2013 MLB All-Star Game
American League All-Stars vs National League All-Stars
Tuesday, July 16, 2013, 8:15 pm Eastern, TV: Fox
Citi Field – New York City, New York
Opening Line: National League -135 / American League +115
Current Line: National League -119 / American League +109
Opening Total: over 8 -110 / under 8 -110
Current Total: over 8 -110 / under 8 =110
Opening Run Line: NL -1 1/2 -110 / AL +1 1/2 -110
Current Run Line: NL -1 1/2 +165 / AL +1 1/2 -195
The 84th Major League Baseball All-Star game come from Citi Field in New York, the home of the New York Mets. Surprisingly, the Mets haven’t hosted the mid-summer classic since 1964 at old Shea Stadium. Citi Field opened in 2009. When it first opened, it was definitely more of a pitcher’s park along the lines of Detroit’s Comerica Park, San Diego’s Petco, and San Francisco’s AT&T. However, before last season the Mets moved in the fences and now it is easier to hit home runs, as evidenced by last night’s Home Run Derby. (Of course, when MLB sluggers are served up pitches at 60 miles an hour right down the middle of the plate no park can hold them.)
The National League team is managed by Bruce Bochy of the World Series Champions San Francisco Giants. The American League is managed by Jim Leyland, whose Detroit Tigers were swept by the Giants in the World Series last year.
Both starting line-ups are loaded, of course. However, unlike the other 3 All-Star games in the 4 major North American sports leagues, where great offense and a lack of defense typically lead to ridiculously high scoring games, elite pitchng seems to have the upper hand over elite batters. The last six games have gone under the total. The National League has won 3 straight All-Star games by a combined score of 16-2, including 8-0 in Kansas City last year.
Here is the starting line-up for both teams.
American League
1 — Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels, CF
2 — Robinson Cano, New York Yankees, 2B
3 — Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers, 3B
4 — Chris Davis, Baltimore Orioles, 1B
5 — Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays, RF
6 — David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox, DH
7 — Adam Jones, Baltimore Orioles, CF
8 — Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins, C
9 — JJ Hardy, Baltimore Orioles, SS
P — Max Scherzer, Detroit Tigers
National League
1 —Brandon Phillips, Cincinnati Reds, 2B
2 — Carlos Beltran, St. Louis Cardinals, RF
3 — Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds, 1B
4 — David Wright, New York Mets, 3B
5 — Carlos Gonzalez, Colorado Rockies, LF
6 —Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals, C
7 — Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado Rockies, SS
8 — Michael Cuddyer, Colorado Rockies, DH
9 —Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals, CF
P — Matt Harvey, New York Mets
Scherzer is 13-1 this season with a 3.19 ERA. The right hander lost his first game of the season Saturday night against the Texas Rangers, after starting off the season 13-0, something only Roger Clemens had done previously. Harvey is 7-2 this season with a 2.35 ERA. The young right hander will start in front of his home crowd, even though pitchers like Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers or Patrick Corbin of the Diamondbacks had slightly better numbers. But there wasn’t a consensus starter like Scherzer was in the AL, so I have no quibble with Bochy picking Harvey.
Notably absent from the AL starting line-up is Yankees’ shortstop Derek Jeter who will miss the game for the first time in 8 years. He broke his ankle in the playoffs last year, and missed all but one game this season. Jeter returned to the line-up last week, but strained his quad and could return to the DL.
The AL line-up is headlined by Baltimore first baseman Chris Davis and Detroit third baseman Miguel Cabrera. Both became the first players in MLB history to have at least 30 homers and 90 RBI’s before the All-Star break. Davis is batting .315 with 37 homers and 93 RBI’s. He tied Reggie Jackson’s AL record for HR’s by the All-Star break and is on a pace for 62 home runs this season. Only Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and Barry Bonds have hit over 60 home runs since Roger Maris in 1961. Cabrera won the Triple Crown last year and leads the league in batting average at .365 and RBI’s with 95. He is second in home runs to Davis with 30. Trout, who won the AL Rookie of the year last year will start the game for the first time of what will likely be many.
The National League line-up will be led by Mets’ third baseman David Wright, who has been the unofficial host of the All-Star game. He is batting .304 with 13 home runs and 44 RBI’s. Carlos Gonzalez leads the league in home runs with 25. Yadier Molina is batting .341 to lead the league. Harper won the NL rookie of the year, and like Trout is making his first start of what should be a long All-Star career.
Felix Hernandez of the Mariners will likely be the second pitcher for the AL. He is 10-4 with a 2.53 ERA to lead the league. Other key pitchers include Joe Nathan of the Rangers and Mariano Rivera of the Yankees. Rivera is playing in the last All-Star game of his legendary career as he will retire at the end of the season.
Reserves on the AL team include Prince Fielder (1B, Tigers), Dustin Pedroia (2B, Red Sox), Ben Zobrist (2B, Rays), Jhonny Peralta (SS, Tigers), and outfielders Nelson Cruz (Rangers) and Torri Hunter (Tigers).
The NL team has a deeper pitching staff with Kershaw, Corbin, Cliff Lee (Phillies), Aroldis Chapman (Reds), Madison Bumgarner (Giants), Adam Wainwright (Cardinals), and Craig Kimbrel (Braves).
Key reserves for the NL team include catchers Buster Posey (Giants) and Brian McCann (Braves), first basemen Paul Goldschmidt (Diamondbacks) and Allen Craig (Cardinals), second basemen Matt Carpenter (Cardinals) and Marco Scutaro (Giants), third baseman Pedro Alvarez (Pirates), and outfielders Michael Cuddyer (Rockies), Carlos Gomez (Brewers), and Andrew McCutchen (Pirates).
The AL starting line-up is loaded with power, but that could be neutralized by the NL”s good staff of arms. I think the National league wins again and the game will go under 8 runs as well.
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