Youngsters dominate this year’s All-Star roster

By David Mullen

The 2024 MLB All-Star Game promises to be one for the ages.

On Tuesday, July 16 at 7 p.m., the Texas Rangers host the National League All Stars and the American League All Stars at Globe Life Park in Arlington in the 94th All Star Game. It will be the first time since the 1939 New York Yankees that a defending World Champion will host the game. A lot has changed about the exhibition in 85 years.  

In 1939, the starters played the entire game without substitution. Ernie Lombardi, Joe “Ducky” Medwick, Mel Ott, Joe DiMaggio and Hank Greenberg and others never gave way to reserves that included Hall of Famers Johnny Mize, Jimmie Foxx and Lou Gehrig. AL manager Bruce Bochy of the Rangers and NL manager Arizona’s Torey Lovullo will try to give as many players as possible an opportunity to shine.  

In 2024, the All-Star Game will be a showcase for young talent. The average age of this year’s All-Stars is 28.6 years old. San Diego Padres All-Star reserve outfielder Jackson Merrill turned 21 in April. At press time, there are 34 first-time All-Stars in 2024. Injury replacements are sure to increase the number. 

There will be plenty of recognizable starters in Arlington, like Philadelphia’s Bryce Harper, New York Yankee stars Juan Soto and Aaron Judge and Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani. But there is a changing of the guard in baseball. Young players like Baltimore’s Adley Rutschman (age 26) and Gunnar Henderson (23), Milwaukee’s William Contreras (26) and Cleveland’s Steven Kwan (26) are also 2024 All-Star starters.

That’s a far cry from arguably the greatest All-Star Game ever: the star-studded 1971 All-Star Game played at Detroit’s Tiger Stadium. Going into the game, the AL had lost nine All-Star games in a row. The AL starting lineup was challenging, featuring veterans like Hall of Famers Rod Carew, Carl Yastrzemski and Baltimore’s pair of Robinsons (Frank and Brooks). 

Sharing the same surname, Frank Robinson was Black and Brooks Robinson was white. Frank made it simple for the media to differentiate the two. “I don’t see why you reporters keep confusing Brooks and me,” the normally contentious Frank said. “Can’t you see that we wear different numbers?”

The AL All-Star reserves were a more colorful group of ballplayers than the AL starting lineup. The bench included Al Kaline, Reggie Jackson, Thurman Munson, Harmon Killebrew, Boog Powell and Frank Howard of the Washington Senators, one year away from moving to Texas.

Imagine facing the 1971 NL All-Star starting lineup of (batting one through six) Willie Mays, Henry Aaron, Joe Torre, Willie Stargell, Willie McCovey and Johnny Bench. The team was so good that Lou Brock, Roberto Clemente and Pete Rose began the game on the bench.

AL starting pitcher Oakland’s Vida Blue gave up home runs to Bench and Aaron and the AL was down 3-0. But pinch hitter Jackson, Blue’s A’s teammate, hit a mammoth home run off a light tower above the right field roof estimated to have travelled 520 feet. Game MVP Frank Robinson followed with a two-run home run and gave the AL a 4-3 lead, their first All-Star Game lead since 1964.

Home runs by Killebrew and Clemente ended the scoring and gave the AL a 6-4 win. All six home runs were hit by players who would later enter Baseball’s Hall of Fame. Despite managers Earl Weaver of the Orioles and Sparky Anderson of the Cincinnati Reds using 42 players, the game was played in a remarkably fast time of two hours and four minutes. That’s how baseball was played in 1971.

The first time the All Stars were in Arlington was on July 11, 1995, played outdoors at The Ballpark in Arlington in front of 50,920 sweltering fans. The game time temperature was 101 degrees.  

The starting lineups included future Hall of Famers Tony Gwynn, Mike Piazza, Fred McGriff, Barry Larkin, Craig Biggio, Edgar Martínez, Frank Thomas, Cal Ripken Jr., Wade Boggs, Kirby Puckett and the Rangers’ Iván “Pudge” Rodríguez. Barry Bonds, excluded from the HOF so far, hit third in the NL lineup.

Ozzie Smith, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, Roberto Alomar, Ken Griffey Jr. and Manny Ramirez were reserve players. The NL only got three hits in nine innings, but all were home runs (Biggio, Piazza and Florida’s Jeff Conine, named the game’s MVP). Thomas hit a home run for the AL in a 3-2 NL win. The lack of offense made the game forgettable. Maybe it was too hot to hit.

Along with Bochy, second baseman Marcus Semien and reliever Kirby Yates will represent the Rangers. 

First time All-Star position players include Jordan Westburg, Josh Naylor, Heliot Ramos, Jarren Duran and shortstops Elly De La Cruz and Colleyville’s Bobby Witt Jr. Pitchers named to their first All-Star team include Logan Gilbert, Mason Miller, Shota Imanaga, Reynaldo López and Pittsburgh’s fire-balling rookie phenom Paul Skenes. 

In this year’s All-Star Game, the old axiom, “You can’t tell the players without a program,” holds true.

It is expected to be more than 100 degrees outside in Arlington on Tuesday evening, July 16. But under the 5.5-acre, single-panel operable roof, the temperature will be in the mid-70s. The players, especially the refreshing new crop, will have to bring the heat.