Our man Marlon Byrd definitely had a big impact on last night's All-Star Game. He coaxed a walk against Sox pitcher Matt Thornton in the seventh inning, then scored on Brian McCann's bases-clearing double. But the bigger play came in the ninth inning, with David Ortiz on first. John Buck singled to right, but Byrd fired to second to force Ortiz, short-circuiting an AL rally. Bottom line: the NL won for the first time since 1996. Looks like the Cubs will have home-field advantage in the World Series! Right?

ESPN Chicago: McCann's three-run double gives NL first All-Star win... [+ video]
Chicago Tribune: National League ends All-Star skid
CSN Chicago: Byrd maximizes time in All-Star spotlight
MLB: Busy Byrd soars into All-Star lore [+ video]

Bye, George
Cubs Need Strong Owner Like Late Steinbrenner, Some Say
Would it have been good for the Cubs to have a larger-than-life presence at the top of the team, like the Yankees had with the man known as "The Boss"? Both Crain's Ed Sherman and Tales from Aisle 424 say George Steinbrenner's hard-line insistence on excellence would have been (and would still be) good for the Cubs. "That is the owner that I want Tom Ricketts to be," Tales says. And, might we add, he was a great "Seinfeld" character.

Crain's: Would Steinbrenner have won with the Cubs?
Tales from Aisle 424: Be careful what you wish for if you want...

Chicago's Top 40
Cubs Memories Are of Painful Variety
Chicago has had many epochal sports moments — unfortunately, most of the ones from the North Side are, shall we say, bummers. Thus Chicago magazine's comprehensive list of the city's top 40 sports memories dredges up many painful memories. Well, there are a few positive ones, such as Kerry Wood's 20 strikeouts at number 26. But at number 32 is 1969's black cat, Leon Durham's 1984 error is number 20, and a certain bespectacled fan from 2003 notches in at number 18. The magazine said they had to be "memorable and significant," not "awesome"....

Chicago Magazine: Top 40 Chicago Sports Moments

Judge, Dread
Is It Time for Ricketts to Make the Call on Hendry?
Tom Ricketts is clearly a thoughtful guy. He's repeatedly said that, before he makes any decision on Jim Hendry's future, he wants to give it time to see how things are working out. Well, the volatile folks at Hire Jim Essian aren't quite so reserved. "It's not as if he's Leonard from 'Memento,'" the blog argues, saying Ricketts should have enough evidence from previous seasons to judge the perpetually rumpled GM. And that evidence, HJE says, clearly says that Hendry should be replaced. Do you agree?

Hire Jim Essian: NOW can Tommy Boy finally evaluate Jim Hendry?

You Be Phillin', Pt. II
A Cavalcade of Abominations (i.e., Phillies Fans)
We all know about Philadelphia fans throwing batteries, booing Santa Claus, etc. But this year, Phillies fans have been especially awful. Today's second installment looking at Phillies boosters brings us to the two morons who rushed onto the field in consecutive games. First there was this guy, who had the excuse of being a high-school senior. Not to be outdone, this 34-year-old moron ran onto the field AFTER ANNOUNCING HE WAS GOING TO DO IT ON TWITTER. At least they got their moment in the sun — and this video game.

YouTube: Phillies Fan Runs Onto Field, Gets Tased

Byrd's play in right field was the first time a right fielder threw out a runner at second for an All-Star force-out since 1957... Lou Piniella mourned the loss of Yankees' iconic owner George Steinbrenner yesterday, saying "George was like a father to me"... Looks like Fergie Jenkins saved a local man's life... Which team has the worst broadcasters in the game, according to GQ magazine? Hint: "He gone!"

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