Kauffman Stadium was packed for the All-Star Game long before the first pitch and the fans, needless to say, were in fine spirits.

The 2012 MLB All-Star FanFest had something for everyone: Young fans and older ones, the diehard baseball aficionado and the casual enthusiast.

The 2012 MLB All-Star FanFest had something for everyone: Young fans and older ones, the diehard baseball aficionado and the casual enthusiast.

The American League All-Star team got a pregame pep talk Tuesday from George Brett, a Royals legend and first-ballot Hall of Famer.

The American League All-Star team got a pregame pep talk Tuesday from George Brett, a Royals legend and first-ballot Hall of Famer.

MLB.com's Paul Hagen has been nominated by the Baseball Writers' Association of America for its prestigious J.G. Taylor Spink Award, the association announced at its annual All-Star Game meeting on Tuesday.

MLB.com's Paul Hagen has been nominated by the Baseball Writers' Association of America for its prestigious J.G. Taylor Spink Award, the association announced at its annual All-Star Game meeting on Tuesday.

Steve Palermo is no stranger to baseball's big events, despite the fact that 21 years have passed since he was last on the field as a Major League umpire.

In the words of one of the more than 40,000 fans who made it happen on Tuesday, Kauffman Stadium was a “living, breathing flag” for the 83rd All-Star Game.

For most people attending the All-Star festivities, Monday was Gatorade All-Star Workout Day. Not for this reporter.

Mets pitcher Dillon Gee was hospitalized Tuesday with numbness in the fingers of his right hand, and a subsequent angiogram revealed a clot in a right shoulder artery. The Mets plan to place Gee on the disabled list before resuming play Friday, in a move riddled with myriad short- and long-term roster implications.

If Major League Baseball gets really lucky, Bryce Harper and Mike Trout will be compared to one another the way Magic Johnson and Larry Bird once were.

Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig suggested Tuesday that a change in the selection process for participants for the State Farm Home Run Derby will be given serious consideration.

Commissioner Bud Selig suggested Tuesday that the use of instant replay will be expanded, but not by much. The expansion will cover balls hit down the foul lines and trapped balls on outfield plays. But the Commissioner made it clear that he wasn't open to further expansion.

Kansas City hosted the annual All-Star Red Carpet Show presented by Chevrolet. A red carpet stretched half a mile from the corner of Ward Parkway and Wornall Road to Nichols Road and Central Street.

Kansas City hosted the annual All-Star Red Carpet Show presented by Chevrolet. A red carpet stretched half a mile from the corner of Ward Parkway and Wornall Road to Nichols Road and Central Street.

Accompanied by agent Dave Stewart, a pitcher with few equals in his time, Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp paid his respects at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum on Tuesday afternoon.