Why didn’t you eliminate them Albert?

It turns out Albert Pujols is human after all.

Only a human could lose in the second round of the Home Run Derby during a season where he has 33% more home runs than anybody else in MLB.

Only a human could go 0-for-3 in an All-Star game that Bud Selig promises us matters.

Only a human could make a costly error that lead to two runs in a game that was determined by one run and saw the MVP awarded based on defensive play.

Only a human could seem so exhausted and stressed in post-game interviews after losing an exhibition game in the middle of July.

Only a human could have the type of passion and desire that it takes to show up to and perform at those post-game interviews after an exhausting few days that saw him as the center of attention for an entire sport.

In fact, Pujols did everything that we could have asked of him, except play great baseball.

But when the dust settles and this game is ancient history, it probably won't be all that well remembered for the baseball that was played. The Futures Game was rain delayed for over four hours. The HR Derby was a forgettable affair, riding on the coattails of Josh Hamilton's notorious first-round performance in the previous year. The All-Star game itself was more of a platform for Barrack Obama than a baseball game.

There was one great defensive play, but there was also a lot of suspect defense. There weren't even any home runs, and the go-ahead run was scored on a boring old sacrifice fly. The Mariano Rivera versus Brad Hawpe, Miguel Tejada, and Jason Werth bottom of the ninth inning was about as dramatic as a Danny Almonte Little League game.

So, all of the baseball over the past couple days has been pretty forgettable, but maybe this All-Star break won't be remembered for the baseball news that came from the field. Maybe it will be remembered as the All-Star break when Albert Pujols proved that he is human and, in the process, proved that his footsteps are worth following. (Machines don't make great role models.)

Before the game, Pujols offered to be tested for performance-enhancing drugs, saying that his life could be an open book because he has nothing to hide. He even invited doubters to join him in the bathtub.

Obviously, we've heard this sort of spiel before and been burned, by A-Rod, Tejada, Roger Clemens, Rafael Palmeiro. But if Pujols is telling the truth – and most people believe that he is – then this All-Star break may have been a turning point for MLB. Not only did Pujols prove that he's human and therefore relatable; he also proved that he is willing to make personal sacrifices – like focus less on his game – for the good of MLB. That's good because baseball may have to put a lot of weight on Pujols' shoulders if it's to climb out of this steroid era.

If the Cardinals do manage a World Series run, they won't have home field advantage, but they will have the greatest player and one of the greatest humans that MLB has seen for awhile.

...I'm a homer.

I wrote a review of Battlefield 1943. It's up now.

QotD:

More likely to make the playoffs: Roy Halladay or Pedro Martinez?

My take: Pedro.