All-Star Game rosters, snubs, and memories

With the All-Star Game upon us, this week’s The Lineup with True Blue LA podcast looks at the four Dodgers set to represent the National League in the first midsummer classic at Dodger Stadium in 42 years.

We look at the four who made it onto the team, including two starters for the first time since 1980, and the pair who didn’t, and the various processes that guided the way. We also discuss our earliest All-Star Game memories.

For Jacob, this was 2002, the midsummer classic that brought us Torii Hunter robbing Barry Bonds of a home run and the great reaction that ensued, a classic pregame speech from Ichiro, and the tie heard around the world which led to not only “This time it counts” but a wonderful photo of commissioner Bud Selig at his most flummoxed.

Eric looks back to 1986, because he is much older than Jacob. This was in The Astrodome, and included Fernando Valenzuela tying Carl Hubbell’s record with five consecutive strikeouts en route to three scoreless innings. Steve Sax was having an excellent season in 1986, and singled home a run in the game. But for Eric, the most memorable thing was winning a bet as a 10-year-old by correctly interpreting the Game-Winning RBI stat that was a fad at the time (and prominently featured on the back of Topps baseball cards).

Trivia revolves around Dodgers in the All-Star Game, as well as a very specific power-hitting drought. And sandwiches.

Special thanks to producer Brian Salvatore, who navigated through a coughing fit by Eric to deliver reasonably professional-sounding podcast.

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Episode link (time: 1:03:55)