2006 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

2006 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
American League 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 7 1
National League 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 6 0
Date July 11, 2006
Venue PNC Park
City Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Managers
MVP Michael Young (TEX)
Attendance 38,904
First pitch Chuck Tanner
Television Fox
TV announcers Joe Buck and Tim McCarver
Radio ESPN
Radio announcers Dan Shulman and Dave Campbell

The 2006 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 77th playing of the midseason exhibition baseball game between the all-stars of the American League (AL) and National League (NL), the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 11, 2006 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the home of the Pittsburgh Pirates of the National League. The contest was the fifth hosted by the city of Pittsburgh – tying the Cleveland Indians for the record of most times hosted by a single franchise. The game resulted in the American League defeating the National League 3–2, thus awarding the AL champion (which was eventually the Detroit Tigers) home-field advantage in the 2006 World Series.

Background

As with each All-Star Game since 1970, the 8 starting position players (with no designated hitter due to playing in an NL stadium) of each league were elected by fan balloting. The remaining players were selected by a players' vote, each league's team manager, and the All-Star Final Vote to add one more player to each roster. In all, 32 players were selected to each league's team, not including players who decline to play due to injuries or personal reasons.

The game was the fourth straight All-Star Game to decide home-field advantage in the World Series. The AL entered the game on a nine-game unbeaten streak (eight wins, with one tie in 2002). Many analysts saw the disparity between the leagues as more pronounced than ever this season,[1] particularly due to the AL's dominance during interleague play, compiling a 154–98 record, the best record for either league in the ten-year history of interleague play.[2]

Rosters

Players in italics have since been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

American League

Elected starters
PositionPlayerTeamAll-Star Games
CIván RodríguezTigers13
1BDavid OrtizRed Sox3
2BMark LorettaRed Sox2
3BAlex RodriguezYankees10
SSDerek JeterYankees7
OFVladimir GuerreroAngels7
OFManny Ramírez[3]Red Sox10
OFIchiro SuzukiMariners6
Pitchers
PositionPlayerTeamAll-Star Games
PMark BuehrleWhite Sox3
PJosé Contreras[3]White Sox1
PRoy HalladayBlue Jays4
PBobby JenksWhite Sox1
PScott KazmirDevil Rays1
PFrancisco Liriano[4]Twins1
PJonathan PapelbonRed Sox1
PMark RedmanRoyals1
PMariano RiveraYankees8
PKenny RogersTigers4
PB.J. RyanBlue Jays2
PJohan SantanaTwins2
PBarry ZitoAthletics3
Reserves
PositionPlayerTeamAll-Star Games
CJoe MauerTwins1
CA. J. Pierzynski[5] White Sox2
1BPaul KonerkoWhite Sox3
1BJim ThomeWhite Sox5
2BRobinson Canó[3]Yankees1
2BJosé López[4]Mariners1
3BTroy GlausBlue Jays4
SSMiguel TejadaOrioles4
SSMichael YoungRangers3
OFJermaine DyeWhite Sox2
OFGary Matthews, Jr.[4]Rangers1
OFMagglio Ordóñez[4]Tigers5
OFAlex Ríos[3]Blue Jays1
OFGrady SizemoreIndians1
OFVernon WellsBlue Jays2

National League

Elected starters
PositionPlayerTeamAll-Star Games
CPaul Lo DucaMets4
1BAlbert PujolsCardinals5
2BChase UtleyPhillies1
3BDavid WrightMets1
SSJosé Reyes[3]Mets1
OFJason BayPirates2
OFCarlos BeltránMets3
OFAlfonso SorianoNationals5
Pitchers
PositionPlayerTeamAll-Star Games
PBronson ArroyoReds1
PChris Capuano[4]Brewers1
PChris CarpenterCardinals2
PBrian FuentesRockies2
PTom Glavine[3]Mets10
PTom GordonPhillies3
PTrevor HoffmanPadres5
PPedro Martínez[3]Mets8
PRoy Oswalt[4]Astros2
PBrad PennyDodgers1
PJason SchmidtGiants3
PDerrick TurnbowBrewers1
PBrandon WebbDiamondbacks1
PCarlos ZambranoCubs2
Reserves
PositionPlayerTeamAll-Star Games
CBrian McCannBraves1
1BLance BerkmanAstros4
1BNomar Garciaparra[5] Dodgers6
1BRyan HowardPhillies1
2BDan UgglaMarlins1
3BMiguel CabreraMarlins3
3BScott RolenCardinals5
3BFreddy SanchezPirates1
SSDavid Eckstein[4]Cardinals2
SSEdgar RenteríaBraves5
OFAndruw JonesBraves5
OFMatt HollidayRockies1
OFCarlos LeeBrewers2

Game

Coaching staffs

American League
Coach Position Team
Ozzie Guillén Manager Chicago White Sox
John Gibbons Toronto Blue Jays manager
Eric Wedge Cleveland Indians manager
Tim Raines Bench coach Chicago White Sox
Don Cooper Pitching coach
Greg Walker Hitting coach
Art Kusnyer Bullpen coach
Harold Baines First base coach
Joey Cora Third base coach
National League
Coach Position Team
Phil Garner Manager Houston Astros
Jerry Narron Cincinnati Reds manager
Jim Tracy Pittsburgh Pirates manager
Cecil Cooper Bench coach Houston Astros
Jim Hickey Pitching coach
Gary Gaetti Hitting coach
Mark Bailey Bullpen coach
José Cruz First base coach
Doug Mansolino Third base coach

Umpires

Position Umpire
Home Plate Jerry Crawford
First Base Randy Marsh
Second Base Fieldin Culbreth
Third Base Jeff Nelson
Left Field Mike Everitt
Right Field Alfonso Márquez

Starting lineups

American LeagueNational League
OrderPlayerTeamPositionOrderPlayerTeamPosition
1Ichiro SuzukiMarinersRF1Alfonso SorianoNationalsLF
2Derek JeterYankeesSS2Carlos BeltranMetsCF
3David OrtizRed Sox1B3Albert PujolsCardinals1B
4Alex RodriguezYankees3B4Jason BayPiratesRF
5Vladimir GuerreroAngelsLF5Edgar RenteríaBravesSS
6Iván RodríguezTigersC6David WrightMets3B
7Vernon WellsBlue JaysCF7Chase UtleyPhillies2B
8Mark LorettaRed Sox2B8Paul Lo DucaMetsC
9Kenny RogersTigersP9Brad PennyDodgersP

Game summary

National League starting pitcher Brad Penny set the tone for the evening, striking out Ichiro Suzuki, Derek Jeter, and David Ortiz to start the game. His fastball had uncharacteristic speed, never going below 96 miles per hour, and – aside from a lone curveball – was the only pitch he threw in the first inning. American League pitcher Kenny Rogers wasn't as overpowering as Penny, but still escaped the first relatively unscathed. The AL would get to Penny in the second as Vladimir Guerrero hit an opposite-field solo home run that just cleared the right field fence, giving the AL a 1–0 lead. The NL would respond in the bottom of the inning with David Wright hitting his own solo home run to left field, tying the game at 1–1.

Roy Halladay relieved Rogers in the bottom of the third. It was in this inning when the National League exemplified what it does best: playing small. Alfonso Soriano hit a single with one out and stole second base on Gold Glove catcher Iván Rodríguez. He tried to score on a single by Carlos Beltran, but was thrown out at home plate by Vernon Wells. Beltran would advance to second on the throw, then steal third and score on a wild pitch by Halladay, giving the NL a 2–1 lead.

That lead would seem like enough for the NL for most of the evening. After Roy Oswalt relieved Penny in the third, Brandon Webb, Bronson Arroyo, Brian Fuentes, Derrick Turnbow, and Tom Gordon would each throw an inning of scoreless relief, limiting the AL to just three hits in that span. After Halladay pitched the fourth, Barry Zito, Scott Kazmir, Johan Santana, and B.J. Ryan would also each pitch an inning without giving up a run, with the only baserunner allowed on a walk by Santana, the only walk of the game.

Trevor Hoffman came on to try to earn the save in the ninth. After inducing two groundouts back to himself, it seemed like Hoffman, who, at the time, was second all-time in career saves, would finally send the American League to a loss in an All-Star Game for the first time in a decade. However, Paul Konerko hit a single to left past third baseman Miguel Cabrera, and was pinch-run for by José Lopez. Troy Glaus hit a ground rule double down the left field line, forcing Lopez to hold at third. While it looked like the National League received a break (as Lopez could have possibly scored the tying run if the ball stayed in play), Hoffman allowed a two-strike triple to Michael Young, who went on to win the MVP, scoring Lopez and Glaus and putting the AL up 3–2.

Mariano Rivera would now try to save the game for the American League. Because Lopez pinch-ran for Konerko in the top of the ninth, the American League was left without any first basemen on the roster. Glaus, in the game as a third baseman, moved to first for the bottom of the inning, a position he never played before in his career, while Lopez played third. Despite an error made by Lopez, Rivera pitched a quiet ninth to earn the save and extend the American League's unbeaten streak to ten games.

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
American League 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 7 1
National League 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 6 0
WP: B.J. Ryan (1–0)   LP: Trevor Hoffman (0–1)   Sv: Mariano Rivera (1)
Home runs:
AL: Vladimir Guerrero (1)
NL: David Wright (1)

Home Run Derby

The Century 21 Real Estate Home Run Derby was held on the Monday before the game, July 10. Four players from each league competed to hit as many home runs in each round to advance and eventually win the contest. This year's Derby featured an important rule change: home runs in the first round would carry over into the second round. In previous years, some players would hit a tremendous amount of home runs in the first round, but become tired by the second round and hit relatively fewer home runs for that round, often not enough to qualify for the finals. By allowing the home runs to carry over, a player can't necessarily be "punished" for hitting an impressive total in the first round. However, like in previous Derbies, the two finalists start over at zero for the finals.

In the finals, Ryan Howard of the Philadelphia Phillies defeated David Wright of the New York Mets 5–4, and hit a total of 23 home runs on the night, leading all competitors. Howard memorably hit his winning home run into a sign guaranteeing one person in the crowd 500 free round-trip flights from Southwest Airlines.[6]

PNC Park is distinct for having the Allegheny River running behind the right field bleachers. As a result, several balls were hit into the river on the fly (a feat that had only been accomplished once before in the stadium's regular-season history), as well as many more bouncing off the walkway alongside the river. Many fans waited in the river in canoes hoping to retrieve a ball, a sight more reminiscent of the following year's All-Star Game and Home Run Derby site, AT&T Park.

For the second straight year, gold balls were utilized whenever a player had one out remaining in the round. Any home runs hit with the gold ball meant Major League Baseball and Century 21 would pledge to donate $21,000 (US) to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Easter Seals, respectively.[7] In all, 14 gold-ball home runs were hit, constituting $294,000 raised for both charities.

PNC Park, Pittsburgh—N.L. 62, A.L. 24
PlayerTeamRound 1Round 2SubtotalFinalsTotal
Ryan HowardPhiladelphia810185 23
David WrightNew York (NL)16218422
Miguel CabreraFlorida961515
David OrtizBoston1031313
Jermaine DyeChicago (AL)77
Lance BerkmanHouston33
Miguel TejadaBaltimore33
Troy GlausToronto11

Other events

Futures Game

The eighth annual XM Satellite Radio Futures Game was held on Sunday, July 9, showcasing the top minor league prospects from all thirty major league clubs. Game MVP Billy Butler of the Kansas City Royals farm system hit a two-run home run to help lead the United States team to an 8–5 victory over the World team.[8]

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
World 0 1 0 3 1 0 0 5 9 1
United States 0 2 5 1 0 0 X 8 11 0
WP: Homer Bailey (1–0)   LP: José Garcia (0–1)   Sv: Matt Lindstrom (1)
Home runs:
Wor: George Kottaras (1)
USA: Billy Butler (1), Joe Koshansky (1)

Roberto Clemente ceremony

Commissioner Bud Selig presented the Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award to deceased Pittsburgh Pirates legend Roberto Clemente between the fourth and fifth innings of the All-Star Game.[9] Clemente's widow, Vera, accepted the award. FOX play-by-play announcer Joe Buck emceed the ceremony. As a result, he called the bottom of the fourth inning from the entrance behind home plate. Buck created a little controversy when after Vera Clemente spoke what many said was a beautiful, moving speech Buck asked the fans "You guys having fun out here?!"

Notes

Footnotes and references

  1. Cockcroft, Tristan (June 30, 2006). "FLB:All-American Juggernaut". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 22, 2007.
  2. "Interleague History". MLB.com. Archived from the original on August 8, 2007. Retrieved July 22, 2007.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Player declined or was unable to play.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Player replaced vacant spot on roster.
  5. 1 2 Voted onto the roster via the "All-Star Final Vote".
  6. Bloom, Barry M. (July 10, 2006). "Howard powers way to Derby crown". MLB.com. Archived from the original on August 12, 2007. Retrieved July 1, 2007.
  7. Newman, Mark (July 11, 2006). "Gold Derby balls raise $294K for charity". MLB.com. Retrieved July 1, 2007.
  8. Czerwinski, Kevin T. (July 9, 2006). "Early outburst lifts U.S. past World". MLB.com. Archived from the original on June 30, 2007. Retrieved July 8, 2007.
  9. Bloom, Barry M. (July 12, 2006). "Baseball honors Clemente". MLB.com. Retrieved July 8, 2006.

External links

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