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1995 MLB All-Star Game
by erick Von erich

66th MLB All-Star Game
Ballpark in Arlington
July 11, 1995
Broadcast team: Al Michaels, Tim McCarver, Jim Palmer (ABC Sports)

To get us psyched up for this year's All-Star Game, MLB Network has been airing selected games from previous years. For the most part, the games are intact, with maybe a few intro and outro bumpers edited out. The original audio and screen graphics are also included; but we may have been spared a few advertising spots. MLB Network also adds a few "pop-up" facts, which provide us with quick information on why a certain guy may have deserved his All-Star spot. Perhaps the only essential missing piece would be that the player introductions are not included; typically, that pre-game segment is one of my favorite moments of the entire season.

All-Star Games are usually light on drama and rarely evolve into the slugfests that fans envision. Aside from the player shuffling, most games are rather boring. Usually the drama occurs before the game, as All-Star Snubs are always a hot topic. If you'd like to check the roster and see who made the '95 team, Baseball-Reference is there for you, pumpkin.

The 66th All-Star Game followed suit, as it was rather boring with efficient gameplay. The 1995 season was shortened somewhat and began a few weeks later, as an ugly remnant of the 1994 season-ending players' strike. Personally, I was infuriated about the 1994 strike, but more depressed than anything else. To me, baseball was like the hot girlfriend who dumped you-- but as soon as she came back and dropped you even a tiny phonecall, you were instantly excited and eager to get back in the swing of things with her. In 1995, I got that tingle from my long-lost "girlfriend" once the strike ended, and indulged in hot sheet-ripping intercourse with her when I went to the first-ever game at Coors Field.

While public opinion had soured, baseball was in the midst of a new era; one begun in 1993 with an increase in offensive numbers. Slowly, fans began coming back and teams like the 1995 Cleveland Indians, Seattle Mariners and Colorado Rockies provided new elements and fresh faces to the game. It was also the year of "Nomo-Mania" as Hideo Nomo had just arrived from Japan and was befuddling hitters. The starting lineups in each league represent some of these stories.

NL Starting Lineup:
1. Lenny Dykstra, Philadelphia Philles, CF
2. Tony Gwynn, San Diego Padres, RF
3. Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giant, LF
4. Mike Piazza, Los Angeles Dodgers, C
5. Fred McGriff, Atlanta Braves, 1B
6. Ron Gant, Atlanta Braves, DH
7. Barry Larkin, Cincinnati, SS
8. Vinny Castilla, Colorado Rockies, 3B
9. Craig Biggio, Houston Astros, 2B
SP. Hideo Nomo, Los Angelese Dodgers, P
Manager: Felipe Alou, Montreal Expos

AL Starting Lineup
1. Kenny Lofton, Cleveland Indians, CF
2. Carlos Baerga, Cleveland Indians, 2B
3. Edgar Martinez, Seattle Mariners, DH
4. Frank Thomas, Chicago White Sox, 1B
5. Albert Belle, Cleveland Indians, LF
6. Cal Ripken, Baltimore Orioles, SS
7. Wade Boggs, New York Yankees, 3B
8. Kirby Puckett, Minnesota Twins, RF
9. Ivan Rodriguez, Texas Rangers, C
SP. Randy Johnson, Seattle Mariners, P
Manager: Buck Showalter, New York Yankees

Noticeable is the inclusions of Showalter and Alou. The Yankees and Expos had the best records in their respective leagues when the 1994 Strike hit, so they got the nod. Thus, Alou ended up being the only manager in Expos history to ever manage an All-Star Game. Showalter also became the only Yankee manager to helm an All-Star squad who had never appeared in a World Series. Another big story was Ivan Rodriguez getting the start in his home ballpark. Vinny Castilla's start pissed off some "purists", as this was when the Rockies were in prime pre-humidor "Blake Street Bomber" mode; putting up inflated numbers while their pitchers were asked to keep opponents under 10 runs. Castilla was selected as a reserve, but wound up getting the start once the Giants' Matt Williams was unable to play.

Gameplay:
As stated, it was pretty efficient, with all runs coming via the long ball. The first inning was identical for each league as they each got one man aboard, but he was thrown out trying to steal second (Dykstra and Baerga, respectively). The AL went up 2-0 in the 4th when reigning MVP Frank Thomas blasted a two-run homer off of the Reds' John Smiley. In the 6th, Craig Biggio went yard with a solo shot off of the Indians' Dennis Martinez. Mike Piazza followed in the 7th with his own solo HR to tie it, when he connected off of hometown All-Star Kenny Rogers.

The game was won in the 8th when pinch-hitter Jeff Conine of the Marlins hit the third solo blast of the night. The NL held on with solid bullpen work from Tom Henke and Randy Myers to win, 3-2. The AL threatened in the bottom of the 9th, as Manny Ramirez walked, but Myers then got the Yankees' Mike Stanley to fly out. Strangely enough, the NL only had three hits-- yet all were of the scoring variety.

Final Totals
NL: 3 runs, 3 hits, no errors
AL: 2 runs, 8 hits, no errors
WP: Heathcliff Slocumb, Phillies (1-0)
LP: Steve Ontiveros, Athletics (0-1)
SV: Randy Myers, Cubs (1)
HR: Thomas (1), Biggio (1), Pizza (1), Conine (1)
MVP: Jeff Conine (1 for 1, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 Run)

Other stuff/Notables/Goofy Crap

• Tony Gwynn seemed to want no part of Randy Johnson, as he swung at the first pitch and hit a fly into left. Before the game, Gwynn had jokingly talked about a prime strategy for facing Johnson: "fly one into the opposite field and take a seat".
• Tim McCarver did his usual verbal warbling, as for no good reason he began talking about the Alou brothers of the 60's; and struggled to remember all their names.
• Home plate umpire Durwood Merill had an unusual stance, as he seemed to be hovering over a toilet, with his arms held out to each side. He also had an erratic, wide, strike zone; seemed to call a lot of outside strikes on leftie/leftie matchups.
• Dante Bichete only made a pinching hitting appearance. Appropriate, because no way in HELL would you ever want Dante in the field. Regardless, Dante remains my all-time favorite Rockie, simply for the excitement he brought; he made EVERY flyball seem like an adventure. Oh, and he should've won the 1995 NL MVP! Screw you, Barry Larkin!
• Carlos Perez of the Expos made a brief appearance. He was an overly animated guy, so he freaked out baserunner Gary DiSarcina by forcing him back to first base without a throw. Perez just motioned at him, pantomiming a gunslinger reaching for his holster. Al Michaels seemed to really dig this guy.
• No surprise, but ornery ol' Paul O'Neill tried to sell a strike as a ball 4, and began trotting to first. Merill called him back as O'Neill grimaced a little.
• The announcers mentioned that the Cardinals' Tom Henke was contemplating retirement. Supposedly, if the Cardinals did not "make a move to be competitive in 1996", Henke would retire. He did...but the Cardinals made some moves and were competitive in '96, as they went to the NLCS.
• Sadly, this would be the last All-Star appearance of Kirby Puckett. Shortly before the 1996 season, he developed eye problems and was forced to retire.

Why's THAT guy in there?!
Most of these guys don't come to mind when you think of "All-Stars", but they had decent enough numbers or reputations in 1995 to make it. Or else they made it due to skimpy positions or the "one from every team" rule. As a result, most of these guys have faded from our memories.

• Mickey Morandini, Phillies.
• Gary DiSarcina, Angels
• Steve Ontiveros, A's
• Jose Offerman, Dodgers
• Carlos Baerga, Indians
• Kevin Seitzer, Brewers
• Carlos Perez, Expos
• Tyler Green, Phillies
• Mike Stanley, Yankees
• Denny Neagle, Pirates
• Todd Worrell, Dodgers

Why'd You Tape This:
The 1995 season will always bring back warm fuzzies for me. And I didn't even like how the whole thing ended (Braves winning the World Series). Like all All-Star Games, this is a nice video scrapbook of what was going on in MLB at the time.

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