Fox presents the 2008 All Star Game tonight. With Fox, you expect a certain amount of overproduction, but tonight's pre-game show surpassed those expectations by leaps and bounds.

One by one, Joe Buck introduces EVERY living Hall of Fame member, positioned appropriately around the field. Brooks, Brett, Boggs, etc. at third; Carew, Sandberg and Morgan at second. There's a lot of them, it turns out!

Most interesting introduction for me was Willie Mays, somehow coming off angry, almost, yet stone-faced (and simultaneously chewing gum). Buck extends a longer pause for Mays, allowing the orchestral in the background to quicken. It now resembles the theme from Jurassic Park. Buck calls him one of the greatest greats in history. Wow, that was uncomfortable. Can we blame the awkwardness on Barry Bonds? I'm only half kidding.

The fans love them some Yankees, and hate them some Red Sox. Seem to really hate Francona. That's fair. Jeter's a fucking god, of course. So is Yogi, and Reggie. All the one's you'd expect.

Finally, after this year's starters are introduced (including the painfully awkward Fukudome, Hamilton and Mays trifecta), the music crescendos and Buck proclaims,

"IN THIS LEGENDARY ARENA, WHERE CHAMPIONS WERE DEFINED AND LEGENDS BORN, WE PRESENT TO YOU THE MOST AMOUNT OF GREATEST BASEBALL PLAYERS EVER GATHER IN ONE PLACE, LIKE EVER. THIS IS THE FINEST MOMENT IN ALL HISTORY, FOR REALZ."

Jeter steals second, and Soto's throw wasn't close. That is, the Sheets-Soto-Ramirez relay wasn't close. These men have never played together. Would-be base stealers would seem to have a huge advantage in exhibitions such as the All Star game, right? Could someone look that up?

Did you see that funny Taco Bell commercial? I'm serious, it really was funny! Bob Melvin, manager of the Diamondbacks, goes out ot the mound to consult his ace, Brandon Webb. He reminds the infield that the Taco Bell Frutista Freeze comes with real strawberries on top. They all grunt acknowledgments and return to their positions. A nice blend of silliness and attention to detail. And they didn't kill the joke. I'm serious, I laughed for a second!

At the risk of sounding a bit Bill Simmons-ly, I must make an additional comment about an ad that just came on. It's for Fox's 2008 postseason coverage, appearing to be a continuation of last year's slogan: "There's only one October." Except this year, it's not that comedian who everyone hated by Game 3 of the ALDS, it's some teenaged kid, giggling and blogging, I think. He's genuinely excited about the baseball season, clips of Joe Carter, Gary Carter, Ozzie Smith play in the back. He's a likeable kid, actually. Disclaimer: I am dressed exactly like this kid at this moment. Whatever.

So that's a real improvement over last year, Fox! I think so, anyway. Pat yourselves on the back. But you know, it could be that he'll have worn out his welcome by the time the Angels regress to their pythagorean expectation (read: September 1).

Some good action. No blogging.

I turn back to the keyboard when I see Fox's promo for their new series, FRINGE. How'd I know what it was called? It was super imposed in lasers on the hallowed Yankee Stadium outfield. I mean, I think the whole sacred ground thing is a bit over-played, but just two hours ago I was felt like I was watching an event at the Vatican itself what with the pomp, ceremony, and Yogi Berra. Greatest living Yankee? Most granfatherly, for generations of Yankee fans? More likely that. 

Duchscherer's pitching! Buck and McCarver notice Duke's ERA. Some season! As a starter! Duke gets hit around a bit. Too bad. His start on Sunday, due a post of its own, is the story of Oakland this year. Haren's pitching for the NL. Good stuff.

Ok, so this liveblogging thing is hard work. So this is the end. Go watch the game -- it's a close one, still. Go... NL?

I'm back, to cover what will likely be a great ending. We're 3-3 in the top of the ninth, Mariano Rivera in, with a runner on first. Enter Sandman plays, a combination that never stirred me. On that topic, as if there were any doubts, the greatest closer song of all time? Oakland's own Huston Street, with Nas's "Hate Me Now." I mean, seriously! I'm not even a Street fan, really. But what a song.

Rivera gets a strike-em-out-throw-em-out DP, and my reaction is: The Tampa Bay Rays have three all stars? 

 Dempster pitches in the bottom of the ninth, and the game looks as though it will go into extras. Fingers crossed that Selig has prepared a doomsday scenario. Now that it counts, and all.

He's out of the inning, painlessly. Rivera deals to the senior circuiters. He's taking his time, and beginning to bore me. Russel strokes a single. Anyone else miss Josh Hamilton? I mean, it's been probably 60 minutes since we've heard about his story. A great story and all, but does anyone feel like his star has risen awfully quickly? Of course we do, because it has. But good for him.

Tejada singles and Martin advanced to third. All of a sudden, Rivera looks vulnerable. I'm reminded of game 7 in the 2001 World Series, when The Bronx needed Rivera to hold the ship together to save the season (the nation!).

I spoke to soon. Uggla grounds into a 4-6-3. A shiny nickel says Rivera comes back out for the top of the 11th, only to be replaced by George Sherrill before he throws a pitch.
 

Uggla appears to be paid off -- after grounding into the double play, he boots one and dodges a second to put runners at the corners with no outs for the AL. Odds of the AL scoring, and winning: 84.6%, says Baseball Prospectus's scoring expectation chart. Just so you know

Sizemore grounds to Uggla who redeems himself by throwing cleanly to home. They only get one. Gonzalez with a game saving scoop, McCarver and Buck astutely recognize. Then Longoria grounds to 3B Guzman, who throws home again. Will Aaron Cook defy the odds and get out of this? He of the 81-pitch complete game (seriously, look it up!).

 Wow! Tejada makes a great play to get Morneau's slow roller, and the NL escapes. What's clearly fast becoming a great game apparently isn't enough to let me stop worrying about a tie.

A great game. Young singles up the middle, and Navarro is nailed at the plate ,McLouth-Martin. A textbook assist all the way. Buck notes that 3 of the last 5 outs have occurred at home plate. That's good baseball. Then Guzman makes a good play to get the inning-ender. On to the 12th.