The 2003 All-Star Game: The Apex of Baseball’s Insanity

2004 will go down as the year when baseball began fixing itself, when mandatory unannounced steroid testing with real penalties began in earnest.  As such, 2003 should be considered the last of the real “steroid era” and we would expect that offensive numbers were outlandish.  Though it was Barry Bonds’ least impressive of his four straight MVP campaigns, 14 Major Leaguers struck at least 38 home runs (compare that with 2 last year).  The offense, biceps, and androstenedione aside, that year’s All-Star game was the apex of baseball’s insanity for so many reasons.

First, since I love baseball and so do you, we should recognize how amazing this game was.  Hank Blalock hit a two run, go ahead homerun in the 8th inning off of Eric Gagne, who was en route to the Cy Young award.  The AL hung on to win the game 7-6 and secured homefield advantage in the World Series.  Headlines from mlb.com following the game: “A classic Midsummer Classic“, “Selig: It was a great night for us“, “All-Star Game One for the Ages“.  It really was a great game – from the homeruns and drama to the 30 new All-Stars soaking it in.  

But there were some insane things going on.  I first dove into the box score from this game when I happened across Mike Williams’ baseball-reference page.  Williams was an All-Star in 2002 and again in 2003 before retiring at age 34 in 2003 and I really didn’t remember him.  In 2002, Williams had a 2.93 ERA and saved 46 games.  That’s very good.  In 2003, he had a 6.14 ERA and saved 28 games and WAS AN ALL-STAR. He had a 6.27 ERA before the break and was still invited to participate. While offensive numbers were much higher then and evaluating pitching performance requires an adjustment for era, a 6.27 ERA was still something like 30% worse than league average.

Why was Williams invited?  I really don’t know, but let’s think through this with Dusty Baker.  Dusty had to get a representative from every team and Williams was the Pirates lone representative.  The theory that the Pirates were so awful that they had no other candidates is not a good one.  Jason Kendall was hitting .308/.388/.407.  For some reason, Dusty elected to only carry two catchers: Javy Lopez and Paul Lo Duca.  Lopez was en route to a 43 home run season, but Lo Duca was hitting .307/.374/.438.  Basically, Lo Duca and Kendall were having equally impressive seasons and both would have been a smart choice.  Carrying 3 catchers on an All-Star roster allows for more freedom in substitutions.

Let’s pretend that Dusty really wanted a Pirates pitcher.  Kip Wells was having a fine season (3-4, 3.74 ERA) and we haven’t even gotten into the other pitchers on other rosters more deserving of an All-Star appearance than Mike Williams and his 6.27 ERA.

But, this is nowhere near Dusty’s worst career managerial move, so let’s just move on to more insanity.

Eric Gagne blew the save in the 8th inning. Who was on tap to close the game? Looking at it in context gives Dusty a bit more credit. The numbers that John Smoltz put up in the first half (0.95 ERA, 34 saves) were better than Gagne’s (1.99 ERA, 31 saves). Still, the one closer in the last 25 years to win the Cy Young and MVP award was not on tap to close the All-Star game that year? That’s insane.

Check out this quote from Roger Clemens from before the 2003 All-Star game.  Remember that he pitched until 2007, made the All-Star game in 2004 and 2005 and won the 2004 Cy Young award.

This is my last All-Star Game and my last year. I’m going to try to enjoy it as much as I can, but I have to be ready to perform. I hope my family enjoys it, because this was their decision. – Roger Clemens before the 2003 All-Star game.

Some more quick hitters:

• Albert Pujols started the game in Left Field.
• Rondell White replaced Barry Bonds.
• Jamie Moyer got Jim Edmonds, Albert Pujols, and Barry Bonds out in order in 10 pitches.
• Estaban Loaiza started the game for the AL and was deserving of the honor.  That’s insane.

2003 was a weird year for baseball.  Never more evident than in the All-Star game.  I need some answers from people who were more with it than I at the time.  How were these things allowed to happen?  Who was making the decisions? Who was keeping those people in check?  Where were the checks and balances?  Where was the sanity?

-Sean Morash