Apologies if you were hoping for an Open Thread for last night's Home Run Derby. I wasn't sure how much interest there would be, but I sometimes make the mistake of assuming that most everyone else feels the same way as I do. While driving home and hearing about Josh Hamilton's first-round total of 28 long balls, however, I thought maybe I'd made a mistake.
But I was planning all along to have a GameThread for tonight's All-Star Game. And I thought I'd try something to make it a bit more interesting for us. Anyone up for a contest?
Here's what I have in mind: We'll take predictions on what Carlos Guillen does for the night, and whomever comes closest gets the BYB Gear t-shirt of his or her choice. If you've been thinking of getting one of those "Clete's Cult" t-shirts, but weren't sure if you wanted to spend the money, this is your time.
So here we go. Post your predictions for the following questions in the comments section:
- During what inning will Guillen enter the game?
- Will he come in as a pinch-hitter or defensive replacement?
- What position will he play in the field?
- Will he bat right or left-handed?
- What will Guillen do in his at-bat?
What happens if there's a tie? Well, geez - don't make this complicated for Uncle Ian. But we should probably have a tie-breaker.
- Who will be the All-Star Game MVP?
I realize we might also have a problem if Guillen doesn't actually go to bat tonight. But I'd find it hard to believe Terry Francona would put Guillen in the game just to play defense. You never know, of course.
Feel free to post anything about tonight's All-Star Game in this thread, as well. It doesn't just have to be about the contest. Good luck!