No Barry = good game

As baseball fans from Long Island to Long Beach know, the final All Star game at Yankee Stadium was held Tuesday night.

This blog was written before the first ceremonial pitch was thrown — even before the first commercial was aired. But the game was a smashing success.

How did I know that? Simple: No Barry Bonds.

Last year’s All Star game in San Francisco was hijacked by BALCO Barry.

What should have been a celebration of the game’s finest turned into a long and nauseating tribute to the hometown “hero” and his quest for Hank Aaron’s home run record.

It was bad. Really bad.

Fortunately, there was no Barryfest this year.

The surly, foul-mouthed slugger remains unsigned midway through the season. You know he hates that, and I squirm with glee knowing that he hates that.

If there is a God, Bonds will remain unsigned for the rest of time.

(Note to God: I know You are there. That’s just an expression we use down here on Earth.)

Periodically, the baseball world is set atwitter with rumors that some desperate club will sign Bonds, probably an American League team that needs a designated hitter.

I’m hoping it won’t happen, but I’m resigned to suspecting that it might.

But if we can get through three more months without Barry in uniform, we are probably rid of that cheater forever.

It’s even less likely that some team would sign him next year after he sat out this year. And there’s the even juicier chance that Barry will be convicted of lying under oath.

Think of it — Barry out of baseball and in a prison.

If there is a God, it will happen.

(Note to God. See 10th paragraph above.)