It’s a beautiful day south of the border down Mexico way for the 19th Annual MWBL All Star Game.  This year for the first time it’s south of the USA at Tijuana Coahuila Zone Park.  The American League leads the series 12 games to 6, however the National League has won the last 2, including a 4-0 shutout in Iron City.

STARTING PITCHERS:
Clayton Kershaw (27-2 1.18) vs. Wei-Yin Chen (20-3 1.89)

Wei-Yen Chen gets the call for the National League as does Clayton Kershaw does for the American League. Robinson Cano leads off the game against Kershaw. The pitch … whistled to right … in there for a hit … Stanton is over quickly, bobbles the ball momentarily … but Cano isn’t buying it … he sticks to first with a single. With Buster Posey behind the plate, Cano stretches his lead….The offering to Brantley … swung on … strike! … and there goes Cano! Posey strong arms it down there … Cano racks up a stolen base. With 1-out, Ian Desmond, who got the nod over Troy Tulowitzki, steps toward the plate when National League Manager Chris Douglass calls him back. Desmond looks distraught…I can’t believe this, Douglass is pulling him before he even gets to take the field. Desmond turns angry and starts smashing dugout water coolers. Asst Coach Rick Cooper has to hold him back as he heads toward Douglass. Folks this is one of the most bizarre happenings ever to happen in an All Star game. As Desmond heads down the ramp, Douglass turns to Tulowitzki to bat for Desmond. Tulowitzki grounds out which moves Cano to 3rd with 2-outs. With 2-outs, Victor Martinez steps to the plate. Kershaw looks at third … he lets it go … blooper to left … if it stays up Andrew McCutchen will get it….and it drops … McCutchen takes it on the hop … Cano scores as the throw comes in to second. The National League goes up 1-0 in the first inning! Kershaw gets Adrian Beltre on a ground out as we head to the bottom of the 1st. Leading 1-0, against his better judgement, Douglass Continue reading →

It’s a beautiful day in Iron City, PA as the American League faces off against the National League in the 2014 Mid-West Baseball League All-Star Game. The American League starter will be Hollywood’s Ace Clayton Kershaw who went 29-3 in the 2014 season, versus Tempe’s 31-game winner Hisashi Iwakuma. In a some wise shocking and disturbing revelation, The AL MVP, Miguel Cabrera was not on the All Star ballot, thus cannot start and since there is no DH in the NL park, must ‘ride the pine’ in favor of Josh Donaldson. Miggy nearly won the Triple Crown in the AL this year, falling 10 RBIs short.

First Inning: Just like in the World Series, Jayson Werth leads off for the AL, and he draws a walk from Iwakuma. Tempe Manager Chris Douglass was all too familiar with this battle and immediately went out to the mound. Making sure the translation is not lost, he asks Hyun-Jin Ryu to come out to the mound with him. With Ryu “mic’d up” you can hear the conversation.

Douglass: Come on Ryu, I need you to translate
Ryu: Dude, I’m Korean. You want Darvish.
Douglass: My bad…Darvish let’s go.

Douglass and Darvish head to the mound and you see Douglass yelling at Darvish as he yells as Iwakuma. What a sight this is. Well, whatever he said worked, because Iwakuma gets the next 3 batters easily. In the bottom of the first, Kershaw sleepwalks through it getting them 1-2-3. Continue reading →

It was a rival & heated All-Star game with some bad blood along with three hit batters and two ejections.  In the bottom of the 4th inning with the National League & holding a 2-0 lead & Justin Verlander (Sacramento) on the mound the American League Miguel Cabrera (Severn) laced a double to left center.   Prince Fielder (Representing Tijuana – since traded to Jersey) was clapping and laughing as Miggy slide into 2nd base was not the most graceful of attempts.   Verlander didn’t like Fielders antics and pointed at Fielder.  Fielder mouthed something back and the two exchanged words.  On the very first pitch Verlander nailed fielder in the ribs & dropped him to the ground.   A pop out to center and a infield fly gave Verlander a chance to get out of the 4th inning with the lead still intact.   Adam Jones (Detroit) strode to the plate & pointed his bat (Babe Ruth like) to Center field.  Again Verlander yelled in, Jones yelled back, and both benches started to enter the field.  The Umpires, Jim Joyce, Adrian Johnson, Marvin Hudson, Mark Carlson, Teddy Barrett & Dan Iassogna did a great job settling things down no punches were thrown.  But Verlander took things into his own hands.  After a strike one on the inside corner with a curve, Verlander came back with a inside fastball that hit Adam Jones just above the knee – and that was all, home plate umpire Dan Iassogna tossed Verlander from the All-Star Game.  Iassogna also stepped in between Verlander & Jones, and again the other umpires did a great job stepping in between any players before things got out of Control.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE 2013 MID-WEST BASEBALL LEAGUE ALL-STAR GAME