Pssst. Is this a safe space?
OK, good.
Because I’m about to make a pretty controversial statement.
Quick links: The All-Star Game’s best moment | How Acuña, Olson fared | Ryan Alpert says hi
REASONS TO CELEBRATE
Credit: Jason Getz/AJC
Credit: Jason Getz/AJC
Perhaps it’s the lack of sleep. Or the relative high from our hometown pulling off a well-received week of high-profile events.
Heck, maybe witnessing an All-Star Game get decided by a mini home run derby flat broke my brain (in a good way).
But man. Baseball sure seems to be doing a lot of things right these days.
To wit …
✔️ The kids are alright: Thirty first-time All-Stars showed up in Atlanta last night. Second-year Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes probably got the biggest ovation of anyone who wasn’t named Freddie Freeman or wearing a Braves uniform.
Jacob Misiorowski of the Brewers — the guy whose All-Star nod fueled a bit of misguided indignation — not only pitched but left the seasoned vets in awe. (A 98 mph slider? Lord have mercy.)
Agree with it or not, embracing the next wave of stars and the speed with which they’re made these days is good business.
✔️ Robot uprising: Still not entirely sure how I feel about “robot umpires” as a concept. But I do know two things:
- Plenty of human umps get plenty wrong, especially behind the plate.
- A handful of ball/strike calls got challenged during the All-Star Game — and all were resolved in a matter of seconds.
A quick system is a good system, and public proof of that quickness is more ammo for making it permanent.
✔️ Real uniforms: Who knew that players just wearing their regular team jerseys at the All-Star Game would feel so good? Fans, that’s who. And MLB actually listened!
- Some of these pregame red carpet looks are more questionable.
✔️ Internationally speaking: Baseball’s been an international game for quite a while now. Seeing the sheer number of Hispanic and Japanese journalists in town this week was pretty staggering, though.
- My favorite was the Spanish-language reporter asking questions via hand puppet during Monday’s media free-for-all. (And no, I don’t know why.)
This sport — this league — has its flaws, of course.
Commissioner Rob Manfred is not particularly well-liked. Atlanta only hosted an All-Star Game last night because it didn’t in 2021 (a fact nobody seemed particularly eager to address in recent days).
There’s also a pretty good chance we’re looking at a lockout after the 2026 season.
But you know what? The league is up there taking its swings — and the batting average isn’t looking too bad.
“Just a good event,” the Braves’ Matt Olson said. “I hope the fans that were here, out in The Battery and at the stadium enjoyed it just as much.”
Agree? Disagree? Shoot me an email to join the conversation.
AN AMAZING TRIBUTE
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Speaking of doing things right, I hope everybody saw the tribute to forever home run king Hank Aaron that they pulled off at Truist last night.
Truly unlike anything I’ve seen before: A simulation of Aaron’s 715th home run, complete with graphics and video overlaying the field. The voices of iconic broadcasters. And fireworks. It’s hard to explain, and that photo doesn’t do it justice.
- Columnist Ken Sugiura suggests that it, more than anything else, will be what fans remember of this year’s All-Star Game. And I dare say he’s right.
ENEMY OF THE DAY: CHICAGO
In non-baseball news, two local teams are looking for wins against the Windy City today.
🏀 The Dream hope to get things back on track in Chi-Town, where a noon tipoff with Angel Reese and the Sky awaits. Watch on Peachtree TV.
- Also of note: Allisha Gray is in for the All-Star 3-point contest this weekend in Indy. She won the thing last year.
⚽ Atlanta United seeks its first win since May when it finally returns home to host the Chicago Fire (7:30 p.m. on AppleTV). Goalkeeper Brad Guzan should be back in the net.
WHO NEEDS A PRESS CONFERENCE?
New Georgia Tech athletic director Ryan Alpert just held his introductory news conference.
But this is the AJC, you guys, and beat writer Chad Bishop scored an exclusive interview with Alpert beforehand.
🐝 Make sure to check out the whole Q&A, but Tech fans will enjoy knowing the new guy’s interested in things like “punching above our weight class” and “growing the pie.”
QUARTERBACK CONTROVERSY
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
That headline’s a joke. I think.
But it is interesting that Georgia football coach Kirby Smart refuses to anoint Gunner Stockton as his team’s starting quarterback. He said he wants to watch Stockton compete with redshirt freshman Ryan Puglisi this fall.
“We’re going to see them go through two game-like scrimmages against really good defenses,” Smart said. “They’re going to go in third down, which is the hardest thing in football to do, which is third-and-8, and you’ve got to convert. We’re going to put them in pressure-cooker situations. Those things will play out in the field.”
Smells like more of a motivational tactic than a real competition to me. But I suppose we’ll see.
More coverage from SEC Media Days and beyond:
PHOTO OF THE DAY
Credit: Jason Getz/AJC
Credit: Jason Getz/AJC
I regret to inform you that it was a three-homer swing-off performance by the Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber that sealed the deal for the National League last night.
If you’re wondering why no Braves were involved: Acuña was already in street clothes. And Olson? Well, National League manager Dave Roberts said he “didn’t think about it.”
QUOTE OF THE DAY
I probably should've.
Thanks for reading to the very bottom of Sports Daily. Questions, comments, ideas? Contact me at tyler.estep@ajc.com.
Until next time.
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