This past offseason, Robinson Cano signed a 10-year, $240 million contract with the Seattle Mariners, the third largest contract in Major League Baseball history and the largest among all second basemen.
The deal, although impressive, broke up the Yankees’ famed All-Star infield duo of Cano and Derek Jeter. But on July 15, the two will once again team up and share the same infield, even if for just one more double play.
On July 15, Jeter, Cano and 60 of baseball’s greatest and most respected players will convene in Minneapolis for the 2014 All-Star game. Perhaps it’s the kid in me, but the All-Star break is one of my favorite parts of the baseball season, simply because it brings together the best parts of baseball.
The midsummer classic does some incredible things. It reunites former teammates, gives old timers the chance to be in the limelight as they enter the final seasons and games of their careers and also gives new, younger players the opportunity to share the spotlight with the greats for the first time. And in one game, fans have the opportunity to see all of baseball’s uniforms.
This year is no different.
Jeter will be making his 14th All-Star appearance in his final season while Yadier Molina, who is arguably entering the later portion of his career, will be making his sixth consecutive All-Star appearance.
Meanwhile, Jose Abreu and Yasiel Puig are two of the 24 players who will be making their first ever All-Star game appearances. On the other side of the spectrum, these players represent Major League Baseball’s future. In a few years’ time, they will be household names, winning MVPs and World Series rings.
What’s more, the All-Star game exposes these players to the fans who don’t usually see them play on a nightly basis.
But despite its novelty, the All-Star game still receives a lot of flak from fans. It is often critiqued as an unnecessary break in the schedule. However, most insist that it’s not a “true” exhibition as the winning league is awarded World Series home field advantage. Although I believe Commissioner Bud Selig should address this issue, I don’t think fans should waste their time on it.
Instead, fans should concentrate on the gift they were given. The All-Star game, at the very least, is a break from the hardships of baseball fandom. It is a weekend where we don’t have to analyze every manager’s move and obsess over the errors or the runners left in scoring position.
We can cheer on the players we voted for. We can watch heated rivals be teammates for the night. Simply put, it’s a fun, carefree night that comes along once a season.
On Tuesday, I’ll be watching the exhibition game. Maybe Derek Jeter will be the MVP in his last All-Star game. Maybe Jon Lester — the only Red Sox player selected to the All-Star roster — will make an appearance. Maybe the game will go into extra innings and the American League will win on a walk-off home run.
No matter what happens, this year’s All-Star game will be a celebration of baseball and that is exactly what it should be.
Carolyn Maguire is a rising junior in the College. Sideline Summer appears every other Friday at thehoya.com.
