CINCINNATI — A.J. Burnett sat at his table during the National League media session Monday wearing a white T-shirt that showed off his tattooed arms, his hair styled in a faux hawk similar to the 'do worn by one of his sons standing nearby.
The old man of this All-Star Game fit right in with a pretty young crowd.
"When I came up I would talk to the older guys. I never thought I'd be one of those guys," the 38-year-old Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher said.
- PHOTO GALLERY: Buccos enjoying the 2015 All-Star Game
"It's special to be the guy who's been there and done that. When I first came up there was one or two young guys and a lot of older guys. That's how the game's changed. Now there are one or two older guys and a lot of young guys," he said.
After baseball spent two years of saying goodbye to longtime superstars Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter, the All-Star gathering in Cincinnati is dominated by some dynamic, fresh faces who are transforming the game.
Burnett, along with the Angels' Albert Pujols, the Yankees' Mark Teixeira, St. Louis' injured outfielder Matt Holliday and Seattle's Nelson Cruz, represent the 35-plus set. In comparison, there are 20 players 25 and younger among 76 All-Stars.
The rough-edged Burnett's trip to the Midsummer Classic is even sweeter because it's his first selection to an All-Star squad -- in his 17th and final season.
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The lanky right-hander who had been known to pout on the mound and be difficult with media and coaches returned to Pittsburgh after an 8-18 season with Philadelphia, his worst as a pro. And he's gone 7-3 with a 2.11 ERA.
"When I was younger I didn't know who A.J. was," he said. "Now that I know more, I can handle those things I've learned that I can't control."
His leadership on the field and off it has been invaluable to the growth of several of his young teammates, including fellow All-Star pitcher Gerrit Cole.
"He's just a tremendous teammate. He's got an edge about him. He's got a competitiveness that he brings to the clubhouse, brings to the team. It's been fantastic," the 24-year-old Cole said. "He's a big kid, actually."
Cole, a new All-Star at age 24, hopes to bring the Pirates their first title since 1979. He's just two years removed from bringing the veterans balls and gloves out to the field every day during spring training and proving his worth to teammates with a different kind of pitch.
"We'd sing a lot of songs on the bus," he said. "My voice has gotten better — my pitch probably not so much."
Production on the field. Personality off it. That's what baseball's bosses are looking for.
Pirates closer Mark Melancon has been documenting his experience at the 2015 All-Star Game in social media.
https://twitter.com/Mark_Melancon_/status/620500318086950912
https://twitter.com/Mark_Melancon_/status/620680380945944580
https://twitter.com/Mark_Melancon_/status/620775183276732416
https://twitter.com/Mark_Melancon_/status/620875141552148480