2008 MLB All-Star Game

[HD MM]

79th Midsummer Classic at Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY. Tuesday, July 15th

Selections announced...

NL STARTERS
C Geovany Soto CHC
1B Lance Berkman HOU
2B Chase Utley PHI
3B Chipper Jones ATL
SS Hanley Ramirez FLA
OF Ryan Braun MIL
OF Alfonso Soriano CHC
OF Kosuke Fukudome CHC

NL PITCHERS
Aaron Cook COL
Ryan Dempster CHC
Dan Haren ARI
Brad Lidge PHI
Tim Lincecum SF
Ben Sheets MIL
Edinson Volquez CIN
Billy Wagner NYM
Brandon Webb ARI
Brian Wilson SF
Kerry Wood CHC
Carlos Zambrano CHC

NL RESERVES
C Russell Martin LAD
C Brian McCann ATL
1B Adrian Gonzalez SD
1B Albert Pujols STL
2B Dan Uggla FLA
3B Aramis Ramirez CHC
SS Cristian Guzman WAS
SS Miguel Tejada HOU
OF Matt Holliday COL
OF Ryan Ludwick STL
OF Nate McLouth PIT


AL STARTERS
C Joe Mauer MIN
1B Kevin Youkilis BOS
2B Dustin Pedroia BOS
3B Alex Rodriguez NYY
SS Derek Jeter NYY
OF Josh Hamilton TEX
OF Manny Ramirez BOS
OF Ichiro Suzuki SEA
DH David Ortiz BOS

AL PITCHERS
RHP Justin Duchscherer OAK
RHP Roy Halladay TOR
LHP Scott Kazmir TB
LHP Cliff Lee CLE
RHP Joe Nathan MIN
RHP Jonathan Papelbon BOS
RHP Mariano Rivera NYY
RHP Francisco Rodriguez LAA
RHP Ervin Santana LAA
LHP Joe Saunders LAA
RHP George Sherrill BAL
RHP Joakim Soria KC

AL RESERVES
C Dioner Navarro TB
C Jason Varitek BOS
1B Justin Morneau MIN
2B Ian Kinsler TEX
SS Michael Young TEX
3B Joe Crede CWS
3B Carlos Guillen DET
OF J.D. Drew BOS
OF Carlos Quentin CWS
OF Grady Sizemore CLE
DH Milton Bradley TEX

 

[BillD1984]

C Jason Varitek BOS



It's beyond unbelievable that Varitek made the All-Star team.

 

[HD MM]

Starting Pitchers Named for the All-Star Game

Cleveland's Cliff Lee and Arizona's Brandon Webb will start the All Star Game.

Cliff Lee, who had to fight for a job in Cleveland's rotation this spring, will be the starting pitcher for the AL, the NY Post reported. Lee is 11-1 with a 2.26 ERA.

He'll go against Arizona's Brandon Webb, who will be playing in his third consecutive All-Star game and getting his first starting assignment.

See link> HERE.

 

[HD MM]

C Jason Varitek BOS



It's beyond unbelievable that Varitek made the All-Star team.

Technically, he's just a reserve.

 

[BillD1984]

Technically, he's just a reserve.

IMO, that makes it worse. Over the years several starters- that didn't deserve it- got voted in by the fans. I don't recall many reserves (other than the obligatory every team has to have a least one player) that were not deserving.

 

[BillD1984]

Cleveland's Cliff Lee and Arizona's Brandon Webb will start the All Star Game.

Cliff Lee, who had to fight for a job in Cleveland's rotation this spring, will be the starting pitcher for the AL, the NY Post reported. Lee is 11-1 with a 2.26 ERA.

He'll go against Arizona's Brandon Webb, who will be playing in his third consecutive All-Star game and getting his first starting assignment.

See link> HERE.

IMO, Lee is a no-brainer. However, the National League has several candidates. Webb currently leads the NL with 12 wins, but his ERA is in the mid 3's. I can think of at least three NL pitchers that deserve to start more than Webb (in no particular order): Edinson Volquez, Tim Lincecum, and Ben Sheets. All three of those pitchers are double digits in wins and have an ERA below 3.

 

[HD MM]

C Jason Varitek BOS



It's beyond unbelievable that Varitek made the All-Star team.

Yikes! You have a point Bill.

Varitek's .219 BA makes this pick a very tough one to justify.

 

[HD MM]

I'm rooting for Grady Sizemore to enter the HR Contest. When asked yesterday that very question, he said, "I won't answer that right now since I don't know if I will even be selected to the All-Star team".

Now that the selections has officially been made, I expect Sizemore to announce his decision soon.

 

[BillD1984]

Yikes! You have a point Bill.

Varitek's .219 BA makes this pick a very tough one to justify.

HD MM,
Without looking it up I bet his RISP numbers are worse than that. He has been beyond pathetic the last 5-7 weeks.

 

[fhsucade07]

No offense to Yankees fans, but had Evan Longoria started the entire season down in Tampa, I'm thinking he would have been a candidate for that starting spot (3B).

 

[HD MM]

Interesting Note:

Cliff Lee and Grady Sizemore (Cleveland's '08 All-Star Representatives), were acquired in the 2002 trade that sent Bartolo Colon to the Expos. At the time, the looming free agency of Colon was a similar situation in which the Tribe is in now with Sabathia. (Trade or lose to free agency).

6 years later, this proves just how valuable a savvy swap can be for a team like the Indians, who are currently contemplating trading staff ace C.C. Sabathia for prospects.

 

[fhsucade07]

Interesting Note:

Cliff Lee and Grady Sizemore (Cleveland's '08 All-Star Representatives), were acquired in the 2002 trade that sent Bartolo Colon to the Expos. At the time, the looming free agency of Colon was a similar situation in which the Tribe is in now with Sabathia.

6 years later, this proves just how valuable a savvy swap can be for a team like the Indians, who are currently contemplating trading staff ace C.C. Sabathia for prospects.

Good point. I remember that trade with Colon. I heard this morning that the Brewers are really trying to make a run at Sabathia. If it works out the same way that it did the first time around, it will be a smart decision for Cleveland. Of course, these decisions sometimes work and sometimes are a bust.

 

[SabresRule]

C Jason Varitek BOS



It's beyond unbelievable that Varitek made the All-Star team.

Just wondering,

but who would you have chosen as the AL catcher? (Posada was on the DL and Pudge Rodriguez is past his prime)

 

[BillD1984]

Just wondering,

but who would you have chosen as the AL catcher? (Posada was on the DL and Pudge Rodriguez is past his prime)

Joe Mauer as the starter and Dioner Navarro as the backup. Instead of carrying three catchers give Varitek's spot to a more deserving player (Longoria, Lowell, etc.)

 

[SabresRule]

Joe Mauer as the starter

Can't believe I forgot about Mauer- other than him, Morneau, and Nathan, I can't name anyone on the Twins.

 

[BillD1984]

We fans get to choose the last All-Star in both leagues. The candidates:


American
Jermaine Dye
Evan Longoria
Jason Giambi
Brian Roberts
Jose Guillen


National
Pat Burrell
Corey Hart
Carlos Lee
Aaron Rowand
David Wright


I'm voting for Longoria and Wright.

 

[SabresRule]

I got some questions:

1. Does the AL All-Star lineup add to the theory of Red Sox/Yankees bias/overratedness?
(Baseball's best team- ONE player only! Not cool.)

2. Over/Under: 3 homers hit in the All-Star Game?

3. Chase Utley was the NL's top vote-getter? Little hard to believe...

 

[SabresRule]

I'm voting for Longoria and Wright.

I agree with you on Evan "Not related to Mrs. Tony Parker" Longoria, but for the N.L. I am deciding between the somewhat overrated and uncerachieveing Wright and the highly underrated and overachieving Pat Burrell.

 

[BillD1984]

I agree with you on Evan "Not related to Mrs. Tony Parker" Longoria, but for the N.L. I am deciding between the somewhat overrated and uncerachieveing Wright and the highly underrated and overachieving Pat Burrell.

I agree that the NL is between Burrell and Wright.

 

[SabresRule]

Since Bill is on his Red Sox 'strike,' I have a suggestion.

When Manny bats in the Midsummer Classic, why not turn your back to the TV?