Justin Verlander hit hard in All-Star Game – MLB Update
It was not an experience Justin Verlander would like to keep in his books. Verlander may be the best pitcher in the game today but he looked completely out of sorts at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City on Tuesday, July 10.
In baseball, All-Star Game is considered as ultra-important partly because of the fact it gives an indication of players’ abilities to adapt to new challenges. However, it seems Detroit Tigers’ ace took Tuesday’s All-Star Game very much like an exhibition
event, trying all sorts of new things which did not work out for him.
Verlander was excited and he tried to put up a great show but the results did not go in his favour. The 2011 American League Most Valuable Player and Cy Young Award winner paid the ultimate price for his inaccuracy and the National League scored five runs
in the first inning to win their third straight All-Star Game.
Initially, the plan was to use Verlander for the first two innings but after he gave up five runs in the first inning, he was sent to the dugout. Credit should be given to the National’s batters who made the most of scoring opportunities to leave the American
League in an inescapable hole.
"I know this game means something," Verlander said. "But we're here for the fans, and I know the fans don't want to see me throw 90 [miles per hour] and hit the corners. Just let it eat, and have fun."
"Hey I had fun," he said before leaving Kauffman Stadium. "This is why I don't try to throw 100 in the first inning. It usually doesn't work out too well for me."
Verlander wanted to show off and he stepped on the mound with the intent to win the game but the confused Tigers’ ace brought about his own downfall. Over confidence can be self destructive at times. Verlander had the speed and the velocity but he had little
else to go with it. It will be interesting to see if he can learn the lessons from this bad experience and use his speed in a more effective manner.
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