Lidge Takes Loss In Shammy All-Star Game

Not that I wanted to rail on the All-Star Game’s outcome, but here’s the problem: The Phillies may very well be victim of this game’s whole shammy production.

Last night there were a bunch of problems in the American League’s 15-inning win. It showed, to me, why this game shouldn’t be worth anything.

Sure, you can’t predict a 15-inning game, but there’s a reason the game never had this tie problem before the 1990s — managers actually played their starters all the way through. And pitchers went more than one inning. If Bud Selig and Major League Baseball want this game to be worth something as important as World Series homefield advantage, then the game shouldn’t be coming down to Nate McLouth or whatever.

There were a lot of stupid issues that led to this game just being a complete disaster. Among:

• Billy Wagner. I told you all he’d blow it. And he did. Of course.
• Pitching Brandon Webb for one inning. I know he threw over 100 pitches Sunday, I saw the game. But he had a quick inning in the 14th. Why take him out and leave yourself with one man?
• On that note, misusing Brad Lidge. He’s your closer; you wait all game long to put him in with a lead, then you put him in in a tie game. I’ll blame Lidge a tad for losing it, but he was in the wrong spot.
• Dan Uggla playing as long as he did. He’s horrible defensively. We know that. But when you spend all your reserves in the sixth-through-ninth innings, you’re left with Uggla’s blunders late in the game.
• Terry Francona having to use Scott Kazmir. Pitch a guy more than one inning. Tim McCarver kept saying they had Kazmir on a pitch count, so once he reached it, he’s gone. What the hell does the AL do then? Bring in Rollie Fingers? Why didn’t anyone question this?

There were more problems in this game. But imagine if this thing went on to the 20th inning. Could they play? Sure, like I said, you can’t predict a long game like that, but if this game is going to matter, it should be played like it matters. The players did everything they could to win the game; the managers should’ve too.