For the second consecutive season, two former La Crosse Loggers will face off against each other as starters in the MLB All-Star game tonight.
For the American League, Chris Sale (above, right) gets the start for the Boston Red Sox. The 29-year-old played for the Loggers back in 2008.
In the National League, pitching for the home team, Washington Nationals starter Max Scherzer gets the nod. He played for La Crosse back in 2004.
At a press last year before the all-star game, they talked briefly about their summers in La Crosse. Go to 14:40 (or -13:31 on video below) or watch the abbreviated clip here.
“He and I both played in the same summer league team, up in La Crosse,” Sale said, with Scherzer sitting next to him. “So, that’s been pretty interesting too. So we’ve had some ties for awhile.”
“I guess we’re representing the La Crosse Loggers pretty well,” Scherzer added, as the two laughed.
Loggers general manager Chris Goodell has said, of the 19-year-old Scherzer that summer in La Crosse: “His first fastball popped the mitt at about 96 and everybody kind of sat back and said, ‘This is a little different. This is something special.'”
Scherzer was 2-1 with a 1.91 ERA his summer with the Loggers. The 33-year-old had 50 strikeouts in just 33 innings.
Sale was 2-3 in 17 appearances. The 20-year-old struck out 74 in 53 innings with La Crosse.
Loggers owner Dan Kapanke and Goodell, of course, bring up the two pitchers when recruiting.
“Certainly we allude to these guys, because if you’re wondering, ‘Can you come through here, to the Northwoods League and make it all the way to the peak and pinnacle of the major league baseball game?” Kapanke said back when Scherzer struck out 20 on 119 pitches (96 for strikes) back in 2016. “Yeah, you absolutely can because we’ve seen it happen, and you’re watching it happen, right now.
“So, absolutely, we hang our hats on those guys.”
