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Playing the Whole All-Star Game

Posted by Raphy on July 13, 2011

Recently, the sheer number of players, teams represented and managerial juggling have made full-game All-Star appearances a thing of the past.  However, it wasn't that long ago that there would be a few players each year that would play the game in its entirety.  Here are the players who have been privileged enough to accomplish this feat in the last 25 years.

Rk Player Date Tm Lg Opp Rslt PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF ROE GDP SB CS WPA RE24 aLI BOP Pos. Summary
1 Carlos Beltran 2006-07-11 NYM NL ALS L 2-3 4 4 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0.178 0.927 1.358 2 CF
2 Ray Lankford 1997-07-08 STL NL ALS L 1-3 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -0.018 -0.233 1.143 8 CF
3 Ken Griffey 1997-07-08 SEA AL NLS W 3-1 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -0.092 -1.235 .865 3 CF
4 Brady Anderson 1997-07-08 BAL AL NLS W 3-1 4 4 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.010 0.430 .858 1 RF LF
5 Lance Johnson 1996-07-09 NYM NL ALS W 6-0 4 4 1 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0.047 0.816 .375 1 CF
6 Albert Belle 1996-07-09 CLE AL NLS L 0-6 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -0.100 -1.686 .860 4 LF
7 Tony Gwynn 1994-07-12 SDP NL ALS W 8-7 5 5 2 2 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.206 1.485 1.382 2 CF RF
8 Cal Ripken 1994-07-12 BAL AL NLS L 7-8 5 5 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -0.122 -0.393 1.356 7 SS
9 Ivan Rodriguez 1994-07-12 TEX AL NLS L 7-8 5 5 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.099 0.052 1.294 8 C
10 Bobby Bonilla 1991-07-09 PIT NL ALS L 2-4 4 4 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.079 0.726 1.737 4 DH
11 Roberto Alomar 1991-07-09 TOR AL NLS W 4-2 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -0.102 -1.100 .940 9 2B
12 Lenny Dykstra 1990-07-10 PHI NL ALS L 0-2 4 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.014 -0.314 1.252 1 CF
13 Jose Canseco 1990-07-10 OAK AL NLS W 2-0 5 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 -0.122 -1.869 1.194 3 RF
14 Ozzie Smith 1989-07-11 STL NL ALS L 3-5 4 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 -0.068 -0.696 .836 1 SS
15 Ruben Sierra 1989-07-11 TEX AL NLS W 5-3 4 3 1 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.090 0.714 .590 7 RF
16 Bobby Bonilla 1988-07-12 PIT NL ALS L 1-2 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -0.205 -1.012 2.160 5 3B
17 Darryl Strawberry 1988-07-12 NYM NL ALS L 1-2 4 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -0.097 -0.345 1.772 4 RF
18 Jose Canseco 1988-07-12 OAK AL NLS W 2-1 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -0.076 -0.723 .753 4 RF LF
19 Dave Winfield 1987-07-14 NYY AL NLS L 0-2 6 5 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -0.025 0.128 1.617 5 RF LF
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 7/13/2011.

Beltran is the only player in the last 14 years to have accomplished this feat and its hard to imagine it happening any time soon.
The last man on the list, Dave Winfield, actually did this 4 times in his career, which is not a lot on the career list (keeping in mind that 1959-1962 had 2 games each season), but  it is the most since the expansion of 1969. Here are the leaders since 1969.

Rk Player #Matching PA AB H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS SH SF IBB HBP GDP
1 Dave Winfield 4 Ind. Games 20 18 3 3 0 0 1 2 2 .167 .250 .333 .583 0 0 0 0 0
2 Ozzie Smith 3 Ind. Games 11 11 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .091 .091 .091 .182 0 0 0 0 0
3 Rod Carew 3 Ind. Games 13 12 3 0 2 0 0 1 1 .250 .308 .583 .891 0 0 0 0 1
4 Carl Yastrzemski 2 Ind. Games 10 9 4 1 0 0 1 1 0 .444 .500 .556 1.056 0 0 0 0 0
5 Jim Rice 2 Ind. Games 9 8 1 1 0 0 0 1 4 .125 .222 .250 .472 0 0 0 0 0
6 Dale Murphy 2 Ind. Games 7 5 2 0 0 1 1 2 0 .400 .571 1.000 1.571 0 0 0 0 0
7 Reggie Jackson 2 Ind. Games 8 7 2 1 0 0 0 1 3 .286 .375 .429 .804 0 0 0 0 0
8 Steve Garvey 2 Ind. Games 8 7 4 1 1 0 3 1 1 .571 .625 1.000 1.625 0 0 0 0 0
9 Andre Dawson 2 Ind. Games 8 8 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 .250 .250 .250 .500 0 0 0 0 0
10 Jose Canseco 2 Ind. Games 9 8 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 .000 .111 .000 .111 0 0 0 0 0
11 Bobby Bonilla 2 Ind. Games 8 8 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 .250 .250 .250 .500 0 0 0 0 0
12 Johnny Bench 2 Ind. Games 8 8 3 0 0 1 3 0 0 .375 .375 .750 1.125 0 0 0 0 0
13 Luis Aparicio 2 Ind. Games 9 9 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 .111 .111 .111 .222 0 0 0 0 1
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 7/13/2011.

Related posts:

    Pitching and playing the outfield – in the same game!
    More Than One All-Star Game SP Assignment
    Fewest IP by All-Star game starter & winner
    All-Star game hitting streaks
    Non-Pitchers Younger Than 22 To Bat In All-Star Game

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 13th, 2011 at 1:50 pm and is filed under Game Finders. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

37 Responses to “Playing the Whole All-Star Game”

  1. Thomas Says:
    July 13th, 2011 at 2:14 pm

    Another reason it's not likely to happen any time soon is the DH in all games rule.... a manager doesn't have to waste anybody to pinch hit anymore...

  2. Gary Says:
    July 13th, 2011 at 2:47 pm

    That's what makes the All-Star game so special.... home field advantage for the World Series being decided in the late innings by greats of the game like Jhonny Peralta, Michael Cuddyer, Gaby Sanchez, and Brandon League.

    This time it counts!

  3. JoshG Says:
    July 13th, 2011 at 2:52 pm

    I actually like having the DH in the All-Star Game, although I don't want it in an actual game. The All-Star Game is supposedly to showcase the best players in each league, and having a DH allows that to be done more effectively.

  4. CJW Says:
    July 13th, 2011 at 3:05 pm

    The cognitive dissonance of having the ASG count for something substantial (home field during the WS) yet managers feeling the need to play all of the bench players during the game really makes the game a joke -- more of a joke than before it "counted".

  5. John Q Says:
    July 13th, 2011 at 3:32 pm

    If I remember correctly, Beltran was on the verge of winning the MVP in that 2006 game and then Trevor Hoffman blew the game in the top of the ninth.

  6. Yippeeyappee Says:
    July 13th, 2011 at 3:32 pm

    Anyone who hates on the All-Star game was never a kid. I don't care to watch it anymore, but I couldn't wait to see it each year when I was young. Now my sons do the same.

  7. Thomas Court Says:
    July 13th, 2011 at 3:37 pm

    The fact that this game now counts for something gives ASG managers the only reason they need to play the best players for as long as needed. Players like Jose Batista and Albert Pujols should be logging a complete game almost every year they are elected (the only reason to replace Pujols would be for defensive purposes with the NL comfortably ahead).

    Manager's could also shine a spotlight on ridiculousness of players named from teams as a requirement of every club being represented. These players should never be used, unless absolutely necessary. After a few years of these players not logging an appearance the commissioner will wise up and eliminate the rule.

    Players that are elected starters as a result of popularity and not play should be the ones replaced after one at bat - for the player that should be rightfully there. Better yet, they should do what Jeter did, and respectfully bow out.

    Making these changes would also allow managers to send the clear message as to who the real All-Stars are:

    Getting named to the team is an honor.
    Getting into the game is an entirely different matter - and shows that you are not there because your fans stuffed the ballot box, or the manager gave you a handout.

  8. Pat D Says:
    July 13th, 2011 at 3:38 pm

    Does Winfield still hold the record for most doubles in an ASG?

  9. Thomas Says:
    July 13th, 2011 at 3:42 pm

    @3 I definitely like the DH in all star play too. Who wants to wait around to see your team's one player or your favorite player pinch hit?

  10. Thomas Court Says:
    July 13th, 2011 at 3:57 pm

    @8

    Yes, Winfield indeed holds the record for ASG doubles with 7. No one else is even close (second place is a logjam tied at 3).

    Gotta say that your question would make a whole lot more sense if it were posted on another website. The All-Star game leaders is one click - right on the Baseball Reference homepage. Are you not familiar with this site?

  11. Rich Says:
    July 13th, 2011 at 4:03 pm

    "Manager's could also shine a spotlight on ridiculousness of players named from teams as a requirement of every club being represented. These players should never be used, unless absolutely necessary. After a few years of these players not logging an appearance the commissioner will wise up and eliminate the rule.

    Players that are elected starters as a result of popularity and not play should be the ones replaced after one at bat - for the player that should be rightfully there."

    All of these COULD be good points except it ignores the facts that
    A) the game is for the fans; that's why they get to choose the players
    B) the only thing that needs to be changed is the ridiculous WS home field stipulation

    Selig has outright admitted that the game "counts" because Fox wanted it that way. I can't wait until this incompetent idiot's reign of terror as commissioner is over.

  12. ToddWE Says:
    July 13th, 2011 at 4:07 pm

    These lists confirm my recollection that, when I was a kid, a couple of players each year played the entire game; in fact, seeing who made it through to the end was part of the fun.

  13. Lawrence Azrin Says:
    July 13th, 2011 at 4:42 pm

    @12/ToddWE - There was a feature on ESPN yesterday about the 1971 ASG, and they mentioned that Johnny Bench played the _entire_ game at catcher (as well as Yaz, Brooks Robinson, and Luis Aparicio ). Can you imagine the outrage from that player's manager nowadays, if they had the catcher play all of the ASG?

  14. kds Says:
    July 13th, 2011 at 4:55 pm

    @13, I guess S. Anderson, the NL All Star game manager, didn't hear the complaints from Sparky A., the Reds manager!

  15. Lawrence Azrin Says:
    July 13th, 2011 at 5:04 pm

    @14Kds - Oops, I hadn't considered that it was Sparky that was managing Bench.

    However, on the AL side, Earl was managing his 3rd baseman Brooks, but also his AL East rivals on the Red Sox, Yaz and Luis Aparicio.

  16. Abbott Says:
    July 13th, 2011 at 5:27 pm

    I like the rule that requires one player from each team; being an A's fan, it's fun to see the one player each year that makes it.

  17. T Says:
    July 13th, 2011 at 5:35 pm

    I like the clumps! '88, '89, '90, '91, '94, '96, & '97! And only 2006 & 1987 once each in the last 25 years! Weird!

  18. Tom Says:
    July 13th, 2011 at 6:16 pm

    I think the most shocking player on that list is Ivan Rodriguez. It was pretty surprising to me that a catcher would be left in for the whole game, considering the beating catchers take.

    Dioner Navarro in 2008 is the only catcher to make as many plate appearances (5) since Bill Freehan made six in 1967, and he came in as a pinch hitter in the 7th.

  19. flyingelbowsmash Says:
    July 13th, 2011 at 6:17 pm

    Most of those guys didn't do much with their extra time in the spotlight. Only two homers out of all those PAs. Now, what would be something, if a pitcher threw a complete game in an All Star, hahaha. THAT will never happen.
    It doesn't seem to me that the All Star game deciding home field advantage for the WS is making much of a difference or creating a sense of urgency in the game. Then you would have the stars playing the whole game, and, possibly seeing pitchers go longer if they were on a roll.

  20. Joe Garrison Says:
    July 13th, 2011 at 7:21 pm

    The American League once had five catchers on the roster, and Thurman Munson played the whole game anyway.

    @ 19 - I think Steve Garvey did well in the two games he completed in 1974 and 1978.

    He won the game's MVP award both times. And It wasn't all because of his good offense if you have ever seen the highlights of both games on youtube or MLB Network.

  21. DoubleDiamond Says:
    July 13th, 2011 at 11:20 pm

    @19 - I remember from my youth that there's a rule that pitchers can't pitch more than three innings. And the starting position players had to play at least three innings unless they were hurt.

    One rule that I didn't know about until this year is that guys who pitched on Sunday had to be removed from the team. When was that one introduced? Does it apply only to starters or also to relievers? What if Cole Hamels had been knocked out relatively early on Sunday, pitching no more than some reliervers pitch? Or what if the Phillies had been rained out on Sunday, and Hamels didn't get to pitch after all? Did his removal from the team only become official once he started the game?

  22. Doug Says:
    July 14th, 2011 at 1:15 am

    @3

    Re: "second-stringers finishing up ASGs"

    Maybe the "starters" should start the 7th inning, and play the remainder of the game. With a few of the second-stringers held back in reserve in case of injury, etc.

    Re: "this time it counts"

    Since the prize is something, I think, should be decided by a coin flip or on a strict alternating basis, having it decided this way is the next best thing. Another way, perhaps, is the league which won (or lost) the previous year's WS getting the home-field advantage in the next year's series.

    My personal preference is the coin flip. To me, if you've won your league's championship, you should be treated on an equal basis with your opponent, period. But, no big deal to me, however it's done.

  23. Doug Says:
    July 14th, 2011 at 1:30 am

    Among non-pitchers who played in the game, but didn't get a PA, Alfredo Griffin's infamous 1984 appearance is probably the longest stint.

    Griffin replaced Cal Ripken at short to start the home 6th inning and played 3 full innings in the field before being replaced by a pinch-hitter in the top of the 9th.

  24. Biff Says:
    July 14th, 2011 at 4:26 am

    @18

    "It doesn't seem to me that the All Star game deciding home field advantage for the WS is making much of a difference or creating a sense of urgency in the game."

    MLB had no choice but to create that rule. We all know that the 2002 7-7 game in the 11th was very painful for fans to watch and uncompetitve for players to participate. It obviously had nothing to do with mismanagement of the rosters.

    Funny how the same problem (no bench left due to mismanagement) almost happened in the 2008 AS game. In a weird way I was really hoping it did, just to have heard what Selig's postgame address would have been.

  25. deal Says:
    July 14th, 2011 at 8:16 am

    By my count only 2 active players remain that have ever accomplished the fete - Beltran and Pudge. by 2017 or so they may both be out of the game and there won't be any active players to play an entire ASG.

  26. Dave Says:
    July 14th, 2011 at 8:40 am

    @24...really? The 2002 tie was "painful" to watch?

  27. Gonzo Says:
    July 14th, 2011 at 1:24 pm

    Can anyone explain why CJ Wilson gets hit with a 'blown save' in the 4th inning? I thought it had to be the 7th inning or later to blow a save.

  28. kds Says:
    July 14th, 2011 at 2:41 pm

    Gonzo, @27. You can have a save; and hence a blown save, anytime the pitcher comes into a game his team leads where a previous pitcher will get the win if the lead is never given up. I think the usual 5 inning rule for starters is reduced in the ASG.

  29. Pat D Says:
    July 14th, 2011 at 3:15 pm

    @10

    No, I never realized ASG information was that easily available. Silly me for not looking, but thanks for the answer!

  30. nightfly Says:
    July 14th, 2011 at 3:43 pm

    @28 - yup, to be the pitcher of record in the ASG, there's no minimum IP requirement. If you start and get a 4-0 lead before you leave, you're in line for the win. And it was seeing that sort of lunacy - assigning a win and loss to a game with fourteen different pitchers, none of whom would face more than eight batters - that was the beginning of my realizing that the W-L record for pitchers was complete balderdash.

  31. nightfly Says:
    July 14th, 2011 at 3:44 pm

    Also - cool, three different New York Mets!

  32. Dan Berman4 Says:
    July 14th, 2011 at 4:40 pm

    Another reason the All-Star Game is not what it sued to be. The biggest stars play fewer innings. I still watch it every year, but it almost is irrelevant these days, I think.
    http://pinetarandbrickbats.blogspot.com/2011/07/all-star-addiction.html

  33. Biff Says:
    July 14th, 2011 at 5:15 pm

    @26

    "@24...really? The 2002 tie was "painful" to watch?"

    Dave, sarcasm. Sorry if it didn't come off exactly that way. I was enjoying the 2002 game up until it was canceled. The problem with that game was the mismanagement of players, basically the thought process that you had to try and get every single player in the game.

    Since the silly home field in WS AS rule, additional rules have watered the game down to the point where the leagues feel they should get about every player into the game. More competitive, huh? Now after all votings are all said and done, each league seems to have at least 5 originally chosen All Stars that somehow can't play/attend the game. We've already had a post about the snubs before the game (customary topic), but we really should wait until after the game to debate it. The initial snubbed players make the game anyway because of guys that withdraw because of pitching Sunday, "personal reasons", etc..

    Since the game is now officially over, is there anyone we missed that really got snubbed? Initially McCutchen and Sabathia were 2 of the biggest names.

  34. Mustachioed Repetition Says:
    July 14th, 2011 at 5:48 pm

    My All-Star fixes:

    - Give $1M** to every player and manager on the winning team. Nothing for the losers. Nothing for players who opt out.
    - Only the team hosting the game gets an automatic spot on the roster.

    ** Or some amount which is attractive even to the very rich -- $50K ain't gonna do it. I have no idea if it can be calculated how much money the game makes, through tickets and TV and whatever, but I assume it's a lot. Where does that money go now, anyway? Pension plans? Into Bud Seaslug's secret stash?

  35. fabio Says:
    July 14th, 2011 at 10:43 pm

    Tyler Clippard got the win with 1/3 inning pitched - 3 pitches. He didn't even get a batter out. The only batter he faced got a hit and the out was a play at the plate. That's got to be the least deserved All Star Win ever.

  36. DoubleDiamond Says:
    July 14th, 2011 at 11:29 pm

    @35 Tyler Clippard was not the first pitcher representing a Washington team to pick up an All Star win like this. Dean Stone of the Washington Senators came into the 1954 game with 2 outs in the top of the 8th inning in a game played in Cleveland to face Duke Snider with Red Schoendienst on third base and Alvin Dark on first. The NL had taken a 9-8 lead on a Gus Bell home run earlier in the inning and were now threatening to pad that lead. Schoendienst was out trying to steal home! (I wonder if it was an attempted double steal.) Thus, the inning was over without Stone having officially faced a batter.

    In the bottom of the 8th, the AL scored three runs to go ahead to stay. That made Stone the winning pitcher. I wondered if Stone was the Senators' only representative that year. It turns out that the Senators had at least one other player, Mickey Vernon. With only eight teams from which to draw players, even the poor teams may have had more than one representative. On the other hand, the way that the All Star Game was played in those days, maybe they didn't need as many as they do today.

    Guys who played the entire 1954 All Star Game:

    National League:
    Al Dark ss
    Duke Snider cf-rf
    Stan Musial rf-lf
    (The above three guys batted in spots 2-4.)

    American League:
    Yogi Berra c
    Al Rosen 1b-3b (playing in his team's home stadium - starting at a position other than the one he is most famous for playing but then moving to his accustomed position later in the game - perhaps he had been moved to 1b at that late point in his career)
    Chico Carrasquel

    Starting pitchers Robin Roberts and Whitey Ford went the maximum allowable 3 innings. Both went 0-for-1 at the plate with typical pitcher-at-bat results: Ford struck out; Roberts bunted into a force play at second. Roberts' spot in the order came up again in the top of the 4th, and he was pinch hit for then.

  37. Mustachioed Repetition Says:
    July 14th, 2011 at 11:50 pm

    Al Rosen 1b-3b (playing in his team's home stadium - starting at a position other than the one he is most famous for playing but then moving to his accustomed position later in the game - perhaps he had been moved to 1b at that late point in his career)

    He did play a fair amount of 1B that season. He moved there in late April and played it until late June. By the time the ASG rolled around, he had moved back to 3B where he mostly stayed the rest of the season. I'll let someone with more energy dig up the wherefores of those moves.

    He also played a lot of 1B in '55. Those seasons accounted for 87 of his 92 career games at 1B.

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