All-Star Tuesday & other musings: Midday Recap 7/17

As the Major Leagues roll into their All-Star Break, we roll into a break of our own.  You see, in Winter when the NBA and NHL go into their breaks, there's still something going on.  You have the league not on break playing, plus collegiate sports to keep the headlines coming.  Plus there's the anticipation of Spring coming with pitchers and catchers set to report to Spring Training.  And every four years, you have the best in their sports compete for Olympic Gold.

However, you don't get that with baseball.  Outside of some random Major League Soccer games and the anticipation of the upcoming British Open, you do not get a lot of sports to talk about, unless there's a blockbuster signing or trade emanating from the NBA or NHL.

So we use this time to recharge our sportswriting batteries and get fresh for this Friday, when the season resumes.  Plus we'll be sure to talk Saratoga, as the 2013 meeting starts up at the 150 year old oval.
Editor's Note: You can't call it the 150th year of racing because there wasn't racing at Saratoga in 1896, 1911, 1912, 1943, 1944 or 1945.
As far as the All-Star game is concerned, the American League captures home-field advantage in the World Series, winning 3-0.  Of the Mets who played, David Wright went 1-for-3, accounting for one of the National League's 3 hits, and Matt Harvey pitched two scoreless innings and got out of a jam after allowing a lead-off single to Mike Trout and plunking Robinson Cano near the knee.

Exit Left.  Enter Right.  Mariano
enters the All-Star Game in the 8th.
FOX Television/MLB

But the best part of last night, by far, was Mariano Rivera coming in to play the 8th inning.  Jim Leyland wasn't going to take any chances of a National League comeback taking away Rivera's right to save the 9th, so in comes Rivera, greeted by his long-time entrance music, Metallica's Enter Sandman.  Both dugouts clapped and showed their appreciation for the career Saves leader, who proceeded to pitch a 1-2-3 inning.

So, for now, we relax and start planning our Midday Recaps for the 2nd half of the Major League season.  But we want to know what you like about the Recap and what you think needs to be fixed.  Place your comments below and we'll do our best to craft this daily feature to be the briefs you need to keep you informed what's going on in the world of sports.