It's happening again!

 

Last night, Teoscar Hernandez became the first Dodger to win Home Run Derby. As annoyed as I am by this overhyped event -- the introductions and podium standings practically made my skin crawl -- it was nice to see such a happy guy from my team survive to the end over some more-capable mashers. And, yes, I know he wouldn't have had a chance had Judge or Ohtani participated.

 

I am hoping that this is a good sign for tonight's All-Star Game. It's my birthday again today and for just the third time ever the All-Star Game is on my birthday.

 

This pretty much makes it the best day ever. Sure, the ASG does dumb things these days like putting players in weird uniforms, canceling out one of the best aspects of the ASG for the first 50-plus years of my life. But I will always love the Mid-Summer Classic, despite all the modern poop-and-circumstance.

 

This is such a special convergence that I know quite a bit about the first two All-Star Games on my birthday. And neither has been great. The NL and AL are tied on my birthday, one win apiece, so I guess tonight is the tiebreaker. I'm hoping it can be something more interesting.

 

(SPEAKING OF INTERESTING, THIS IS WHERE THIS POST WAS INTERRUPTED BY MY FIRST EXPERIENCE OF A TORNADO WARNING!! OK, THAT'S A NEW BIRTHDAY THING!!!).

 

All right, I'm back, two-plus hours later. So, what very nearly didn't make it to a blog post is a countdown of the best player All-Star Game performances on my birthday from the first two games. Get ready to be underwhelmed.

 

 

10. MIGUEL CABRERA, 2013 All-Star Game

 

The American League won this game 3-0. There was no scoring for the first three innings. In the fourth inning, Miguel Cabrera led off with a double and scored the first run on a Jose Bautista sacrifice fly.

 

1-for-3, run

 

 

9. SALVADOR PEREZ, 2013 All-Star Game

Salvador Perez singled in his only at-bat in the 2013 ASG to lead off the eighth inning and went around the bases, station-to-station to score the AL's third run of the game.

 

1-for-1, run

 

 

8. DONNIE MOORE, 1985 All-Star Game

 

Donnie Moore pitched for the losing team in 1985 as the National League won 6-1. But he threw shutout innings in the seventh and eighth without allowing a hit or a walk and that's a lot better than Jack Morris and Bert Blyleven did that game.

 

2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

 

 

7. CHRIS SALE, 2013 All-Star Game

The National League managed just three whole hits in the 2013 game so a lot of AL pitchers can get credit. Chris Sale, however, received the win, pitched a scoreless second and third, didn't allow a hit and struck out two. He did not get the MVP award, though, that went to Mariano Rivera who threw one scoreless inning against Jean Segura, Allen Craig and Carlos Gomez.

Uh.

Yeah.

 

2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2K

 

6. STEVE GARVEY, 1985 All-Star Game

Steve Garvey in a Padres uniform will never not bother me but he was always clutch no matter the uniform. He thrived in All-Star Games. In 1985, he drove in the go-ahead run with an RBI single in the second inning, putting the NL ahead 2-1.

1-for-3, RBI

5. DARRYL STRAWBERRY, 1985 All-Star Game

Darryl Strawberry singled with one out in the second inning and scored and then scored again in the fifth after being hit by a pitch. He also walked in the third inning.

1-for-1, 2 runs, walk, HBP

4. TERRY KENNEDY, 1985 All-Star Game

Terry Kennedy drove in Darryl Strawberry in the second inning with a single and tied the game after the AL had taken a 1-0 lead.

1-for-2, RBI

 

3. JASON KIPNIS, 2013 All-Star Game

Geez, remember Jason Kipnis? Players from 12 years ago are starting to vanish from the memory. Kipnis doubled in the American League's final run, a ground-rule shot in the eighth inning. It was his only at-bat.

1-for-1, RBI 2B

 

2. WILLIE MCGEE, 1985 All-Star Game

I will be eternally grateful that I got to experience Willie McGee's MLB career from the very beginning. McGee is one of the "biggest sluggers" among birthday All-Star Games for me as he drove in two runs for the NL with a ground-rule double in the ninth inning.

1-for-2, 2 RBIs, 2B

1. OZZIE VIRGIL, 1985 All-Star Game

Ozzie Virgil basically broke the game open with a two-run single in the fifth inning of the '85 ASG in his only at-bat. He was thrown out trying to extend the hit to a double. Maybe that's why he didn't get the MVP over NL starter LaMarr Hoyt, who got the win but wasn't super-notable.

 

The catchers did pretty good in the '85 game.

1-for-1, 2 RBIs

 

So that's the best I could come up with. Sure wasn't Gary Carter or Johnny Callison or Fernando Valenzuela but that's OK. When the All-Star Game lands on your birthday, it's hard to quibble.