All Star updates

There have been several injuries/replacements to the All Star rosters, so here they are...

Dustin Pedroia will miss the All Star Game due to family reasons. He will be replaced by Tampa Bay's Carlos Pena. Pena's addition means that the entire Rays infield is on the AL roster.

Dodger closer Jonathon Broxton injured his toe and will be replaced by Trevor Hoffman.

And our very own Zach Duke has been added to the NL roster to replace San Francisco pitcher Matt Cain, who took a line drive off his right arm on Saturday.

Mid-Summer Classic

It's that time of the season. The annual contest between the best players of the National League vs. the American League to earn bragging rights and home field advantage in the World Series. This year's star studded event will be held at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. The starting lineups for each league are as follows (arranged by defensive positions) :

National League
C: Yadier Molina
1B: Albert Pujols
2B: Chase Utley
SS: Hanley Ramirez
3B: David Wright
OF: Jayson Werth (replacing injured Carlos Beltran)
OF: Ryan Braun
OF: Raul Ibanez

American League
C: Joe Mauer
1B: Mark Teixeira
2B: Dustin Pedroia
SS: Derek Jeter
3B: Evan Longoria
OF: Jason Bay
OF: Josh Hamilton
OF: Ichiro Suzuki

The American League has won 11 of the last 12 All-Star Games, thanks to a 7-7 tie in the 2002 Miller Park A.S.G. That is not as impressive as the National League's victory in 19 of 20 All-Star Games between the years of 1962 and 1981. The last three victories by the American League were all by 1 run.
The all time record of All-Star Games is: National League 41 wins, American League 36 wins, 2 ties.

The Home Run Derby, what most people look forward to about the All-Star break, will be Monday night at 8pm. The contestants are the following.
1. Prince Fielder
2. Adrian Gonzalez
3. Ryan Howard
4. Albert Pujols
5. Joe Mauer
6. Brandon Inge
7. Nelson Cruz

Lets take a look at the past 10 winners of the Longball Contest...

2008, Yankee Stadium - New York: Justin Morneau
2007, AT&T Park - San Francisco: Vladamir Guerrero
2006, PNC Park - Pittsburgh: Ryan Howard
2005, Comerica Park - Detroit: Bobby Abreu
2004, Minute Maid Park- Houston: Miguel Tejada
2003, U.S. Cellular Field - Chicago: Garret Anderson
2002, Miller Park - Milwaukee: Jason Giambi
2001, SAFECO Field - Seattle: Luis Gonzalez
2000, Turner Field - Atlanta: Sammy Sosa
1999, Fenway Park - Boston: Ken Griffey Jr.