Three post All-Star Game thoughts from LEN:
A.L. POWER: It was some pitching performance by the American League, as the N.L.'s three were the second-fewest in an All-Star Game. Max Scherzer, Chris Sale and Felix Hernandez were so powerful and filthy they had the N.L. out of the game by the fourth inning. It's too bad Glen Perkins didn't get a chance to pitch, but he said before the game that he was the first-timer and was prepared to not appear if that's the way things went.
NO. 42: Jim Leyland didn't mess around. He could have let Mariano Rivera pitch the ninth and get a save, but he didn't want to risk the N.L. scoring four runs in the eighth and taking the ninth inning away. So he went with the greatest closer ever. ``I wanted to make sure it was a comfortable enough lead that I just couldn't take any chance," Leyland said. ``I'm probably not the most popular manager in baseball. I wanted to make sure I got out of here tonight."
MINNY, YOU'RE UP: Next year's event is at Target Field - let the hype begin. There will be announcements in a couple weeks about the official All-Star logo and other developments. About 25 Twins officials were here watching how the Mets threw this big party, and have come up with a few wrinkles of their own for 2014. ``We've already engaged in a series of discussions about what we can do that is a little different in the Twin Cities," Twins president Dave St. Peter said during the third inning. ``We want to do some things that make it unique to Minny, whether that be in the music area, whether that be entertainment, there's a lot of ideas being floated around."
