THIS ONE COUNTS

THE 78TH ALL STAR GAME

It's been a few years, but Major League Baseball is still going with the "This One Counts" tag for their All Star Game, as though this is the only one that has ever counted. It bothers me. I remember writing about this last year...they really should go with "It Still Counts", or something like that.

But like it or not, the All Star Game matters, especially to a team like the Mets. And like last year, the Mets had three players in the starting lineup Tuesday night who could have a major influence on the game in Jose Reyes, David Wright, and Carlos Beltran. I'm writing this in advance of the game, so I can only hope, but with the Mets' closer on the roster, if the National League should take a lead into the 9th inning, I hope that Tony LaRussa would allow Billy Wagner to close out a win, and give the Mets the chance at home field advantage in the World Series.

A COUPLE OF WORDS ON BARRY BONDS: I forgot to write about this when the votes for the All Star Game were tabulated, but I think there was something fishy going on when Barry Bonds suddenly surpassed Alfonso Soriano on the last day of voting to get into the starting lineup. I suspect if he wasn't starting, Tony LaRussa might have left Bonds off the roster, and I feel like someone at the MLB offices had an eye towards history, and wondered how it would look if the year he became the all-time leader in home runs, Barry Bonds was not even in the All Star Game. So I think there was some ballot box stuffing going on in those offices.

Meanwhile, he's kind of the "host" player for this game, being the Giants representative for the game in San Francisco and all. That's kind of like the guy no one likes in college, but who's still pretty important, who throws a party, and you still go, because all your friends and colleagues are going, and it's still going to be a great time...but he's still the "host". The other All Stars must feel in the back of their minds bothered by that part of it...although, according to the articles I've read, Jose Reyes was excited by the prospect of batting in front of Bonds, and Carlos Beltran was looking forward to picking Bonds's brain about hitting.

ALL STAR DESIGNING: Kudos to the designers of all things 2007 All Star Game.

I love the batting practice jerseys the players wore during the Home Run Derby...and I love the logo (all seen at left). I guess with these new ballparks, and all of their quirks, it's kind of a playland for the people who design these things.

I love how the Golden Gate Bridge was worked into the jerseys.


Another word about the All Star uniforms...I love how in the baseball All Star Game the players wear their team's uniform. I love that contrast on the field - where it's just whites and grays, but all different.


FORMAT: You've probably noticed some changes to the site. I'm hoping that we can increase traffic a bit, but I've also just upgraded the look a little. Obviously, there have been some major changes, like the colors, but there are also some new features on the right hand side, among them:

-links to some of my favorite sites (updating still in progress)

-a feed from mlb.com that updates the latest Mets news, because, as I wrote about a week or so ago, I'll be writing in more general terms, less specifically about the Mets' day-to-day results

-a link at the top right to the site e-mail and the blogtalkradio show

-I've also changed the name of the blog, since "John's Mets Page" wasn't too exciting. It's a change a long time coming. I'd appreciate your feedback, and if you have a name that might grab people, and you think it's better than "The Official Unofficial New York Mets Site", send it in. I'd love some suggestions. I like what I have right now, but I'm not married to it...I feel like it's a little long. So send along your suggestions...and thanks for reading!