A LOTTA STARS TUESDAY

And a lotta homers hit last night

TARIK SKUBAL HAS A tiny CHANCE TO DO WHAT CHRIS SALE DID IN 2018

The Tigers’ Tarik Skubal is the American League All-Star starter. The Pirates' pitching star, Paul Skenes, will make the start for the National League for the second straight year.

Skubal has a chance to do something this year that is rarely ever done. Skenes doesn’t.

Here’s the set-up:

According to Fangraphs, the Tigers have a 98.9% of making the postseason and a 10.2% chance of winning the World Series. The Pirates have a 0.0% chance.

In 2018, the Boston Red Sox defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series in five games. In Game 5, the Sox led 5-1, and rookie manager Alex Cora brought in Chris Sale to pitch the bottom of the 9th. Sale struck out Justin Turner, Enrique Hernandez, and Manny Machado, and the Sox were champs, winning their fourth World Championship in 15 years.

Here’s the punch line:

On Tuesday, July 17, 2018, the All-Star Game was played in Nationals Park in Washington. Max Scherzer started for the NL, and Chris Sale started for the AL. And that’s how Chris Sale became the most recent pitcher to start the All-Star Game and retire the final batter in the World Series, a feat that Tarik Skubal has a chance to repeat.

Coda:

In 2001, the All-Star Game starters were Arizona’s Randy Johnson and the Yankees’ Roger Clemens. In Game 7 of the World Series, Clemens started for the Yankees, but it was Johnson on the mound in relief in the 9th inning, picking up the win for the Dbacks.

A 1st INNING OF WORK

Chances are, we’ll only see Skubal and Skenes for an inning tonight. In 20 starts this season, Paul Skenes has not allowed a 1st inning run. Tarik Skubal has allowed four runs in his 19 starts and two homers.

THE HOME RUN DERBY

I was bored. I was frustrated with the split screen, and I was tired of watching numbers. I couldn’t believe that there were analyses of swings on ESPN, and meaningless stats were posted on social media. I was embarrassed for baseball how Pat McAfee introduced the participants. I’m not going to lie. I didn’t watch the finals. But I think this is what happened.

Lard Ass McGee Wins the Home Run Derby

The crowd was on its feet as the Home Run Derby reached its dramatic finale. Under the stadium lights, two titans stood locked in baseball’s ultimate power duel:

Lard Ass McGee: The switch-hitting, barrel-chested marvel fueled by snacks and swagger. Versus Kid Caramba: The quick-footed firecracker with a bat as lively as his dance steps.

The story continues…