NL Gets World Series Home Field

Yeah yeah, I know this is late but I feel obligated to make a post on the All-Star Game. Yesterday the NL All Stars defeated the AL All Stars 3-1 behind Brian McCann's bases loaded double off Matt Thornton. Phil Hughes was charged with the loss while Matt Capps earned the win and Jonathan Broxton closed it out for the NL's first victory since 1996.

As for the Yankee All Stars, Robinson Cano had the AL's only RBI with a sacrifice fly in the fifth. Derek Jeter walked against Ubaldo Jimenez, struck out against Josh Johnson, and singled off Roy Halladay. Nick Swisher struck out against Adam Wainwright.

Andy Pettitte pitched a scoreless third inning, striking out two batters and inducing a groundout to Jeter who flipped to Cano for a force at second (very familiar).

Phil Hughes recorded one out and allowed two singles before being relieved by Thornton. Thornton could not get out of the jam and the runs he allowed were charged to Hughes, hence whyHughes picks up the loss.

Alex Rodriguez did not enter the game at all. Now, this seems to be the subject of debate today, and I found it a little surprising but here is what I think. First, it seemed Girardi wanted to give guys who were in their first All Star Game a chance to play, hence why Adrian Beltre, Ty Wigginton, and Nick Swisher got in the game ahead of A-Rod. Secondly, I think maybe he didn't want to use A-Rod unless necessary so he can give him full rest these four days. But with home-field advantage on the line, I think you need to find a way to get A-Rod an at bat late in the game.

Either way, the NL was due. I've been expecting them to win for the last five years. It's just the law of averages. The Yankees have won World Series titles without home field advantage before, I'm sure they can do it again if they get back there this year.

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Send Swish to All-Star Game

Kevin Youkilis is leading the vote for the final spot on the AL team for the 2010 All-Star game. This is UNACCEPTABLE, so I'm gonna give you all the reasons why Swisher should be the last man voted on the team, and then I'm gonna tell you how to vote him in.

Why Swisher should be on the team.

1. If Swisher doesn't go to the ASG, Kevin Youkilis will.
2. Swisher's having a great season so far, with a .296/13/47 year.
3. If Swisher doesn't go to the ASG, Kevin Youkilis will.
4. If the game goes deep into extra innings, Swisher can pitch.
   
5. If Swisher doesn't go to the ASG, Kevin Youkilis will.
6. Ty Wiggington's already on the team. If a .251 hitter is gonna be on the All-Star team, Nick Swisher should be, too.
7. If Swisher doesn't go to the ASG, KEVIN YOUKILIS will.

Ok, I think I've proved my point, so now to tell you how to cheat the system.

First things first, you go here and fill out the ballot. For anyone concerned about giving out their email address, just make one up (more on that in a second). Then click Nick Swisher for the AL and anyone else for the NL (and if you don't vote for Joey Votto, your an idiot). Then you vote up to 25 times. Oh wait, once you reach the limit, you just make up a new email address and keep voting. And it keeps all your other info so all you need to put in is the validation key.

If Youkilis gets voted in over Swisher, I will be disappointed in Yankee fans everywhere.

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What To Do About the All Star Game?

Ty Wigginton, Omar Infante, Jason Heyward, Alex Rodriguez, CC Sabathia, Matt Capps, Fausto Carmona, Yadier Molina, Jose Reyes.

Joey Votto, Kevin Youkilis, Paul Konerko, Heath Bell, Matt Latos, Felix Hernandez, Jered Weaver, Andy Pettitte, Mike Pelfrey, Jamie Garcia, Miguel Olivo, Billy Wagner.

The difference between the two sets of names you see is that one group is on the All Star team and the others were left off. Obviously, regardless of how you select All-Stars, there will be some snubbed, but wow was it pathetic this year.

How in the world can you justify having Omar Infante on the team over first half NL MVP Joey Votto? And how can Ty Wigginton, who returned back to earth after a superb first six weeks, make the team over both Paul Konerko (who is tied for second in the AL with 20 HR) and Kevin Youkilis? (who leads the league in runs, is third in OBP, and also has 17 HR and a first half MVP candidate).

Then you have CC Sabathia and Fausto Carmona, who are both having good seasons, chosen over the likes of Andy Pettitte, Jered Weaver, and Felix Hernandez, who are all having great seasons.

The NL roster does not have a single pitcher from the San Diego Padres, who lead the majors in ERA. Meanwhile they have Matt Capps who has allowed 25 more hits this season than Billy Wagner, who was left off.

And even though this is a Yankees blog, we still recognize Alex Rodriguez has not had the greatest first half of a season and Youkilis and Konerko may be more deserving.

Due to injuries, the new rule where pitchers starting the Sunday before the All Star game cannot be eligible to pitch in the game, and the fans voting in the last roster spot, there will be some additions to each team. But in the meantime, if this game is going to "count," what can MLB do to fix it?

My first proposition is to eliminate the fan voting. I know many fans enjoy the voting even I like doing it, but it's become a joke over the last few years. The fans can't be dependable to put the best team on the field. Yadier Molina should not be the starting catcher over Brian McCann. Chase Utley has been injured and underperforming all year, and Jason Heyward's been hurt most of the season as well, and they are starting. Mark Teixeira was almost selected to the team and he's been a major disappointment this season. If it counts, then the fans shouldn't be voting, because it's just a popularity contest with the fans.

I also think they should eliminate the rule that every team needs to be represented. A lot of times this is the reason why players are snubbed. The Wigginton instead of Konerko/Youkilis is Evidence A. And maybe you can make a case Matt Latos or Heath Bell could be represented over the Pirates' Evan Meek (although he's having an excellent season as well). Basically, many players' hard work is not being recognized because they have to take someone else just to represent each team.

By fixing these two things, I think it is the right step in the direction of fixing the All Star Game. The game is meant to have the best players in the league playing against each other for home-field advantage in the World Series, and if the best players aren't out there, then it loses some of its integrity.

But hey, at least they didn't select Stephen Strasburg, who only has six starts in the majors. Imagine how much more ticked off Mike Pelfrey, Jamie Garcia, Mat Latos, Heath Bell, Billy Wagner, and Clayton Kershaw would be?

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All-Star Team Announced

MLB announced the selection of the AL and NL All Star teams this afternoon. Six Yankees were selected, including Derek Jeter and Robinson Cano as starters. The first time a Yankee double play duo have started an All Star Game since Willie Randolph and Bucky Dent in 1981.

The rest of the Yankees include:
Alex Rodriguez
Mariano Rivera
CC Sabathia
Phil Hughes

Nick Swisher can get in with the final vote in ballot. WE WILL NOT LET YOUKILIS WIN THIS!

But the real news is that Andy Pettitte is missing from this list. Pettitte is having one of the best seasons of his career and it is shocking that he was not selected, especially when his manager and former teammate is picking the roster.

However, due to the new rules, a pitcher selected to the All Star Game that pitches on the Sunday before game cannot be eligible to pitch in the game. Sabathia will be pitching on that Sunday. The theory is that Andy Pettitte will be chosen as Sabathia's replacement since he cannot pitch in the game.

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All Star Game

AMERICAN LEAGUE (36-41-2)
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Derek Jeter SS
Joe Mauer C
Mark Teixeira 1B
Jason Bay LF
Josh Hamilton CF
Michael Young 3B
Aaron Hill 2B
Roy Halladay RHP

NATIONAL LEAGUE (41-36-2)
Hanley Ramirez SS
Chase Utley 2B
Albert Pujols 1B
Ryan Braun RF
Raul Ibanez LF
David Wright 3B
Shane Victorino CF
Yadier Molina C
Tim Lincecum RHP
TIME/TV: 8 p.m., FOX.

Notes: The AL is 11-0 in the last 12 all star games. Jeter and Rivera are in their 10th game and Teixeira is in his second. Roy Halladay and Tim Lincecum are the starting pitchers. Remember, this time it counts. Enjoy the game and be prepared for Joe Buck and Tim McCarver to pound how great St. Louis is into the ground.

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Yankees 8- Mariners 5

Mariners 5 12 2
Yankees 8 11 0
Box Score

WP: Brian Bruney (3-0)
LP: Sean White (2-1)
S: Mariano Rivera (19)

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Melky Cabrera. Melky went 1 for 3, but also drove in three runs out of the 9 spot in the lineup. Once again, he came through in the late innings with the game-winning double in the 8th inning.

Image via Wikipedia

PLAY OF THE GAME: Alex Rodriguez's home run in the 7th inning. His A-Bomb to deep left field gave the Yanks a 2-run lead (at least until Bruney blew it.) I thought it had a chance at the upper deck for a second there but it was a little too close to center field.

TURNING POINT OF THE GAME: Melky Cabrera's RBI double in the 8th inning. Bruney had just blown a 2-run lead. Matsui and Swisher got on before the Melk Man ripped one to center field.

GAME NOTES:

• I don't know how many times I heard that Mariano might throw the first pitch and the last pitch of the game today. I lost count at 20... and that was in the fourth inning.
• Alex Rodriguez is obviously back on track, as he had a home run and some nice plays in the field today. But, they still need to make sure they stick to the plan with giving him days off. He needs days off, there is no doubt about it. Mike Lowell had the same surgery, and now he's on the DL. Girardi and the Yankees need to make sure that doesn't happen to A-Rod.
  
• Joba did just good enough to get the Yankees through the game, but he needs to do more than that. And yes, I typed this before Paul O'Neil said this on the post-game show.
  
• Phil Hughes is a starter by trade, and now he's pitching out of the bullpen. He's been pitching brilliantly in relief, so why take him after only nine pitches? Nine! He probably threw more than that in the bullpen to warm up! Girardi did not need to go to Bruney there, but, instead of saving him for tomorrow, he threw 22 pitches and allowed four base runners and two runs. The two Phils (Hughes and Coke) are your best options behind Mo out of the bullpen right now.
  
• The Yankees pitching staff gave up 12 hits and 5 runs to a Mariners offense that has been struggling. Not good, but they pulled the win out anyway.
• And the Yankees pulled to 2.5 GB in the AL East after the Red Sox blew a 9-1 lead against the Orioles. If that ever happens to the Yankees, don't expect a blog update for a couple days.
  

QUOTE OF THE NIGHT:
"No way, Michael Kay."- Mariano Rivera

TOMORROW:
Mariners at Yankees 7:05 pm at Yankee Stadium
Jarrod Washburn (4-5, 3.22 ERA) vs. Andy Pettitte

(7-3, 4.38 ERA)

AND REMEMBER: VOTE TEX!

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GAME 67: Yankees at Marlins

YANKEES (37-28, 2nd place AL East)
Jeter SS
Damon LF
Teixeira 1B
Posada C
Cano 2B
Swisher RF
Cabrera CF
Berroa 3B
Pettitte LHP

Pitching: LHP Andy Pettitte (6-3, 4.52).

MARLINS (37-28, 3rd place, NL East)
Coghlan LF
Helms 3B
Ramirez SS
Cantu 1B
Uggla 2B
Paulino C
Hermida RF
Ross CF
West LHP

Pitching: LHP Sean West (2-1, 3.00).

Cy No-name: I've never heard of the Marlins starter, so it looks like it is going to be a long night.

A-Rod Homecoming: A-Rod will play the first regular season game of his career in Miami, his hometown. (Oh, so that's where the confusion about the World Baseball Classic comes from. I forgot that the border of the United States and the Dominican Republic ran through Miami).

.333 is a good batting average, not winning percentage: The Yankees are 3-6 in their last nine games.

Rain drops are falling on my head: So the Yankees leave here and it stops raining (it's still crappy, just not raining) and, according to PeteAbe, it is raining in South Beach.

Extra cavalry: With the game being in a National League park, there is no DH. So Matsui is available as a pinch hitter.

Vote Tex: Mark Teixiera needs help getting into the All-Star game starting lineup. If you needed any extra motivation, Kevin Pukeilus of the team-that-shall-not-be-named is in first place.

UPDATE 7:15: I just got back home, and the lineup is different. A-Rod will get today and tomorrow off. Jeter looked winded after running hard out of the box. I guess that's what happens when a guy used to playing everyday rides the pine for two days. And with that double, Jeter tied Babe Ruth on the all-time Yankees double list.

UPDATE 7:21: The Yankees are very adept at grounding into double plays to kill big rallies. They only push one run across when it should have been more.

UPDATE 7:23: I just realized that the last time the Yankees were here was Game 5 of the 2003 World Series. That was the game where David Wells only went 1 inning and the Yanks screwed up the rundown play that gave up two runs. I remember my baseball coaches going over rundown for 30 minutes the day after that happened.

UPDATE 7:30: Whoever is in charge of selling the naming rights for the Marlins and Dolphins stadium must really suck at his (or her) job.

UPDATE 7:32: Am I hallucinating? Did Angel Berroa just get a hit? And an RBI? On the same play?

UPDATE 7:33: Am I hallucinating? Did Andy Pettitte just get a hit? And an RBI? On the same play?

UPDATE 7:35: Great, now Pettitte has to run (if you can call it that) the bases.

UPDATE 7:40: Good to see that the Yankees finally tried looking at some film of the opposing pitcher.

UPDATE 8:36: Pettite got through the 4th inning with 68 pitches. He needs to get through 6 and maybe into the 7th.

UPDATE 8:42: Just looked at the box score and every Yankee is "at the party," as Ken Singleton would say. Everyone has a hit, which is weird with Berroa and Pettitte in the lineup.

UPDATE 9:10: Pettitte gets through 6 with 97 pitches, and 3 hits. He's been grimacing a lot today, so my guess is he's done.

UPDATE 9:25: Well, I was dead wrong about Pettitte, as he gets through the 7th.

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