The rosters for the 2012 All Star game have been announced. The annual passage of the most pointless and over hyped nine innings in the baseball season will commence in all it's glory on July 10th in Kansas City.
Throughout the course of the season, the American League has seen little surprises, with the exception of the disappointing Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers. The Yankees, Angels and Rangers are all in contention for a playoff spot, while, the Orioles, Indians, and White Sox have jumped into the mix.
Meanwhile the NL is extremely weak. With the Phillies, Cardinals, and Dodgers all struggling to stay afloat, the Nationals, Pirates, Reds, and even the Mets have jumped up in the standings this season.
That contrast will be on display in the All Star Game.
Click for AL Roster
Click for NL Roster
For the American League, Derek Jeter will make his 13th All Star apperance, when he starts for the AL. The Yankee legend has had a solid 2012 campaign batting .299 with 7 homers and 29 RBI. Joining him in the AL's starting lineup will be fellow Yankees Robinson Cano, and Curtis Granderson. Cano probably doesn't deserve the accolade because he has been awful this year with runners in scoring position.
Granderson however has been unbelievable. With 23 homers, a .348 on base percentage and a .508 slugging percentage, Granderson was the sole reason the Yankees stayed around .500 when they got off to a sluggish start this year.
CC Sabathia was selected to the game, but will not participate due to the groin muscle injury he suffered a week ago.
As for the NL, David Wright was expected to be the starting third baseman for the NL, however he lost out to San Francisco's Pablo Sandoval. While Sandoval has decent numbers, he has not been as good as Wright this year. Wright is a legit MVP candidate, batting .355 with 9 homers and 50 RBI. He has been batting over .350 all season, and has provided the Mets with their only true power bat in the lineup during the first half.
He should be starting at third. Sandoval's election to start at third highlights the anti-New York bias that exists around the country. While Jeter and Cano get votes, because of past success, and the fact that they are the Yankees; any Mets representative seems to get dumped on for no apparent reason.
R.A. Dickey was the only other Met to make the squad. Dickey has garnered national attention this year with a 12-1 record and an ERA of 2.15. He went 43.2 consecutive innings without giving up an earned run this year, and pitched back-to-back one hitters. Dickey is first in the NL in most pitching categories, and deserves to be the NL's starting pitcher.
However, with the anti-New York bias that is out there, and considering former Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa, who is managing the National League team, is no fan of the Mets, don't be shocked if Stephen Strausberg gets the nod over Dickey. But, who cares really? I think Met fans would prefer Dickey not pitch in the All Star game and risk injury; his long term value is more important.
Also of note, former Met, Carlos Beltran will get the start in center field for the NL, after a marvelous first half in St. Louis with 20 homers and 61 RBI.
Throughout the course of the season, the American League has seen little surprises, with the exception of the disappointing Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers. The Yankees, Angels and Rangers are all in contention for a playoff spot, while, the Orioles, Indians, and White Sox have jumped into the mix.
Meanwhile the NL is extremely weak. With the Phillies, Cardinals, and Dodgers all struggling to stay afloat, the Nationals, Pirates, Reds, and even the Mets have jumped up in the standings this season.That contrast will be on display in the All Star Game.
Click for AL Roster
Click for NL Roster
For the American League, Derek Jeter will make his 13th All Star apperance, when he starts for the AL. The Yankee legend has had a solid 2012 campaign batting .299 with 7 homers and 29 RBI. Joining him in the AL's starting lineup will be fellow Yankees Robinson Cano, and Curtis Granderson. Cano probably doesn't deserve the accolade because he has been awful this year with runners in scoring position.
Granderson however has been unbelievable. With 23 homers, a .348 on base percentage and a .508 slugging percentage, Granderson was the sole reason the Yankees stayed around .500 when they got off to a sluggish start this year.
CC Sabathia was selected to the game, but will not participate due to the groin muscle injury he suffered a week ago.
As for the NL, David Wright was expected to be the starting third baseman for the NL, however he lost out to San Francisco's Pablo Sandoval. While Sandoval has decent numbers, he has not been as good as Wright this year. Wright is a legit MVP candidate, batting .355 with 9 homers and 50 RBI. He has been batting over .350 all season, and has provided the Mets with their only true power bat in the lineup during the first half.
He should be starting at third. Sandoval's election to start at third highlights the anti-New York bias that exists around the country. While Jeter and Cano get votes, because of past success, and the fact that they are the Yankees; any Mets representative seems to get dumped on for no apparent reason.
R.A. Dickey was the only other Met to make the squad. Dickey has garnered national attention this year with a 12-1 record and an ERA of 2.15. He went 43.2 consecutive innings without giving up an earned run this year, and pitched back-to-back one hitters. Dickey is first in the NL in most pitching categories, and deserves to be the NL's starting pitcher.
However, with the anti-New York bias that is out there, and considering former Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa, who is managing the National League team, is no fan of the Mets, don't be shocked if Stephen Strausberg gets the nod over Dickey. But, who cares really? I think Met fans would prefer Dickey not pitch in the All Star game and risk injury; his long term value is more important.
Also of note, former Met, Carlos Beltran will get the start in center field for the NL, after a marvelous first half in St. Louis with 20 homers and 61 RBI.
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