I'm looking forward to the All Star game...kind of.

Magglio now in the Home Run Derby. I don't like that. That competition has a way of messing up good swings for a while.

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/downloads/y2007/final_asg_figures.pdf


2007 AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STAR BALLOTING WINNERS BY POSITION Position Player Club Votes All-Star Selections All-Star Elections

Catcher Ivan Rodriguez Tigers 2,343,425 14 12
First Base David Ortiz Red Sox 2,857,848 4 3
2nd Placido Polanco Tigers 2,317,713 1 1
3rd Alex Rodriguez Yankees 3,890,515 11 10
Shortstop Derek Jeter Yankees 3,199,571 8 3
Outfield Vladimir Guerrero Angels 3,151,387 8 5
Outfield Magglio Ordoñez Tigers 2,715,389 6 1
Outfield Ichiro Suzuki Mariners 2,341,409 7 6


2007 NATIONAL LEAGUE ALL-STAR BALLOTING WINNERS BY POSITION Position Player Club Votes All-Star Selections All-Star Elections

Catcher Russell Martin Dodgers 2,039,130 1 1
First Base Prince Fielder Brewers 2,706,020 1 1
Second Base Chase Utley Phillies 2,112,142 2 2
Third Base David Wright Mets 2,302,836 2 2
Shortstop Jose Reyes Mets 2,213,606 2 2
Outfield Ken Griffey, Jr. Reds 2,986,818 13 13
Outfield Carlos Beltran Mets 2,511,242 4 3
Outfield Barry Bonds Giants 2,325,391 14 12

I think for the most part, the fans actually got it right for the AL.

I think for the most part, the fans actually got it right for the AL.

I tend to agree, but I would go a step further and say both teams are as close to right as they have ever been. For all the stupid shit MLB is capable of, they handle the AS rosters better than any other league.

I also think the fans are more in tune with what players are doing in their sport more so than image driven leagues like the NBA, who elect the same pieces of shit every year. With that said there are a couple of guys that made the teams that make you shake your head, but nothing is perfect.

Somewhat interesting to me is Mags being selected 6 times and elected 1 time.

Looks like Mags aint gettin no love from the fans...if I'm understanding what that means.

Is Polanco out because of the rib?

Is Polanco out because of the rib?

Do you add injury replacements at the same position typically? Or could Shef make the team if Polanco withdraws?

BTW, Maggs should not be in the home run derby, though I wish I could see Shef in there the way he's swinging.

Like I said, I don't like either in the Home Run Derby, it tends to screw with guys swings. Maybe it's just my perception, but don't guys that go far in the competition normally go into a funk during the first part of the 2nd half?

No, not at all.

Like I said, I don't like either in the Home Run Derby, it tends to screw with guys swings. Maybe it's just my perception, but don't guys that go far in the competition normally go into a funk during the first part of the 2nd half?

Ryan Howard didn't last year, but we'll see.



Fuck, there goes my 666!

True. Ryan Howard is also a freak and for his career hits better than 50 points higher (batting average) and 100 points higher (slugging) after the All-Star break.
Magglio, in his career, has been more productive in the first half. Something like this could put an even greater emphasis on it. Since he doesn't approach the game from the perspective of a power hitter, swinging for the fences that many reps can throw off his stroke. I compare it more to the way it messed up Bobby Abreu in 2005. He had 18 HR and a .307 average before the break that year, then a .260 average and 6 HR after the break.

Hopefully he just loses right away.

Like I said, I don't like either in the Home Run Derby, it tends to screw with guys swings. Maybe it's just my perception, but don't guys that go far in the competition normally go into a funk during the first part of the 2nd half?

It depends. They talked about it recently and there are people on both sides. Abreau went down the crapper but others played just as well.

I think it depends on the hitter's mentality. If Maggs goes into it not caring then maybe he'll be fine. What worries me is that he's doing a great job of hitting the gaps right now and not swinging for the fences. I'd like to keep it that way.

Watch all his HR be to the opposite field.

Watch all his HR be to the opposite field.

Considering the fence is 23 feet closer there than Comerica that's a good thing.

BTW, Candlestick Park was 330 in right field (and colder than Pac Bell)...how much has that contributed to Bond's home run chase? Do you think they had that in mind when they designed it?

Other than down the line in right, that's a huge park so I bet it's balanced things out.

Other than down the line in right, that's a huge park so I bet it's balanced things out.

which leads me to believe they might have had Bonds in mind when they built that thing. The fence is 25 foot high in RF though. I suppose they could have left that at 8 foot if they were catoring to Bonds.

Considering the fence is 23 feet closer there than Comerica that's a good thing.

BTW, Candlestick Park was 330 in right field (and colder than Pac Bell)...how much has that contributed to Bond's home run chase? Do you think they had that in mind when they designed it?

That park is squnched in there. They couldn't have made much longer if at all. Its a nice location but I wish there was just a lil more room there.

Baseball at the stick sucked, imo, but I really like Pac Bell.

Leeland set his lineup today:

Ichiro Suzuki, cf, Seattle
Derek Jeter, ss, New York
David Ortiz, 1b, Boston
Alex Rodriguez, 3b, New York
Vladimir Guerrero, rf, Los Angeles
Magglio Ordonez, lf, Detroit
Ivan Rodriguez, c, Detroit
Placido Polanco, 2b, Detroit
Dan Haren, p, Oakland

NL Lineup:



Jose Reyes, ss, New York
Barry Bonds, of, San Francisco
Carlos Beltran, cf, New York
Ken Griffey Jr., rf, Cincinnati
David Wright, 3b, New York
Prince Fielder, 1b, Milwaukee
Russell Martin, c, Los Angeles
Chase Utley, 2b, Philadelphia
Jake Peavy, p, San Diego

Holliday has mashed the baseball.

Maggs up next...

Lets have an interview during the Detroit guy.

That was quick.

Cool. Just the way I had hoped.

Cool. Just the way I had hoped.

LOL. I thought about that when he didn't make it.

The All Star game's gonna be pretty good this year I reckon, looking at the lineups. Of course though you can make an even better case for the AL blowing them out.

UGH GOD DAMNIT I HATE THIS PRE GAME SHIT ON FOX AND JEANNE ZELASKO.

Holy shit, they still haven't started.

lol @ Eric Byrnes' dog trying to swim away. Joe Buck: "A truly disgusting act by Eric Byrnes."

ICHIROOOOOOOOOO~!