McClanahan struggles in All-Star start

by Gary Shelton on July 20, 2022

in general

Wednesday, 4 a.m.

Tom Glavine once gave up seven consecutive hits in an All-Star game.

Jim Palmer once surrendered three home runs.

Atlee Hammaker once gave up seven earned runs, including a grand slam.

In other words, , don't feel sorry for Shane McClanahan, who was somewhat less than wonderful in his first All-Star game.


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McClanahan, who has established his stardom in a hurry with the Tampa Bay Rays, was obviously overamped to be playing with the stars of the game.

McClanahan gave up two runs on four hits -- including a double and a home run -- in his one inning of work. He threw 23 pitches -- nine of them were balls --- and struggled with his command.

The American League rallied to win 3-2, as the 10 pitchers who followed held the NL to just one hit.

That's the thing about exhibition games: The sampling is so small, and the opportunity so rare, that not every star succeeds.

There was Glavine, the Hall of Famer, giving up seven straight hits in 1998. There was Palmer, also a Hall of Famer, who gave up three homers in the 1977 game. Hammaker was clobbered in 1983.

There have been others. Dan Uggla struck out three times and made three errors in 2008. In 1967, Tony Oliva struck out three times. He did have three hits, but he was caught stealing twice.

So, yeah. Even stars stub their toes.

That that's the best thing about All-star games. They don't count.

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