Phillies Pointer walks off EL All Star Game in rare fashion
By Wayne Cavadi
Fans of the Eastern League received a real treat in last night’s EL All Star Game. Makes you wonder what is taking MLB so long to adopt the idea!
.@Phillies prospect Brian Pointer wins Eastern League ASG w/ 11th round derby home run. Watch: http://t.co/qjig2sxcIr pic.twitter.com/KPit8PSQH0
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 16, 2015
So, here’s what went down if you missed it. The Eastern League East All Stars jumped out to an early 4-0 lead heading into the third inning. The Boston Red Sox shortstop prospect Marco Hernandez delivered the big blast with a two run bomb in the second inning.
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That wasn’t enough to hold off the West All Stars however. They chipped back with a run in the top of the third. But then Colorado Rockies pitching prospect Austin House had a mini meltdown in the seventh. Three straight hits to start the inning — including an RBI triple by Tigers prospect Wynton Bernard — found the East with a one run lead. House would only last two thirds of the seventh, surrendering the lead and allowing the West to tie it at four.
Instead of panicking and acting impulsively, the Eastern League had a plan in place.
“Somebody mentioned it in the eighth inning,” said Phillies prospect Brock Stassi to MiLB.com. “I said I want redemption for the goose egg I put up [in the pregame Home Run Derby]. I was pumped that [manager] Billy [McMillon] put me back out there to try and end it.”
So there for the fans, who had already enjoyed a home run derby before the All Star Game, were set to watch the All Stars decide the winner of the 2015 EL All Star Game via home run shootout. Much like soccer does with its most exciting aspect of penalty kicks, the managers chose their biggest home run threats to see who would launch the game winning shot over the outfield wall.
One by one, the All Stars chosen would come up, but unlike other Home Run Derbies, they only had one swing for the fences. Getting in a groove was a bit difficult. Until Brian Pointer, the Phialdelphia Phillies right field prospect, launched one over the right field wall.
"“That was just pretty awesome,” Pointer said to MiLB.com. “Just to see it go out, ending this whole thing with a little bit of a saga at the end, I’m pretty much speechless right now. I’m just happy that we won it and happy to walk it off.That was crazy. This was my first All-Star Game and to have a home run derby to walk it off, it’s pretty unusual and pretty cool.”More from Call to the PenPhiladelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis CardinalsPhiladelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount RushmoreBoston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ commentAnalyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals"
This is an approach that Major League Baseball should consider. The All Star Game should be fun, it should go back to being an exhibition. Deciding home field advantage, having managers having extra innings of work mapped out “just in case”, it all takes away from what these four days are. The All Star BREAK. Major League Baseball has made it All Star Work.
Imagine the trash talking that would go on if David Ortiz and Bryce Harper were going swing for swing for the All Star win. It would be legendary. It would make fans sit there for hours if that’s how long it took. It would make the All Star Game fun again, and not such a serious game.
The Eastern League made history last night and in doing so they got it right. They provided an All Star performance for the players and an All Star memory for the fans that didn’t leave.