Major League Baseball’s 79th All-Star Game will be played Tuesday night in Yankee Stadium. The dramatic final season of baseball in “The House that Ruth Built” is highlighted by the biggest game of the summer.
This is the fourth time the Midsummer Classic has been played in the Bronx. Most recently, the National League emerged victorious by a 7-6 score in 1977.
The American League has dominated the game in recent years going 10-0-1 since the NL’s 1996 victory in Philadelphia. The only game the AL did not win in the last 11 years was the infamous tie of 2002 in Milwaukee. Ichiro Suzuki’s two-run inside-the-park homer highlighted last season’s 5-4 win for the AL.
The American League lineup features a mix familiar superstars and fresh faces. Ichiro will once again be leading off, while hometown heroes Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez will start on the left side of the infield and bat second and fourth respectively.
The Texas Rangers provide two first time All-Stars to the starting lineup. Josh Hamilton’s brilliant season has arguably been the biggest story in the first half and he is being rewarded by batting third. Fellow Ranger with a troubled past, Milton Bradley, will DH and bat sixth.
It is a rare occasion for Boston Red Sox players to be cheered in the Bronx, but this will be the case Tuesday night. Boston has three players in the starting lineup. Manny Ramirez will bat fifth and play left field, Kevin Youkilis bats seventh and plays first base and Dustin Pedroia will bat ninth and play second base.
Cleveland Indians left-hander Cliff Lee (12-2, 2.31) will be the AL’s starting pitcher. He is equally effective against hitters from both sides of the plate and possesses excellent control. Lee has a strikeout-to-walk ratio of better than 5-to-1 and has yielded just five home runs in over 124 innings pitched. He pitched six shutout innings against the Rays last Friday and will likely be limited to two innings.
The National League lineup is younger and less experienced but explosive nonetheless. Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez (.311 23 HR, 23 SB) and Phillies second baseman Chase Utley (.291 25 HR, 69 RBI) makeup the top of the order and will set the table for the big boys.
Sluggers Lance Berkman, Albert Pujols, Chipper Jones and Matt Holliday provide punch in the heart of the order. The quartet has combined to hit .352 with 72 homers and 225 RBI through the first half of the season.
Newcomers from the NL Central bat in the seven through nine holes. Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun (.286 23 HR 66 RBI) will be followed by Kosuke Fukudome and Geovany Soto of the Chicago Cubs.
Brewers ace Ben Sheets (10-3, 2.85 ERA) will get the start for the National Leaguers. The right-hander has recorded 108 strikeouts and opposing hitters have just a .229 average against him. He is more difficult to hit under the lights and has slightly better numbers on the road. Sheets has never pitched in Yankee Stadium.
The American League may benefit from an outstanding bullpen if the game is close in the late innings. The AL has six men on the roster with at least 20 saves including the Angels’ Francisco Rodriguez, who leads baseball with 34.
The American League opened and remains a substantial favorite. The AL has dominated Interleague play since its inception, won seven of the last 10 World Series Championships and hasn’t lost an All-Star Game in over a decade.
This trend of dominance results in a -145 on the AL. The ‘total’ is listed at 10.
Posted by admin on 14-07-2008 |
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