Joe Davis (L) and John Smoltz (R) are calling the 2023 All-Star Game. With the rule changes, and … [+]
“It’s still the greatest All-Star Game, ya know?”
John Smoltz looks out at T-Mobile Park on what can only be described as a perfect day for baseball. Both he and Joe Davis are relaxed in street clothes ahead of the game in the booth. The All-Star Game is different. Long gone are the days of Pete Rose crashing Ray Fosse at the plate. Today’s All-Star Game has more of a Hollywood vibe.
But this year is a bit different. For one, MLB went to a balanced schedule in 2023 and all teams will play each other at least once meaning no one is a complete stranger any longer. With the universal DH and daily interleague, the AL/NL rivalry feels more of a formality.
The rule changes, with a pitch clock, ban on aggressive shifts, limited throws to first by the pitcher, and bigger bases, the main thing should be action. How it affects the call comes down to Davis.
“He’s got the hard job,” Smoltz says as he points to Davis as part of an exclusive for Forbes. “I’ve got the easy job. It’s a lot quicker of a game. He’s got a lot that he’s got to get in. And so for me, it’s to pick and choose the moments that might stand out with greatness.”
One thing that makes the All-Star Game call a bit different is the rosters seem to be in constant flux as players drop out due to injury and replacement players get the nod.
“That’s the hard thing,” Davis said. “You don’t know what the rosters are going to be until the day or two before. Davis went on to say that given they cover the game leading up to the All Star Game, prepping for the game comes from what they’ve already covered. “You’re kind of prepping for the All-Star game as the year goes on, and then you hone in on it here in Seattle.”
Production wise, FOX Sports has pulled out the stops for the game. The game sees 43 cameras including the use of two drones. To pick up the sounds of the game, a total of 45 microphones are spread throughout the field. All told, FOX Sports takes three full days to setup for the event.
The All-Star Game marks the midpoint in the season, and a lot of focus has been on some low revenue making clubs that have not been at the top of the standings for some time, while some big money clubs like the Mets and the Yankees appear to be underachieving. Smoltz points out that there’s still a lot of baseball left to play. Asked to describe what underperforming teams in the first half will have to do heading into the home stretch, Smoltz starts with one word.
“Adjustments,” he says. “Those teams are having a hard time certainly rosters with injuries. I think the Mets are still a team that’s going to fight for the playoffs. I think the rosters good enough, but they are definitely one of the teams you can look at and say the rule changes may not have been as beneficial for them as it’s been for some of the others based on their roster. Create the roster they created. So I just think when they’re healthy, they’re good enough by far to be in the playoffs. The New York Yankees are suffering because Judge is such a presence and is so important. And that is the lingering question mark for them because I think if with Judge, the second half for the Yankees are going to be really good.”
The 2023 MLB All-Star Game airs at 8pm ET/5 pm PT on FOX.
