Justin Verlander was named the starting pitcher for the American League in Tuesday's 2012 All-Star Game. Whenever Justin Verlander gets a start for the Tigers, people think he might throw a perfect game or a no-hitter until the bid gets broken up. Tuesday, the bid was broken up by the second batter.
All-Star Game 2012: Justin Verlander Rotten, Imperfect
Carlos Gonzalez led off and struck out swinging because the Rockies get no-hit every time they play a game on the road. But then Melky Cabrera stepped up and lined a single on a first-pitch fastball at 98 miles per hour.
And that wasn't it! That wasn't even close to being it. Ryan Braun followed with an opposite-field double that scored Cabrera, as Jose Bautista had trouble tracking the ball in the sun. After Joey Votto struck out watching an 81 mile-per-hour curve that followed a triple-digit fastball, Carlos Beltran and Buster Posey drew consecutive walks. A Mike Maddux mound conference did nothing to settle Verlander down. Pablo Sandoval subsequently cleared the bases when he pulled a low curve for a triple, and then Sandoval scored on an infield single by Dan Uggla. Uggla hit the ball to Derek Jeter's right, and Jeter attempted his trademark jump-throw, but the throw was bad and Prince Fielder is bad at handling bad throws and Uggla was safe and Sandoval was safe.
5-0 National League. The inning finally ended, but the NL batted around and the AL hasn’t even seen the batter’s box. Previously in Verlander’s All-Star Game experience, he allowed one run over two innings, which is completely meaningless.
For what it's worth, you know how in the NHL All-Star Game nobody plays defense, and how in the Pro Bowl nobody plays defense? I wouldn't say the MLB All-Stars go at 100 percent, but Verlander threw a number of fastballs that clocked in at or above 100 miles per hour. These guys aren't not trying.
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