It was another MLB All-Star Game Tuesday night ... and another time for me to watch another episode of Hogan’s Heroes or Andy Griffith.

I took a peek late in the game and was attracted until ninth inning ended — even though the Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber won the MVP with three homers in a swing-off.

To me, the game has certainly lost its flavor and pizazz. That initially was because of the rise of cable and streaming services that allows you to watch your team or teams, as well as the rest of baseball every night.

Over the past few years, there also have been the awkward tie breakers (a home-run swing-off last night?) and dugout interviews, inducing a large dose of reality TV. Pat MacAfee’s presence at the Home Run Derby and pregame didn’t help.

Let’s face it. Most of us would have liked to watch some extra innings instead of the presumed sell to the public.

Being a baseball purist, I’ll take one of vintage 70s, 80, or even 90s games any day over the past 20 years of doctored games.

Give baseball credit, though, for restoring the team uniforms instead of the collection of horrid, multicolored, sponsored ones.

In this version of my Behind the Plate column, I’ll take a look at some All-Star issues, some Phillies dilemmas, and some historical highlights.

All-Star Low ... In the first year Nielsen rating were kept in 1967, the game pulled a 25.6 share or more than 14 million viewers on NBC. That jumped to 25.8 the following year and attracted about 14.4 million.

The game’s popularity continued to soar, and it climbed to a record high in 1970 (see below). It stayed on a steady ascent throughout the 80s and 90s. Its last double-digit stint was in 2001 at 11.0.

Since then, however, the game has been on a spiraling descent, sinking to a 3.8 rating and a little over six million last year.

Ranger’s Watching ... One of the pressing questions for the Phillies at the “break” is the status of pitcher Ranger Suarez, who has a 7-3, 2.15, 78 strikeout, 1.06 WHIP mark. He certainly had a case to be an All-Star when Zack Wheeler bowed out.

After shaking off some injuries, Suarez has a 1.36 ERA in his last 10 starts. He was 4-0 in May and 3-2 in June.

The 29-year-old lefty can hit the free agent market, and easily command north of $25 million per year.

Early returns among pundits have the Phillies not signing Suarez, and concentrating their efforts on their bullpen and outfield (also see below).

It will be a second-half watch for Suarez to see if the Phillies decide to keep him.

Aaron’s Absent ... Aaron Nola is expected to return to the club sometime in mid-August. He recently was placed on the 60-day disabled list as his twisted ankle went to a fractured rib.

Yet, his timeline is apparently yet to be determined. He is in the second year of a seven-year, $172 million deal. Aside from his 1-7, 6.16 slate this season, the 32-year-old has an overall 105-86 record with a 3.78 ERA in 277 games.

Nola’s only other injury stint was in 2017 when he missed roughly a month with a lower back strain.

When the Phils signed him to the long-term deal, there was plenty of speculation. Now, they’ll have to see how he recovers.

His contract makes it difficult to consider trading him, and Suarez’s situation will make it an interesting end of the season and offseason.

The Hit ... It was 55 years ago Monday that Pete Rose made the hit heard all around baseball.

In the 1970 All-Star Game, Rose barreled over Cleveland catcher Ray Fosse at the plate to score the winning run in the 12th inning for a 6-5 National League victory in front of his home fans at Riverfront Stadium.

To this day, it is one of the game’s greatest plays. And Fosse, as you probably know, was never the same player. He suffered a fractured and separated shoulder on the play.

Fosse never matched his 18-homer, 61-RBI, .307 season. He did hit 12 homers the following year with a .276 average, and was out of baseball five years later.

More 1970 ... In the 1970 All-Star Game, there were 22 Hall of Famers. It looked like a good collection of baseball cards.

They were: Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Johnny Bench, Willie McCovey, Roberto Clemente, Rod Carew, Brooks Robinson, Carl Yastrzemski, Reggie Jackson, Al Kaline, Harmon Killebrew, Jim Palmer, Tom Seaver, Steve Carlton, Ferguson Jenkins, Juan Marichal, Willie Stargell, Lou Brock, Ron Santo, Luis Aparicio and Frank Robinson.

Earl Weaver and Sparky Anderson, both also Hall of Famers, managed the teams.

You can someday make it 23 when Rose finally gets elected.

Who was the lone Phillie selected to the NL squad? It was sidearm lefty reliever Joe Hoerner, who arguably had his best season in his 14-year run with a 9-5 record and a 2.65 ERA and nine saves.

The 1970 Phillies finished with a 73-88 record under Frank Lucchesi. Rick Wise was 13-14 with a 4.17 ERA, and Tony Taylor hit .301.

This game was one of the classics in the last 55 years. Seaver and Palmer were the respective starters.

Seaver allowed one hit over the first three innings with four strikeouts, while Palmer also allowed one hit with three strikeouts in the same amount of frames.

At the time, the 1970 game earned a Nielsen rating of 28.5, the highest ever for the game.

You Said It ... In a recent Times News Lehighton Facebook poll, the question was posed whether or not the Phillies should get rid of left fielder Max Kepler, who was hitting .210 at the break.

Apparently, most of you believe it is time for the Phils to send the former Twin packing.

According to the numbers, 78 percent want to see Kepler pack his bags, while 22 percent believe he should be a mainstay in the outfield.

Slatington’s Chris Hausman believes the Phillies should recall Justin Crawford from the IronPigs. Crawford was hitting .331 with two homers, 29 RBIs, 18 doubles, and 29 stolen bases.

Maybe it is time.

Mad Max ... Kepler has hit .261 in July, but he has hit just .186 since May. He has 10 homersand 31 RBIs.

The Phils signed him to a one-year deal, and they hoped for a change of scenery revival for Kepler, who hit .237 overall in 10 Twins seasons. In case you missed it, Kepler was pinch-hit for against a right-hander late in the game last Saturday, and he sat out Sunday’s game.

It’s likely the Phils will be working the phones in the next two weeks for a replacement, and also taking a long look at Crawford. With the Mets also likely to be active, the Phils need to get involved.

Current Twin Byron Buxton would be the ideal replacement, and the price tag would be high. Buxton has stated his no-trade clause, and he has a current line of 21 homers, 76 RBIs, .289, 14 doubles, and 17 stolen bases. The 31-year-old is in the fourth year of a seven-year, $100 million deal and is making $15 million this year.

Others possibly on the radar are Cleveland’s Steven Kwan, Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz, Miami’s Jesus Sanchez, and Boston’s Rob Refsnyder.

There’s also in-house replacement Otto Kemp, who’s at .247 with a homer and 11 RBIs in 27 games.

Readers Write

More Suarez/Nola

Dear Jeff,

Nola would be a tough trade because they signed him to a huge contract last year, and he gives up too many home runs. He’s been hurt all year even though it only came out recently.

Ranger is great when he is healthy. Not sure they can afford both, and no one will trade for Nola at this point.

Melissa Hammer Hager

Lehighton

Dear Jeff,

Keep Nola and try to trade Suarez.

Steve Shinko

Catchin’ Up ... Do you know who has the National League record for most home runs by a catcher in a season? If you said Johnny Bench with his 45 in 1970, you really aren’t correct. Technically, Bench hit 38 while behind the plate, and his other seven came from first base.

As far as a pure catcher behind the plate, Atlanta’s Javy Lopez hit 42 in 2003, and the Mets’ Todd Huntley had 41 in 1996 for the National League.

In the American League, Kansas City’s Salvador Perez had a similar situation with is 48 in 2021, but only 33 came from his catching position.

Seattle All-Star Cal Raleigh has hit 38 this season, but he has played 23 games as a DH. I am still looking for the number of homers he has hit in that role this season. Boston’s Carlton Fisk hit 37 in 1985, but I am not sure if they all came from his catcher’s position.

People forget how good Bench was. From 1970-75, he hit 202 homers with 677 RBIs. Overall, Bench hit 389 homers with 1,376 RBIs and hit .267 in 17 seasons with the Reds.

Final Thoughts ... The All-Star game eventually tuned into a good one late, and the Mets’ Pete Alonso added to his MVP season with his three-run homer. Alonso has 21 homers, 77 RBIs, and a .280 average, and he could win Comeback Player of the Year and be in the running for MVP.

Your thoughts are always welcomed and will be published; email them to tnsports@tnonline.com.