Looking back on the 2009 All-Star Game

A lot can change in 10 years. That’s certainly true in baseball, as the game constantly evolves and players fight to stay on top in a grinding sport that makes longevity a challenge.

The All-Star Game has changed as well. In the 10 years that have passed since 2009, MLB has removed the rule that tied home-field advantage in the World Series to the outcome of the Midsummer Classic. A new Starters Election format also was put in place this year, with two rounds of voting -- the latter completed Thursday -- used to determine the starting position players.

• 2019 All-Star Game starters named

With the 2019 All-Star Game presented by Mastercard set for July 9 at Cleveland’s Progressive Field, it’s been a decade since the 2009 edition took place at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. The American League beat the National League, 4-3, extending its winning streak to seven, after an ‘02 tie, and its unbeaten streak to 13.

Here are 10 reasons to remember that ‘09 Midsummer Classic 10 years later.

1) Stan the Man was in the house
The pregame festivities at Busch Stadium included President Barack Obama, who threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Albert Pujols. But it was the man who delivered the ball to Obama who was the star of the show. Cardinals icon and baseball legend Stan Musial, who spent each of his 22 seasons in St. Louis, was driven from the right-field corner to near home plate as the Busch Stadium crowd -- and both All-Star squads -- showered him with a warm ovation. Obama then appeared (clad in a White Sox jacket) to greet Musial and take the ball.

2) From ASG to HOF
It’s almost certain that the 2009 All-Star rosters featured numerous future Hall of Famers, including Derek Jeter, Pujols, Ichiro Suzuki and Justin Verlander. But for now, there are two, and both will be enshrined in Cooperstown this July, soon after the All-Star break. One was the late Roy Halladay, who started for the AL in the middle of his final season with the Blue Jays, allowing three runs (two earned) in two innings. The other was Mariano Rivera, who retired the side in order to protect a one-run AL lead in the bottom of the ninth. It was the Rivera’s record-breaking fourth All-Star Game save.

3) A decade of Pence
There were 72 All-Stars in 2009, including those who were selected, but could not participate due to injury or other factors. Of those, 20 have hung around long enough to play at least one Major League game in 2019, including five of the 18 starters. But the only one of those 72 to be voted in as a starter this year is Hunter Pence. Back in 2009, Pence made his first All-Star team, as a reserve, but did not get into the game. Ten years later, the 36-year-old is enjoying a resurgent season, reviving his career after signing a Minor League deal with the Rangers. On Thursday, he was announced as the AL starter at designated hitter.

4) St. Louis loves Albert
Anyone who saw Pujols return to St. Louis for the first time as a member of the Angels this past weekend knows that Cardinals fans appreciate the man who starred for their team for 11 years. In 2009, Pujols had not yet departed as a free agent and got to soak up the adulation of his home crowd at the Midsummer Classic. Along with catcher Yadier Molina, he was one of two Cardinals to start the game for the NL.

5) A couple of managerial greats -- as coaches
The All-Star Game managers that year were Joe Maddon (Rays) in the AL and Charlie Manuel (Phillies) in the NL; Philly beat Tampa Bay in the previous season’s World Series. While Maddon has gone on to win more than 1,200 games as a manager, and Manuel finished with exactly 1,000 victories, it was the rest of the NL staff that had the biggest names. The coaches included Tony La Russa (Cardinals) and Joe Torre (Dodgers), who now rank third and fifth, respectively, on the all-time wins list, with a combined 5,054.

6) A different sort of game
The 2009 Midsummer Classic was the type of game one rarely sees in MLB these days, as the two teams combined for just eight total strikeouts and hit zero home runs. While it remains to be seen how the 2019 edition will play out, a wild 2018 All-Star Game in Washington, D.C., featured 25 strikeouts and 10 homers.

7) Crawford leaps to MVP honors
The 2009 All-Star Game was tied 3-3 going into the bottom of the seventh when the NL’s Brad Hawpe led off against Jonathan Papelbon by driving a deep fly ball to left field. AL reserve Carl Crawford, who had singled as a pinch-hitter in the top of the fifth and then remained in the game to play defense, raced back to the wall and made a well-timed leap. By snatching Hawpe’s drive and taking away an extra-base hit, and perhaps a homer, Crawford helped keep the game tied and set up an eventual AL victory. That defensive highlight earned him the game’s MVP Award.

8) The Grandy Man could
It may not be easy to remember now that Curtis Granderson is hanging on as a 38-year-old with the Marlins, but he was a master of the three-bagger early in his career. Granderson led the AL with 23 triples in 2007 and 13 in ‘08, and his total of 70 between 2006-11 ranked second in the Majors to Jose Reyes. He put that talent on display in his first All-Star appearance in ‘09, racing around for a triple on a fly ball to the left-field wall in the eighth, then coming in to score what proved to be the winning run on Adam Jones’ sacrifice fly.

9) A star turn for a journeyman
In 2019, the story of Edwin Jackson has centered around the right-hander appearing for his 14th team (the Blue Jays), surpassing Octavio Dotel for the all-time record. But in 2009, Jackson was on only his third team, the Tigers, and earned his only All-Star berth, while going 13-9 with a 3.62 ERA. Not only did Jackson get to St. Louis -- where two years later he earned a World Series ring with team No. 6 -- but he tossed a 1-2-3 fifth inning by retiring Molina, Ryan Zimmerman and Hanley Ramirez.

10) Remember him?
Many All-Stars from 2009 are obvious -- players who have been among the most prominent in the game since the turn of the century. But Jackson wasn’t the only one who might come as something of a surprise 10 years after making his only All-Star appearance. For example, Aaron Hill started at second base for the AL, during a season in which he smacked a career-high 36 home runs for Toronto. Jason Bartlett, a slick-fielding Rays shortstop in the midst of a career year at the plate, subbed in for Jeter at shortstop. Other first-and-only-timers included pitchers Chad Billingsley (Dodgers) and Ryan Franklin (Cardinals), outfielder Hawpe (Rockies), and third baseman Brandon Inge (Tigers).

Pitchers and reserves are being named on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.