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AL Tries to Snap All-Star Game Losing Skid on Tuesday
by Brian Graham
2013 MLB All-Star Game
Citi Field – Flushing, NY
First pitch: Tuesday, 8:15 p.m. EDT
Game Line: National League -125, American League +115
Total: Over 8 (-115), Under 8 (-105)
The 84th MLB All-Star Game will take place at Citi Field in Flushing, NY on Tuesday night when the National League will try to win its fourth straight Midsummer Classic after a long period of dominance by the American League.
Over/under bettors should know that the All-Star Game has lacked big-time run production over the past few contests, even with last year’s 8-0 final score that still finished below the 8.5 Total. The Under is now 5-0 since the 2008 All-Star Game with the AL scoring a combined two runs in the past three Midsummer Classics. With pitching dominating the game in recent years and this contest taking place at Citi Field which is the hardest MLB park to score runs in this season, expect this low-scoring trend to continue with the UNDER (-105) occurring again.
Both pitching staffs are absolutely loaded, especially the NL that includes starters Matt Harvey, Clayton Kershaw, Adam Wainwright, Cliff Lee, Patrick Corbin and Jose Fernandez, and relievers Aroldis Chapman, Craig Kimbrel and Jason Grilli (NL-best 29 saves). The AL staff is also strong with Felix Hernandez, Max Scherzer and Chris Sale headlining the starters, but will be missing injured starters Yu Darvish and Clay Buchholz. The AL will not have the services of three starters who all pitched for their respective teams on Sunday -- Justin Verlander, Hisashi Iwakuma and Bartolo Colon – but has a veteran bullpen with Mariano Rivera and Joe Nathan (30 saves each) leading the way. This valuable All-Star experience in a contest with 36 first-time All-Stars plus the superior hitting, gives the underdog AMERICAN LEAGUE the edge on Tuesday night to snap its losing skid.
The leaders for the AL squad are the two best hitters on the planet right now, 3B Miguel Cabrera and 1B Chris Davis. Cabrera leads the majors in hitting (.365 BA), RBI (95), runs (73) and OPS (1.132), while ranking second in HR (30) and slugging (.674 SLG) behind only Davis, who has 37 HR and a .717 SLG. The AL starters also consist of the best second baseman (Robinson Cano) and outfielder (Mike Trout) in the majors right now. Cano is batting .302 with 21 HR and 65 RBI and is playing in his fourth consecutive All-Star Game. The 21-year-old Trout is batting .322 with 15 HR and 21 stolen bases. His starting outfield mates are both having tremendous years as well, with Adam Jones batting .296 with 19 HR, 67 RBI and 67 runs, while Jose Bautista has 20 homers and 20 doubles at this point. Starting C Joe Mauer is batting .320 and is 3-for-7 with a double and a walk in his past four All-Star games.
Not only does the National League lack the all-around elite hitters like Cabrera, Davis or Trout, but the NL starting lineup has many players that have missed time this month due to injuries. This includes C Yadier Molina (NL-best .341 BA), OF Carlos Gonzalez (25 HR leads NL), SS Troy Tulowitzki (1.008 OPS) and 20-year-old OF Bryce Harper, the 2012 NL Rookie of the Year. The National League does have two veteran starters in 3B David Wright and OF Carlos Beltran who are both very familiar with Citi Field and both boast of past All-Star game success. Wright and Beltran have each recorded hits in five of six All-Star appearances, but their hitless games both came last year. Two Reds infielder starters, 1B Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips, have yet to get a hit in All-Star Game play. Votto is 0-for-7 with two strikeouts while Phillips is 0-for-2 with a strikeout.
Before losing the past three All-Star Games, the AL had won seven straight and was 12-0-1 in its previous 13 games (there was a tie in 2002). Going back to 1986, the American League is 19-7-1 (.731) in All-Star Games.
Since 2003, this game has decided which league hosts the World Series. That is significant since 22 of the past 27 World Series winners have had home-field advantage. Also, the past nine World Series Game 7s have been won by the home team.
ALL-STAR GAME STARTERS
American League Starters
C: Joe Mauer, Twins
1B: Chris Davis, Orioles
2B: Robinson Cano, Yankees
SS: J.J. Hardy, Orioles
3B: Miguel Cabrera, Tigers
OF: Mike Trout, Angels
OF: Adam Jones, Orioles
OF: Jose Bautista, Blue Jays
Starting pitcher: RH Max Scherzer (13-1, 3.19 ERA)
National League Starters
C: Yadier Molina, Cardinals
1B: Joey Votto, Reds
2B: Brandon Phillips, Reds
SS: Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies
3B: David Wright, Mets
OF: Carlos Beltran, Cardinals
OF: Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies
OF: Bryce Harper, Nationals
Starting pitcher: RH Matt Harvey (7-2, 2.35)
by Brian Graham
2013 MLB All-Star Game
Citi Field – Flushing, NY
First pitch: Tuesday, 8:15 p.m. EDT
Game Line: National League -125, American League +115
Total: Over 8 (-115), Under 8 (-105)
The 84th MLB All-Star Game will take place at Citi Field in Flushing, NY on Tuesday night when the National League will try to win its fourth straight Midsummer Classic after a long period of dominance by the American League.
Over/under bettors should know that the All-Star Game has lacked big-time run production over the past few contests, even with last year’s 8-0 final score that still finished below the 8.5 Total. The Under is now 5-0 since the 2008 All-Star Game with the AL scoring a combined two runs in the past three Midsummer Classics. With pitching dominating the game in recent years and this contest taking place at Citi Field which is the hardest MLB park to score runs in this season, expect this low-scoring trend to continue with the UNDER (-105) occurring again.
Both pitching staffs are absolutely loaded, especially the NL that includes starters Matt Harvey, Clayton Kershaw, Adam Wainwright, Cliff Lee, Patrick Corbin and Jose Fernandez, and relievers Aroldis Chapman, Craig Kimbrel and Jason Grilli (NL-best 29 saves). The AL staff is also strong with Felix Hernandez, Max Scherzer and Chris Sale headlining the starters, but will be missing injured starters Yu Darvish and Clay Buchholz. The AL will not have the services of three starters who all pitched for their respective teams on Sunday -- Justin Verlander, Hisashi Iwakuma and Bartolo Colon – but has a veteran bullpen with Mariano Rivera and Joe Nathan (30 saves each) leading the way. This valuable All-Star experience in a contest with 36 first-time All-Stars plus the superior hitting, gives the underdog AMERICAN LEAGUE the edge on Tuesday night to snap its losing skid.
The leaders for the AL squad are the two best hitters on the planet right now, 3B Miguel Cabrera and 1B Chris Davis. Cabrera leads the majors in hitting (.365 BA), RBI (95), runs (73) and OPS (1.132), while ranking second in HR (30) and slugging (.674 SLG) behind only Davis, who has 37 HR and a .717 SLG. The AL starters also consist of the best second baseman (Robinson Cano) and outfielder (Mike Trout) in the majors right now. Cano is batting .302 with 21 HR and 65 RBI and is playing in his fourth consecutive All-Star Game. The 21-year-old Trout is batting .322 with 15 HR and 21 stolen bases. His starting outfield mates are both having tremendous years as well, with Adam Jones batting .296 with 19 HR, 67 RBI and 67 runs, while Jose Bautista has 20 homers and 20 doubles at this point. Starting C Joe Mauer is batting .320 and is 3-for-7 with a double and a walk in his past four All-Star games.
Not only does the National League lack the all-around elite hitters like Cabrera, Davis or Trout, but the NL starting lineup has many players that have missed time this month due to injuries. This includes C Yadier Molina (NL-best .341 BA), OF Carlos Gonzalez (25 HR leads NL), SS Troy Tulowitzki (1.008 OPS) and 20-year-old OF Bryce Harper, the 2012 NL Rookie of the Year. The National League does have two veteran starters in 3B David Wright and OF Carlos Beltran who are both very familiar with Citi Field and both boast of past All-Star game success. Wright and Beltran have each recorded hits in five of six All-Star appearances, but their hitless games both came last year. Two Reds infielder starters, 1B Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips, have yet to get a hit in All-Star Game play. Votto is 0-for-7 with two strikeouts while Phillips is 0-for-2 with a strikeout.
Before losing the past three All-Star Games, the AL had won seven straight and was 12-0-1 in its previous 13 games (there was a tie in 2002). Going back to 1986, the American League is 19-7-1 (.731) in All-Star Games.
Since 2003, this game has decided which league hosts the World Series. That is significant since 22 of the past 27 World Series winners have had home-field advantage. Also, the past nine World Series Game 7s have been won by the home team.
ALL-STAR GAME STARTERS
American League Starters
C: Joe Mauer, Twins
1B: Chris Davis, Orioles
2B: Robinson Cano, Yankees
SS: J.J. Hardy, Orioles
3B: Miguel Cabrera, Tigers
OF: Mike Trout, Angels
OF: Adam Jones, Orioles
OF: Jose Bautista, Blue Jays
Starting pitcher: RH Max Scherzer (13-1, 3.19 ERA)
National League Starters
C: Yadier Molina, Cardinals
1B: Joey Votto, Reds
2B: Brandon Phillips, Reds
SS: Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies
3B: David Wright, Mets
OF: Carlos Beltran, Cardinals
OF: Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies
OF: Bryce Harper, Nationals
Starting pitcher: RH Matt Harvey (7-2, 2.35)
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