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07/14/2008 11:34 PM ET
Maybin among the missing All-Stars
Callups, Futures Game keep some from Five County Stadium
By Tim Britton / MLB.com
Ivan DeJesus was among a handful who missed the All-Star Game to play in the Futures Game. (Danny Wild/MLB.com)

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ZEBULON, N.C. -- Instead of the typical Home Run Derby before the game, the Southern League hosted an All-Star Game featuring players from the Miracle League of the Triangle, a league for school-aged children with special needs.

Southern League All-Stars helped out on the field for the one-inning game, which ended in a 14-14 tie.

"It's special to be around these kids," said South Division manager Billy Gardner Jr. of the Montgomery Biscuits. "You don't really appreciate what you have until you talk to these kids. They're great to be around and you make a couple new friends. It's worth it."

Carolina Mudcats owner Steve Bryant said the idea developed from his relationship with some of the Miracle League's sponsors.

"We just thought this was better than a home run contest because it means so much to the kids," Bryant said. "The players won't ever forget tonight. It just shows you that anyone can love baseball."

Bryant said some of the All-Stars were a bit apprehensive before the game. Carolina's Chris Coghlan admitted he didn't know how it would go, but the night's Star of Stars called it a "once-in-a-lifetime" experience.

"It was great to be able to share that and see how much joy they got out of that," Coghlan said. "And then after that, we get to play the game afterwards in front of the home crowd. It couldn't have been better."

Mudcats relish host role: Monday marked the first time Five County Stadium hosted the Southern League All-Star Game since 1997, two years before the facility underwent extensive renovations.

"It's great for the community, it supports baseball so much," Bryant said. "It's a good time to show off our stadium and all the new stuff we have here. We're really excited about it, especially with the amount of talent on the field."

The 1997 All-Star Game was an exhibition contest between Southern League All-Stars and the Seattle Mariners.

"These fans are really good fans," he said. "To see all these good players, it happens maybe once every 10 years, if you're lucky."

The threat of rain after earlier showers prevented the Mudcats from selling out the stadium. Announced attendance was 5,667, 833 short of the stadium's 6,500 seat capacity.

Maybin misses game: One of those really good players the fans regularly see in Carolina is star outfielder Cameron Maybin. He was slated to start the game in center field but was placed on the disabled list July 6 with an injured back.

Maybin was one of several players initially selected to the game who could not play. Mudcats teammate Chris Volstad was recently called up by the Florida Marlins.

Some other big names did not participate because they were selected to play in the All-Star Futures Game, played Sunday at Yankee Stadium. The league's leading hitter, Huntsville Stars third baseman Mat Gamel, was in New York over the weekend along with former teammate Matt LaPorta, who was traded last week to the Cleveland Indians organization.

Jacksonville Suns shortstop Ivan DeJesus also played in the Futures Game for the World Team.

Tim Britton is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.