Moore: Previewing the Fall Stars Game
From Jeff Moore at The Hardball Times on October 29, 2013:
The Arizona Fall League, which is a bit of an all-star league to begin with, has an all-star game of its own. It used to be called the Rising Stars Game but this year will be called the Fall Stars Game, which I prefer anyway. I’m a sucker for a good pun.
Because there are only six teams in the AFL and two relatively deep all-star teams, roughly a third of the league makes it, taking away some of the honor. Of course, you don’t really care about the honor of it. You care about who you’re going to get to see on MLB Network on Saturday (8 p.m. EDT), since these teams will consist mostly of players fans have heard of but may have never seen.
The Fall Stars Game may be just another game, but it is a chance to see some of the best talent in the game before it is finished developing, which provides an interesting look into the developmental process. There are players learning to play new positions and players still learning how to play the game at all. It’s a unique perspective into the way minor leaguers are cultivated to see them in action against the best of the best.
So let’s figure out what exactly you should be looking for as you hang on to live baseball for a few more days after the end of the World Series.
Read the full article here: http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/fall-stars-preview/
Related link: Join us for the 5th annual SABR Arizona Fall League Conference, including the Fall Stars Game, on Oct. 31-Nov. 2
Originally published: October 30, 2013. Last Updated: October 30, 2013.