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ATLANTA – The buzz from Tuesday night’s 95th All-Star Game at Truist Park:
- One of the main objectives for many All-Stars was to hang with Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw. That went for Giants ace Logan Webb, too. “I get Justin [Verlander] every day in the clubhouse, and Clayton is just like that. Talking to him, it’s been really cool. No advice. I don’t really throw like him.” A Giant-Dodger powwow? Kershaw is so universally respected, it’s hardly an issue. Plus the heated rivalry tends to take a back seat at All-Star Games when Dodger blue is meshed with orange and black.
- Kershaw, 37, made his 11th All-Star team, this time as a “legend pick” by the commissioner’s office. The lefty’s response? “The word ‘legend’ is a little bit like, ‘Hey, you’re done,’ which I don’t think I’ve quite come to terms with,” he said. Who’s a legend in Kershaw’s mind? He mentioned two: Kobe Bryant and Sandy Koufax.
- It’s possible big-leaguers will compete in the Olympics for the first time in 2028. Competition is set for July 15-20 at Dodger Stadium, and Webb is interested in representing Team USA. “The WBC is sometimes hard because it’s in spring training, and some guys don’t do it because it’s just too early,” Webb said. “Whereas if they allow us to do [the Olympics], it’s something I would definitely think about if I was asked. It is during the season. You’re more built up.”
- The Olympics is close to the time of year MLB generally hosts its All-Star Game, causing a logistics issue, but commissioner Rob Manfred said Monday it could be worked out with an extended midseason break. The San Francisco Chronicle reported the Giants could host the All-Star Game so that both the Olympics and All-Star Game occur on the West Coast, but Manfred told us while the Giants have requested to be All-Star hosts in coming years, they aren’t near the front of the line, because other clubs have waited longer. Most of those are in the East: Toronto (which hosted in 1991), Boston (1999), and Baltimore (1993). We’re told if MLB in the Olympics is a reality, placing the All-Star Game in San Diego would be more reasonable. We’re also told there have been no concrete talks of a Giants-hosted event in ’28.
- Aaron Judge, who grew up in Linden (a couple of hours from Oracle Park) a Giants fan and idolizes Barry Bonds, was asked if the homers king in today’s game could achieve a 50-50 season — 50 homers and 50 steals. Judge took it a step further, saying, “Oh, definitely. I think if Barry Bonds played today, he’d have a 70-70 season. He’s the greatest player who ever played. He’s one of a kind. He made this game way too easy when I was a kid watching it. I wouldn’t put any limits on Barry Bonds, that’s for sure.” Bonds once stole 52 bases. He once hit 73 homers. Eleven years apart.
- The upcoming labor battle promises to be a doozy. The CBA expires after next season (Dec. 1, 2026), and owners and players already are digging in. Union chief Tony Clark, anticipating owners will fight for a salary cap, called such an idea “institutionalized collusion … It’s about franchise values and profits.” Manfred downplayed talk of a cap but noted, “Fans in a lot of our markets feel we have a competitive balance problem.” Grab some popcorn, folks.
- Brent Rooker of the A’s seemed to get jobbed during the Home Run Derby, thinking he had tied Cal Raleigh in the opening round and would have a swing-off to determine who advances. Both hit 17 homers, but it was determined Raleigh’s furthest homer landed .8 inches beyond Rooker’s. Nobody seemed to know that MLB was using decimals. Regardless, we wonder if this had happened to Judge and not Rooker. So we asked. “He would’ve hit more home runs, and he would’ve hit ’em farther,” Rooker said, “so it wouldn’t have been an issue.” Touché.
- The Hall of Fame is gathering mementos to display at its museum in Cooperstown, and one of the cooler items is a ball signed by Raleigh, along with his pitcher and catcher, who happened to be his father (Todd) and brother (Todd Jr.).