Our blue sphere has made one revolution round the sun, and in the words of James Joyce, “by a commodious vicus of recirculation back to” today, July 12, 2012, Martin and I have thus officially completed one year in print—between covers (and in electronic form, even on our Paper Anniversary). However, there was little celebrating in the baseball universe yesterday, as the Major League All-Star Game quickly devolved into a snooze thanks in large measure to the uncharacteristically (?) poor pitching of Justin Verlander. Not only did the American League lose their third straight All-Star Game (handing over five earned runs in the first inning), but former A.L. outfielder (Yankees and Royals) Melky Cabrera was awarded Most Valuable Player honors on the National League side. (While circling the bases, like an indifferent planet orbiting the pitcher’s mound, Melky hesitated a moment and even seemed perplexed when former teammate and best-buddy, second-baseman Robinson Cano, would not shake hands in passing. Good grief.) Incidentally, A.L. manager Ron Washington would not yank Verlander: as it is said in the UK, such would be bad form. With the unfortunate All-Star Game rule dictating home-field advantage in the World Series, Washington may find himself holding the fuzzy end of the lollipop (cf. Marilyn Monroe, Some Like It Hot) come postseason—as he did in 2010 and 2011—when the Giants and then the Cardinals had home-field advantage versus Washington’s Texas Rangers. (Adding “meaning” to the All-Star Game, an exhibition largely drawn from fan vote, is, once again: Bad Form.)