All Star Weekend Recap

NEW ORLEANS- Many players were looking forward to Season 15's All Star Weekend. With the event being held in the Big Easy, there were a number of players who weren't in any of the official SPL events but came out anyway. The first major event was the Home Run Derby. Baltimore Revolution DH Deivi Borges was the favorite to win the Derby. Even though he hit 2 tape measure shots of over 500 feet, he still had a very disappointing performance, hitting only seven homers, which was the second lowest total of the event. LA Sharks' slugging catcher Tony Colome and Hitmen 1B Brian Okajima went into the final round tied with 21 home runs each. It was Okajima who would go on to win the event with 32 total home runs to Colome's 28. Both totals were higher than Cristobal Roque's winning total of 26 from last season. The longest hit of the event belonged to the Revolution's 1B Bruce Donovan. In the opening round, Donovan blasted a ball down the left field line, out of the stadium and into the parking lot. It traveled an estimated 514 feet.

The following evening was the weekend's main event, the SPL All Star Game. The rosters were notable, not only for a number of 1st time All Stars, but the absence of many players that had been mainstays in SPL's All Star Squads. Perennial All Stars such as Damaso Solano, Julio Telemaco, Steven Power, Felix Wagner, Jimmie Brownson, Ramon Yamamoto, Julian Castillo, Clay Beirne, Johnny Radinsky and Shin-Soo Nakamura weren't among the players that were honored with All Star spots this season. Perhaps Season 15 will be the season where the SPL's first generation of superstars starts to pass the torch to the next generation. The game itself was an very entertaining one. The NL took the early 1st inning lead. There were two other lead changes and the AL had a 7-5 lead going into the ninth inning. Chicago's CF Butch Ramirez led off the inning with a solo home run, cutting the lead to a single run. The next two batters singled, giving the NL runners at the corners with no outs. Despite the situation, Baltimore's closer (and 3-time AL Fireman of the Year) Eugene Scott had seen it all before. Scott betrayed no trepidation as he calmly struck out Jackson's Shelby McGraw then induced the game ending double play from Chicago's Jose Carrara. The final score was a narrow AL victory with the score of 7-6. The player of the game was Baltimore's Deivi Borges, who made up for his lackluster performance in the Home Run Derby by hitting 2 home runs and driving in 3 runs.

The Futures Game wasn't nearly as close as the All Star Game. The World team defeated the US team by a score of 10-4. The player of the game was Helena's star prospect Juan De La Rosa. De La Rosa put the game away in the fourth inning with a 3-run home run that put the World team in the lead for good.

American League

 

Teams Represented: Baltimore Revolution (10), Anaheim Hitmen (5), Norfolk Whiskey Jacks (4), Philadelphia Stomp (3), St. Louis Redbirds (2), New Orleans Jazz (1), Salem Mighty Duchs (1), Charlotte Hornets (1), Minnesota Storm (1), Houston Buushwackerz (1), Honolulu Rainbow Warriors (1)

Team Co-Captains: Art Borders, 2B, Houston Buushwackerz; Hector Brown, CF, St. Louis Redbirds; 6th All Star selection each.

Babe in the Woods (youngest 1st time All Star): Rick Jamison, 22 years old, C, Philadelphia Stomp

Old Man (oldest 1st time All Star): Brian Okajima, 30 years old, 1B, Anaheim Hitmen

National League:

 

Team Captain: Benji Armas, SP, Pittsburgh Polar Bears (9th All Star selection)

Babe in the Woods (youngest 1st time All Star): Randall Bryant, 24 years old, LF, Cleveland Lake Shores

Old Man (oldest 1st time All Star): Erik Rivera, 31 years old, RP, Helena Bighorns