cincinnati Red on his quest.

Griffey, 38, has been a class act in baseball ever since stepping on field at the young age of 19. His dad had been a member of the Cincinnati Reds' Big Red Machine of the 1970s, and the younger Griffey grew up around the park.

A durable, acrobatic player earlier in his career, Griffey joined the Reds after 11 years with the Mariners. His first year in Cincinnati, in 2000, Griffey belted 40 home runs. He would hit only 63 more the next four seasons, as injuries took their toll, and Griffey limped into the 500 HR club.

A resurgence put Griffey back on track from 2005-07 as he hit 35, 27, and 30 HR.

Ahead of Griffey on the list are Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755), Babe Ruth (714), Willie Mays (660) and Sammy Sosa (609).

The good folks at Major League Baseball have a nice tribute page to Griffey reaching the 600 milestone.