SAN DIEGO — In the hours leading up to first pitch, it looked like Brandon Belt might miss out on his “once in a lifetime” opportunity to play in the All-Star Game.
Players spent Tuesday morning riding in the bed of pickup trucks down the streets of San Deigo, navigating the annual All-Star Game parade. No Belt. Players spent Tuesday afternoon taking inventory on their new All-Star gear, signing what looked to be 8-10 dozen balls and memorabilia items. No Belt. Players spent the minutes before batting practice taking a team picture. No Belt.
Finally, just as the National League just began batting practice, Belt emerged from the dugout.
“Hey guys,” Belt said. “I’m here.”
The Giants first baseman landed the last NL All-Star spot, beating out four other candidates in the Final Vote. He spent the week alternating “cool” and “awesome” to describe his excitement for his first All-Star game. Then he woke up Tuesday morning with a stomach virus, and his day flipped upside down.
Manager Terry Collins was told that Belt woke up ill and wasn’t sure about his availability. Belt said he is available, and for Giants fans who remember Tim Lincecum missing the 2008 All-Star Game with “flu-like symptoms,” Belt wasn’t out partying on Monday night.
“We cooked out,” Belt said. “I even went to bed early.”
Belt doesn’t know when he’ll play, but two of his teammates will be out there for the first pitch. Johnny Cueto will throw the game’s first two innings, both to Buster Posey. The Giants catcher will play four innings, and is likely to catch Jose Fernandez and Drew Pomeranz after Cueto departs.
It’s Posey’s fourth All-Star game, but the task doesn’t get easier catching guys he never has before.
“It is a challenge,” Posey said. “You have to trust your instincts as much as anything. There’s no way around it. The more you work with a guy, usually the better it is. You just go and do it, try and have as much fun with it as possible.”
He caught Fernandez in the 2013 All-Star Game, and has spent more than 117 innings behind the plate this season with Cueto throwing to him. Posey said he doesn’t have anything different or special planned with Cueto, “but Johnny might,” he said with a smile across his face.
“We just keep it simple,” Posey said of catching in the All-Star Game. “That’s the man thing. I tell the guys, ‘Throw what you want to throw. Shake to whatever you want.’”
***
Buster Posey is excited about his new gear. “It’s the Tin Man look,” he said.
Buster Posey’s sparkling All-Star cleats. “I’m gonna look real fast stealing a base in these tonight.” pic.twitter.com/nBTLdfdDyx
— Connor Grossman (@connorgrossman) July 12, 2016