Outside The Confines: It’s All-Star Week

It’s time for baseball’s biggest stars to shine.

It’s officially the All-Star break, and while we won’t have standard game play again until Friday, there’s still a lot of excitement to happen this week. We’ve got the Home Run Derby tonight and the big show, the All-Star Game, tomorrow. Lots of fun to be had, and also lots of news to catch up on from the world of baseball, as the Amateur Draft began yesterday, and the trade deadline is still looming.

Let’s jump right into it.

• Jay Jaffe’s Replacement Level Killer series is here, and it’s starting strong with first base.
• Here’s how all 30 teams’ prospects did during the Futures Game. (MLB)
• Eva Geitheim reports that Byron Buxton hit for the cycle on his bobblehead day.
• Terry Francona has reached his 2000th career win.
• Brent Maguire shares that Paul Skens and Tarik Skubal will be the All-Star Game starters.
• Reice Shipley shares that MLB is getting some blowback for the lack of marketing and promotion of the Futures Game.
• Alden Gonzalez looks at the surprise pick the Nationals made to open the Amateur draft.
• Cal Raleigh was on the cusp of tying Barry Bonds’ record for the most home runs before the All-Star break, until the Tigers intentionally walked him. Story by Eva Geitheim.
• Isaac Paredes will miss the All-Star Game due to family matters. (AP)
• Blake Silverman shares a Reds catcher’s wild slide home.
• This is phenomenal.

• Ben Clemens offers some things he liked (and didn’t like) in baseball last week.
• The Diamondbacks have added tactile broadcasts to help make games more accessible to blind and low-vision fans. Story by Nicole Gutierrez.
• Aaron Judge has become the fastest player to 350 home runs, but don’t assume he’s thrilled about it. Story by Eva Geitheim.
• Tim Capurso shares how unimpressed the Phillies were over a Dodgers player with only five games making it to the All-Star Game.
• Max Fried apparently made a very cool gesture to Tarik Skubal ahead of the All-Star Game. Story by Tim Capurso.
• On that same note, the Phillies will be giving pitcher Cristopher Sanchez a $50,000 bonus after his snub. Story by Tyler Lauletta.
• Fireworks accidentally went off for Eugenio Suarez’s home run in Anaheim, annoying Angels fans. Story by Tim Capurso.
• Will the Blue Jays be the most aggressive team in the AL at the trade deadline? (MLB)

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Make it so.