The Rundown Lite: PCA Makes More Fans, Loving New ASG Finish, ABS Success, Former Cubs Galore in Atlanta

This is the first day in a long time that is completely devoid of Major League Baseball action, and I have to say I don’t mind it. We get a nice little reset before being pushed back into a sprint, and the timing couldn’t be better for yours truly. Between replacing a washing machine, dealing with a flooded basement, and undergoing a gum graft, I could really use a break. And a few thousand dollars, but I don’t see any sort of windfall in the near future.

Maybe I can start up an OnlyFans account, though I’d probably make more money from people who don’t want to see more of me. We’ve toyed around with the idea of Patreon, which might work if we were at risk of putting out too much content already. Alas, I’ll just have to keep checking sites for unclaimed cash.

In the meantime, let’s get into some of the highlights from Tuesday’s game.

PCA Makes Live Segment Worthwhile

I have never been a fan of live interviews because they rarely offer anything other than distraction for participants and viewers alike. That’s not as big of a deal in exhibitions like the All-Star Game, so I’m okay with it. Of course, the live interaction can also expose flaws in the broadcast, like when Tarik Skubal said he was throwing a changeup and the FOX graphic showed four-seam.

That was a recurring theme of the night, with a 100 mph splitter, multiple 98+ mph sliders, and some mid-80s fastballs. It seemed as though they were just picking pitch types out of a hat, which was ironic given the game’s use of the automated ball-strike system. More on that later.

The best interview of the evening had to have been Pete Crow-Armstrong, who is a much deeper individual than a lot of people give him credit for. Even some Cubs fans write him off as merely cocky and flamboyant while discounting his true character. But it’s clear he’s won over broad swaths of baseball fans all over the world, and he gained a few more during the game.

“I hope you be exactly how you are supposed to be,” the outfielder replied when asked what he would say to kids who want to be like him. “I think I’ve dealt with trying to emulate other people and focusing a little bit less on myself and what makes me great and unique.

“I think that is so important for kids that play this game or don’t. To understand that there is so much to offer and everybody’s so nice and unique in their own individual way.”

National treasure, Pete Crow-Armstrong. pic.twitter.com/x43DDrucQs

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 16, 2025

That’s a tremendous response in and of itself, but to provide it during live gameplay is something else. This is a guy everyone should want on their team, and not just because of the eye-popping numbers he put up in the first half.

“I was surprised by the camaraderie I felt,” Crow-Armstrong told reporters after the game. “Everybody, whether it was Clayton Kershaw, Hunter Goodman or myself, the respect level from everybody was super cool. And then just getting to know people and packing it into a couple of days. We had a nice little meeting before the game, and I think I’ll mostly remember the pregame experience.”

Apropos of nothing other than name-dropping him in light of the earlier quote, did anyone else find it funny — not haha — that Kershaw was relieved in the game by Jason Adam?

Swing-Off Was Fun

The MLB All-Star Game hasn’t sunk nearly as low as the Pro Bowl when it comes to farcical decline, but the attempts to add some sort of pizzazz since the 2002 debacle in Milwaukee have fallen flat. Awarding home field advantage in the World Series to the winning league was dumb, and trying to manage pitching staffs to protect against the possibility of extra innings doesn’t really make sense.

Since the game doesn’t really matter beyond serving as an exhibition of the game’s best players, it’s only fitting to make it as fun as possible. Enter the home run swing-off, with three players from each team getting three swings apiece, sort of like a hockey shootout. While I’m sure there are plenty of people out there who felt it was an abomination, it was clear from the reactions of the players themselves that this was a huge win.

Seeing AL starter Tarik Skubal back out on the field in his street clothes tells you all you need to know. A lot of the early participants in the game shower up and head out ASAP, so having him stick around at all was cool. Everyone was out of the dugouts and hanging on every swing, which is the whole point of something like this.

You knew the NL was going to win when they announced the respective hitters, as there’s no way the AL was going to get through both Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso. Hell, the NL didn’t even need to use Polar Bear. It was a really cool moment for Schwarber, who took home game MVP honors by hitting homers on all three of his swings to guide the NL to victory.

What a perfect make-up for robbing him of the Home Run Derby crown seven years ago in DC.

ABS Worked Well

They’ve been using ABS in the minors for a little while now, but seeing it on such a big stage was very cool. I have to think this is coming to MLB on a full-time basis as early as next year, and I’m all for it.

Former Cubs Litter Both Rosters

In addition to Schwarber and Adam, both rosters were replete with former Cubs. Gleyber Torres led off for the AL, Javier Baez started in center, Zach McKinstry came on to pinch hit, and Aroldis Chapman worked an inning of relief. Trevor McGill recorded an out and was credited with a hold as one of two hard-throwing Brewers relievers in the game. Do we count Kyle Tucker as a former Cub yet? How about preemptively lumping Eugenio Suárez in with that group?

The other Brewers pitcher noted above is Jacob Misiorowski, who had no business participating in the game after just five MLB starts. He was probably more deserving of inclusion than Kershaw if we’re looking at present talent, but I’ve softened on my initial thought about both of them. The All-Star Game isn’t just about who’s the best, it’s about providing entertainment.

Your mileage may vary on how entertaining Kershaw is at this point, but seeing a kid go out there and huck 102 mph fastballs is pretty fun.

Trailer Time

Noted Cubs fan Bob Oedenkirk is most commonly associated with off-beat comedic performances, so seeing him dip into John Wick-style action with Nobody was a lot of fun. The original 2021 film also featured Christopher Lloyd and RZA, so you know I was extra into it. For those who’ve missed any number of previous allusions and outright statements, I’m a huge Wu-Tang fan.

It looks like the entire cast is back with help from Sharon Stone, Colin Hanks, and more as (sort of) titular character Hutch Mansell tries to enjoy a family vacation. Think of it like the Griswolds going to Wally World and finding it overrun by bad guys. Or maybe it’s Beverly Hills Cop 3, just way less corny.