MINNEAPOLIS – There are 750 active player jobs in Major League Baseball at any one time. Of those, 68, or nine-percent, were on the active rosters for the 85th edition of the All-Star Game on Tuesday night at Target Field. Blue Jays rightfielder Jose Bautista participated in his fifth Midsummer Classic and fifth in a row. While some players look for ways to excuse themselves from the festivities, choosing instead to take a four-day break from the daily grind of the six-month season, Bautista relishes the opportunity to be front and centre on one of the sports biggest stages. "Nothing gets old, everythings the same, you get to enjoy everything every single time," said Bautista. "Theres always different stuff going on and new and different, exciting players. Im excited to see those new names like Jose Abreu and Mike Trout. I know (Trouts) been here before but hes one of the younger guys that are part of this event so theres always great stuff to see and enjoy so I dont complain whatsoever. Always proud and humbled to be chosen." Bautista, for the second time, was the leading vote-getter, netting almost six million votes. He doesnt take the responsibility lightly. His itinerary in Minneapolis was jam-packed. If he was weary, he wasnt letting on but regardless, there would be hardly any rest. Bautista arrived via private jet on Sunday night, flying in from Tampa Bay, where his Blue Jays had just finished a series with the Rays. He went to his hotel, checked in, took enough time to drop off his belongings in his room and then, in a manner of speaking, went to work. First up was a Sunday night MLB.com party for which Bautista played host. He eventually made it to bed and estimated that he got five hours of sleep. There was more to do – much, much more to do – on Monday. Bautista had breakfast on Monday morning. Then, a charitable endeavour; he went to the Boys and Girls Club of the Twin Cities to meet some of the programs children and donate shoes. By one oclock in the afternoon central daylight time, Monday, Bautista had arrived at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Minneapolis. It was media time, including indulging reporters for 45 minutes during the American League players availability, followed by the Home Run Derby press conference. "Basically stressful, Im going to lose a couple of more hairs in this next 48 hours," Bautista told TSN.ca during the availability. "It goes by fast. It feels like right when you get here youre doing one thing after the other. You dont get enough sleep. You always have something to do but you cant help but enjoy it when youre out on the field and playing with stars. I cant complain about it but it is busy." Bautista participated in the Home Run Derby. He was the American Leagues captain. He hit 10 home runs in the first round, received a bye to the semifinals and hit four more. He was defeated by eventual winner, Oaklands Yoenis Cespedes. The Derby behind him, it was back out on the town for a party thrown by Marucci Sports, which has become one of baseballs premier suppliers of equipment like bats, batting gloves, gloves, you name it. Bautista sits on the companys board of directors. The party ended. Bautista estimated he got about six hours of sleep before waking up on Tuesday morning. It was right off to the All-Star parade through downtown Minneapolis and the red carpet which followed. Bautista was in rightfield for five innings, going hitless in two at-bats. He was to fly to Toronto, on a private jet, over the lunch hour on Wednesday. Blue Jays fans concerned Bautista kept too busy in advance of what will be the most important second half of his tenure in Toronto, neednt worry. "I still get two days on Wednesday and Thursday," said Bautista. "Id rather be here then at home relaxing. Its a good signal when you get picked and selected to come here and Im not going to keep complaining. Im going to keep trying to be a contributor to my team and hopefully play good enough to keep getting selected." After all, it wasnt obvious in his early years that Bautista would become the elite player you see today. Hell keep coming to the All-Star Game as long as hes invited. "Maybe if I was somebody like Mike Trout, whos been here since his first year and this would be my 17th year, maybe I wouldnt care about it so much but thats not the case," said Bautista. "I work very hard and somehow manage to be good enough to get selected. I dont think it means that much more but it means about as much as it probably means to every other guy thats here. We value it a lot and its always great to be recognized among the best so Im always humbled and honoured to be here." 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"We just had to keep going, get rid of some of the mistakes, and play the way we need to play." They were efficient, if not overwhelming, which is all they needed to be against the mistake-prone Vikings (1-5). The Giants began the season as the team turning over the ball (minus-16 difference) while showing little penchant for playing defence. But against the Vikings, they had three takeaways to one lost fumble. Peterson, the leagues MVP last season and a 2,000-yard rusher, was held to 28 yards five days after his 2-year-old son was buried in South Dakota. The man accused in the death was indicted on second-degree murder and manslaughter charges, prosecutors said Monday. "It was tough sledding. We couldnt get anything established up front," Peterson said. "I was focused on preparing for the game, unfortunately it didnt work out the way we wanted to. It was tough. The defence made it hard." Peterson was not helped by a rusty Josh Freeman, making his debut as Vikings quarterback after being signed as a free agent when Tampa Bay cut the 2009 first-round draft pick. Freeman frequently missed open receivers, and several of his throws sailed yards beyond his targets. Coach Leslie Frazier said he considered taking out Freeman, but that the score was close enough for him to stick with his new QB. Josh Brown kicked three field goals and Rueben Randle caught a 24-yard TD pass for New York (1-6). "For us, we cant look too much past a win and a step in the right direction," defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins said. "We cant look beyond the next step." Marcus Sherels provided Minnesotas points with an 86-yard punt return, but his fumble without being hit during a runback midway in the third quarter set up New York at the Vikings 3. Peyton Hillis, signed last Wednesday with the Giants in dire need of running backs, surged in from the 1 for a 17-7 lead -- New Yorks biggest in 2013. The lead grew on Browns 23-yard field goal to finish off a 16-play, 75-yard drive, and to 23-7 on his 36-yarder.dddddddddddd Another Vikings mistake handed those points to the Giants: Rookie Sharrif Floyd, a defensive tackle of all things, fumbled at Minnesotas 18 while returning a short kickoff. "We needed to get one on the board," defensive end Justin Tuck said. "I told (general manager) Jerry Reese that I think we have a shovel to start digging our way out of this hole. Hopefully, tonight is something we can build off. Its still a long way to climb out of this hole. But this was something that we could get the ball rolling." The Giants controlled the clock and the ball for most of the opening quarter and led 3-0 when Sherels broke his spectacular punt return -- the third against the Giants this season. He sped down the left sideline virtually untouched, then twice faked out punter Steve Weatherford. By the time Weatherford reached Sherels, it was at the goal line -- where Weatherford brought him down with a horse-collar tackle. Minnesota had a total of 8 yards on punt runbacks heading into Monday night. But Sherels set a team mark with 119. Before Sherels sprint, New York had gone 17 plays and used up the first 9:36, but bogged down at the 16 and Brown made a 35-yard field goal. And one play after Minnesota hurt itself on rookie Xavier Rhodes 23-yard pass interference penalty, Manning threw a laser to a leaping Randle in the left corner of the end zone for a 10-7 lead. It was the first time New York led at halftime all season. The defence held Peterson to 9 yards rushing on eight carries, and he didnt do much more in the second half. Manning, who led the league with 15 interceptions, didnt throw one for the first time all season. And while Freeman was picked only one time, by Antrel Rolle, he looked like someone who hadnt played in more than a month. "A lot of the plays were just a hair off," Freeman said. Freeman finished 20 of 53 for 190 yards. Manning was 23 for 39 for 200 yards. NOTES: Giants centre David Baas, who missed the last three games with a neck injury, returned but soon was sidelined by a knee problem. Hell have an MRI on Tuesday. ... Frazier said there would be MRIs for fullback Rhett Ellison on his left ankle, and halfback Matt Asiata on his shoulder. ... The Giants had given up a league-high 209 points before shutting down Minnesota. ' ' '