Al at Apollo Jets comes through again. He safely got the Nationals’ All-Stars from New York City to San Diego in a ‘players only’ private jet flight fit for 5 full families of stars. Normally when Max Scherzer calls Apollo Jets, he doesn’t need one this size. The Nationals will be well represented at this year’s mid-summer classic, and what a stark difference to the years where the Nats would only get the obligatory one representative that MLB requires. How times have changed!
There’s Bryce in the back doing the peace signs, Max Scherzer in front of him, along with the Strasburg family featuring a big smile from Stephen, the Murphy family and the Ramos family. This is the largest contingent the Washington Nationals have ever sent to the All-Star game.
Photo from the Ramos family
The All-Star game was proclaimed by Bud Selig as “the game that counts” when they decided to award the league that wins the All-Star game the homefield advantage in the World Series. As a tagline, it seemed to catch on, and the game does seem to have more competitiveness.
WFAN’s Mike Francesa and guest host Bill Simmons interviewed Selig recently, “The [All-Star] game had become dull,” said Selig, who implemented the rule that home-field advantage in the World Series goes to the All-Star Game winner. “ … Worse than that, players didn’t want to play. People didn’t want to go.”
The All-Star break is now four full days without regular season games, but for the Washington Nationals players who are not at the All-Star game, they only get three days off. There is a mandatory report time for all players on Thursday at Nationals Park for a workout. The sprint for the finish line has not started yet with 72 games to go, and for Dusty Baker, he revealed that he will be relaxing in St. Michaels, Maryland on the tranquil Eastern Shore and getting a massage.
Bryce Harper is now a 4-time All-Star, and he is only 23-years-old. Max Scherzer has now made 4 straight All-Star games, and didn’t make his first All-Star game until days before his 29th birthday. This is Stephen Strasburg’s 2nd All-Star game and first since 2012. For Daniel Murphy, this is also his 2nd All-Star game. Wilson Ramos is the newbie as this is his 1st All-Star game, and this has so much meaning for him, and his family.
This photo was taken before Max Scherzer was added.
