There's your All-Star Week Most Valuable Player if they only gave out such an award. Justin Morneau not only won the State Farm Home Run Derby on Monday night, but then he slid before the tag to score the walk-off winning run in the 15th inning of one of the greatest All-Star Games ever played. Congrats to Justin.

Joe Mauer started an All-Star Game behind the plate for the first time thanks to all those Twins Territory supporters who pushed him past Jason Varitek in the final weeks of the Monster 2008 All-Star Game Online Ballot. He walked his first time up and then reached first on an infield single before giving way to pinch-runner Ian Kinsler. Congrats to Joe.

Joe Nathan was one of those relievers who Terry Francona almost wished he could have kept on the mound a lot longer. He was the sixth of all 12 American League pitchers used, replacing Justin Duchscherer from the A's for the seventh inning. Ryan Braun went down swinging, and then Nate McLouth and Russell Martin each flied out to Grady Sizemore in center. Perfect inning. Sound familiar, Twins fans? Congrats to Joe.

It was an unforgettable week, seeing Harmon Killebrew, Rod Carew and St. Paul native Paul Molitor in their Red Carpet Parade trucks flowing up Sixth Avenue for more than a million spectators, seeing Morneau beat Josh Hamilton and then graciously praise the Rangers' slugger for that record performance, seeing the Hall of Fame Celebration during All-Star introductions, and then seeing the three Twins representatives play such big roles in another Midsummer Classic that will not only be remembered but might have just given your Twins HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE at the Metrodome this October!

During the introduction of the reserves.

 

Sheryl Crow and photos of Joe Nathan and Joe Mauer before the pregame started.

Here is a photo of Twins legend and Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew talking with two of today's All-Stars Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau.

Harmon told Mauer, "Do us proud tonight."

A look down 6th Avenue...

 

Justin Morneau and his fiance...

 

Joe Nathan and his family...

Joe Mauer...

    Not a great picture, but here's Hall of Famer Rod Carew...

 

Hall of Famer and St. Paul native Paul Molitor

The next big All-Star event is the MLB All-Star Game Red Carpet Show presented by Chevrolet. The event starts in about 15 minutes (1 p.m. ET) and lasts until approximately 3 p.m.

Here is a picture of the Red Carpet...

The Minnesota Twins are only a "small ball" team?  I think not.   The Twins demonstrated they have two of the greatest power hitters in the big leagues yesterday in competitions held as part of the All-Star Game festivities.  First, Twins mascot T.C. became for four-time mascot home run hitting champion by launching massive blasts into unsuspecting fans wandering about at FanFest.   Thusly inspired by his furry teammate, Justin Morneau then became the Home Run Derby champion before a capacity crowd at Yankee Stadium and millions watching on television.  

It was a glorious evening in the Bronx for the Home Run Derby.    The event is a very popular part of the All-Star Game festivities - perhaps even more so than the game itself.   And the show put on by Josh Hamilton in the first round was, quite frankly, awe inspiring.  His home runs had the hang time of a Michael Jordan jump shot and some went so high I thought they might bounce off the Goodyear Blimp that floated overhead.   Each blast seemed to go higher and farther than the last.  Those of us who watch Justin Morneau play every day know he's a tremendous player too often underappreciated on the national scene.   It's too bad that his Derby win has been so overshadowed by Hamilton.   Justin's never going to be the most popular guy in Yankee Stadium because he beat out Derek Jeter for the MVP Award in 2006.  But he's one of the best in the game and he made Minnesota proud on Monday night. 

Over a million fans are expected to line 6th Avenue in Manhattan this afternoon for the All-Star Red Carpet Parade featuring the All-Star players and Hall of Famers.  I'm going to try to be one of them.   If I can survive Times Square on a Saturday night I should be able to weasel my way into a spot along the route.  Then it's off to the All-Star Preview Party on Randall Island before heading back to the stadium for tonight's contest.   My pick for the MVP?  Somebody wearing a Twins jersey with the initials "J.M."

Here is the transcript from tonight's post-Home Run Derby press conference...

Home Run Derby Press Conference.pdf

Justin Morneau and hitting coach Joe Vavra