MLB All-Star Game 2012: Justin Verlander pays for playing to the fans

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—At least American League starter Justin Verlander had a good excuse for turning the 83rd All-Star Game into a blowout before his team even batted. Well, he had an excuse, anyway.

Just trying to please the fans, he said.

Knowing that he wouldn’t pitch long, Verlander strayed from his usual game plan when he starts out throwing hard, finds his groove and finishes up throwing his hardest. On Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium, he went out with the heat turned up from his first pitch, a 97-mph fastball.

If he had to sacrifice command to please the crowd at Kauffman Stadium, it was a price he felt was worth paying.

"Fans don't want to see me throw 90 (mph) and hit the corners," Verlander said. "So just let it eat, have fun."

Well, that he did. Six of the big righthander's 35 pitches reached triple digits, including a high of 101 mph. Unfortunately for the AL, it was the National Leaguers who had most of the fun. They ripped Verlander for five runs in the first inning and went on to an 8-0 victory to earn home-field advantage in the World Series for the third consecutive year.

Ron Washington, the losing manager in the past two World Series, also lost his second consecutive All-Star Game to join Bobby Cox as the only manager to suffer consecutive losses in both events. The Texas Rangers’ skipper had no idea that Verlander was aiming to please the crowd more than pitch his normal game.

"I just expected him to be Verlander," Washington said. "Go out and get outs like he always does. It just didn't work out. Just couldn't get the ball down early."

It was a result that didn’t surprise Verlander.

"I knew I probably was going to sacrifice a little command," Verlander said. "I didn't think I would throw everything up like I did. I was pumped up. I knew going in I wasn't going to try paint on the corners. I was just trying to give it all."

Verlander admitted he checked the stadium speed gun after every pitch. And after throwing a 100-mph fastball that Carlos Beltran fouled off, he turned to hear Detroit Tigers teammate and AL first baseman Prince Fielder urging him on.

"Prince goes 'Ver, 101.' I said OK," Verlander said. "Next pitch, was a ball (four to Beltran), of course, but it was 101. I looked at him and said, see, 'I told you.' ”

MLB All-Star Game 2012: Justin Verlander struggles in his one inning. (AP Photo)

Verlander also treated his pregame routine like the game didn't count. He said he arrived at 1:30 when he typically arrives at 4:30 on start days. Instead of slapping on his headphones and staying away from everyone, he spent his hours hanging out with his AL teammates.

"One of the best things for me being here is being able to socialize with some new guys I don't know," Verlander said. "I'm not going to waste that opportunity. I usually don't usually talk much on my start days but this is different. I have to enjoy the time while you're here."

Verlander wasn't the only AL player who seemed to place a higher priority on the being there than on winning. Catcher Mike Napoli, one of eight Rangers at the game, said, "If we're fortunate enough to get to the World Series, we'll worry about it then.”

Added Rangers closer Joe Nathan: "The game is important but it doesn't mean the National League is going to win the World Series.”

It means the NL has become the dominant league in the Midsummer Classic. For the third consecutive year, the AL was limited to six hits, and it was shut out for the first time since 1996. The AL has totaled two runs in the past three years. About the only bright spot was the performance of—guess who?—Los Angeles Angels phenom Mike Trout. The 20-year-old AL reserve showed why he has emerged as a candidate to win rookie of the year and MVP honors.

In his first All-Star at-bat, Trout singled up the middle off knuckleballer R.A. Dickey and then stole second base. Two innings later, Trout came up against the game's hardest thrower, Aroldis Chapman, and worked a walk. Which was tougher, the floater or the fireball?

"That's a good question," said Trout, who never had faced a knuckler. "I got a hit off Dickey. I wanted to see a pitch first and the first one he threw me was pretty nasty. I'm like, ‘How many chances do I have. If I see one up, I'm going to try and take a hack.’ "

Once on second, Trout had a view of Dickey pitching to Mark Trumbo and his teammate didn’t fare as well, striking out swinging on a floater.

"Sitting on second base, I was just watching the show because them balls were dropping, sinking, rising," Trout said. "Just to see him (when I was) on deck and watching (Carlos) Ruiz try to catch him, they move a lot."

Dickey escaped the sixth inning with no damage being done and with the shutout intact—something Verlander failed to do in the first inning.

The biggest hit off Verlander didn’t come on a fastball, either, but on a two-out curveball that Pablo Sandoval smacked for a bases-loaded triple that gave the NL a 4-0 lead. Verlander allowed three other hits and two walks but, hey, he did get two strikeouts.

"They like to see the 100-mph fastball so I gave them that," Verlander said. "It would be nice if I got some outs."

Come October, the AL representative in the World Series no doubt will agree.