2008 MLB All-Star Game

The day before the Midsummer Classic, multi-platinum rock band 3 Doors Down will perform a two-song set prior to the start of the State Farm® Home Run Derby, which will be televised live on July 14th on ESPN at 8:00 p.m. (EDT)."

I like 'Kryptonite.' One of my favorite songs.
 
Ramy, I just checked my local sports media source and he said that he thinks that SI may have jumped the gun on this announcement and usually, this is a decision not made until right before All-Star weekend. I’d expect an official announcement later in the week.

ESPN has the starting pitchers listed as AL's Cliff Lee and NL's Edison Volquez.

ESPN - ESPN's picks to start the All-Star Game - MLB
 
All Star Week!

Today marks the first day's events for the '08 MLB All-Star Game at historic Yankee Stadium!

2008 Home Run Derby

The eight players who will participate in Monday's Home Run Derby at Yankee Stadium (8 p.m. ET, ESPN):


  • 1. Lance Berkman, Astros
  • 2. Ryan Braun, Brewers
  • 3. Josh Hamilton, Rangers
  • 4. Evan Longoria, Rays
  • 5. Justin Morneau, Twins
  • 6. Grady Sizemore, Indians
  • 7. Dan Uggla, Marlins
  • 8. Chase Utley, Phillies
*Personally, I find it inexcusable that no Yankee will be entering the contest. This is after all the last All-Star game to be played in historic Yankee Stadium!
 
The Decline of the National League

They play the same game. They pick from the same pool of players. For some reason, though, they don't get the same results.

By just about every measure, the 16 teams in Major League Baseball's National League are inferior to the 14 in the American League. The AL has won 11 of the last 16 World Series, including three of the last four. The annual All-Star Game, to be played Tuesday, has practically become a farce: Not counting a 2002 tie, the AL has won 10 straight..........

Good column from the WSJ. Click> HERE to read the rest.
 
AL Batting Order

1. Ichiro
2. Jeter
3. Hamilton
4. A-Rod
5. Ramirez
6. Bradley
7. Youkilis
8. Mauer
9. Pedroia

P- Cliff Lee
 
NL Batting Order



1. Ramirez
2. Utley
3. Berkman
4. Pujols (DH)
5. Jones
6. Holliday
7. Braun
8. Fukudome
9. Soto
 
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Still find it hard to believe than Ryan Howard (who leads the majors in homers) is not playing in the Midsummer Classic, yet Fukodone and Soto are??
 
Still find it hard to believe than Ryan Howard (who leads the majors in homers) is not playing in the Midsummer Classic, yet Fukodone and Soto are??

Howard has 129 strikeouts so far! That is tops in baseball. His punishment SHOULD be to sit out for this one. BTW, Howard is well on his way to beating his old record for most strikeouts in a single season set by himself! (199 in '07).
 
You are correct Bill. This time, the starters were made final by the MLB. All the Volquez/Webb speculations proved to be wrong.


Yeah, I've seen Sheets, Volquez, Lincecum, and Webb all listed as the probable starter on different outlets. IMO, Lee was a no-brainer all the way for the AL.
 
Howard has 129 strikeouts so far! That is tops in baseball. His punishment SHOULD be to sit out for this one. BTW, Howard is well on his way to beating his old record for most strikeouts in a single season set by himself! (199 in '07).

I understand your point of view, but there are many undeserving All-Stars:

Examples- Fukudome, Soto, Varitek.
 
Today marks the first day's events for the '08 MLB All-Star Game at historic Yankee Stadium!

2008 Home Run Derby

The eight players who will participate in Monday's Home Run Derby at Yankee Stadium (8 p.m. ET, ESPN):


  • 1. Lance Berkman, Astros
  • 2. Ryan Braun, Brewers
  • 3. Josh Hamilton, Rangers
  • 4. Evan Longoria, Rays
  • 5. Justin Morneau, Twins
  • 6. Grady Sizemore, Indians
  • 7. Dan Uggla, Marlins
  • 8. Chase Utley, Phillies
*Personally, I find it inexcusable that no Yankee will be entering the contest. This is after all the last All-Star game to be played in historic Yankee Stadium!


Personally, I love it that no Yankee or Red Sox will be entering the contest.

Will ESPN still carry it? ;)
 
Personally, I love it that no Yankee or Red Sox will be entering the contest.

Will ESPN still carry it? ;)
That's good news for Sox fans. Some players are under the impression that participating in the HR Derby may have screwed up their swing for the second half of the season. While this may or may not be true, Bobby Abreu's monster '05 Derby was followed by a mediocre second half...

Abreu hit a record 41 home runs in the 2005 contest at Detroit's Comerica Park. His second half of the season saw a massive drop-off as he fell from 18 home runs, or one every 17.9 at-bats, before the contest to six home runs, or one every 44.2 at-bats, afterward. The then-Philadelphia Phillie emerged from the break with 80 consecutive plate appearances without a home run.

But it wasn't just the power that went for Abreu, who has since said the contest affected his swing in the games themselves. He followed a .955 OPS in the first half of the season with a .787 mark after the All-Star break.

Sluggers can't blame Derby for second-half power outage
 
Still find it hard to believe than Ryan Howard (who leads the majors in homers) is not playing in the Midsummer Classic, yet Fukodone and Soto are??

Fukudome and Soto were voted in by the fans, and Soto's hitting .288 with 16 HR and 56 RBI at catcher.
He's very deserving.

Ryan Howard has been hitting .340 in July to raise his average to .234 at first base. He was hitting .218 on July 1 when most of the All-Star decisions were made.
The other NL first basemen are:
Berkman (.347, 22 HR, 73 RBI, 15 SB)
Pujols (.350, 18 HR, 50 RBI)
Gonzalez (.276, 22 HR, 71 RBI)

Gonzalez is the lone Padre and plays in the toughest hitters park.
Howard plays in the easiest park for homers.

You can't take four first basemen.