Kuzul

As the Red Sox No. 1 fan I was obviously enthused to watch as David Ortiz became the first member of the Boston Red Sox to win the Home Run Derby last night; but, truth be told, I was more delighted the rest of the world got to see the vintage “Big Papi” many of us have come to love over the last several years.Sadly, that guy was missing early this year as David struggled for the second straight spring and many supposed fans and baseball writers called for him to be exiled from Boston.

But the vintage Papi started to emerge again by early-June, as his baseball fortunes turned and the sting of the early-season criticism abated. He was there last night as he paraded along the third base line—joking, laughing, hugging, and flashing that now-famous Ortiz smile throughout the Derby. His personality is infectious. And while the night started with Angels fans booing him during the player introductions (alas, the bitterness over the Red Sox post-season dominance of their hometown Angels spilled over into the Home Run Derby), he had won most of them over by the time the competition had come to its conclusion. Most fans gave him a rousing ovation at the end of the night.

And why not?

Ortiz put on a heckuva show throughout the night… and interviewed by ESPN at the end of it all he dedicated his performance to the fans and to his recently departed friend – former big league pitcher Jose Lima.

I know there are “haters” out there who make a habit of bashing Ortiz, but I just don’t get it. I love the guy and earnestly believe that 99.8% of baseball fans would love him, too, if he wore their favorite team’s uniform. (NOTE: Something that may happen if the Red Sox don’t get him signed to a contract extension pretty soon)

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The Derby was not the slugger-studded affair it used to be. While it is still an event, it is hard to get overly enthused by the likes of Chris Young and Nick Swisher (with apologies to the players and the Diamondbacks and Yankees fans who may read this piece). I’d have preferred to see Albert Pujols and Alex Rodriguez in the competition, but, it is what it is. And while there were no titanic blasts like those of Mark McGwire or extraordinary displays like those of Bobby Abreu or Josh Hamilton, the Derby was still an event not to be missed.

The night started off underwhelmingly, as a couple of non-traditional Derby-types struggled to hit the long ball. Young (the pre-competition favorite of ESPN analyst John Kruk) hit one homer, and Toronto Blue Jays OF Vernon Wells socked just two. After a commercial break, Brewers OF Corey Hart got the attention of the audience by hitting 13 home runs, for an average distance of 433 feet. The always jovial Swisher followed Hart with a four-spot.

The second half of the first round was a bit more entertaining, as four “traditional” sluggers stepped to the plate.

St Louis Cardinals OF Matt Holliday (who was the pre-Derby pick of two ESPN analysts) only managed to hit five home runs and failed to advance to the second round, but he hit the longest home run of the night (at 497 feet). He pulled the ball down the left field line and unfortunately for television viewers, the ESPN cameras were unable to show where the ball landed. We only understood how far it had traveled by virtue of the network’s “Tale of the Tape”.

Ortiz followed with eight bombs of his own, half of which traveled less than 400 feet, but he was just getting warmed up.

Forida Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez was the final National Leaguer of the first round, and he showed he belonged with the big boys by belting nine homers, including one that traveled an impressive 476 feet.

Tigers outfielder Miguel Cabrera ended the first round by smacking seven home runs and became the final qualifier for the second round.

Although Cabrera was the lowest qualifier and should have batted first in the second round, he had been the final competitor in the first round, so Ortiz agreed to lead off the round to give Cabrera a much-needed breather. This time he resembled the hitter we have come to know and love in Boston, belting 13 home runs (all of which exceeded 400′) to establish a benchmark of 21 for the two rounds. His fourth home run of the round traveled 478′ and careened off the State Farm banner in right field.

Cabrera followed with a disappointing total of five home runs, including a 485-ft blast, that gave him a cumulative total of 12 home runs. He was therefore eliminated from further competition (as both Ortiz and Hart had tallied more home runs).

Ramirez then had the most impressive round of the night, hitting 12 home runs – half of which traveled more than 450 feet — and giving him 21 home runs to tie Ortiz for the overall lead.

That brought Hart, who had been a spectator for an hour-and-a-half, back to the plate. He disappointed the throng at Angel Stadium by going homerless in the round, becoming the first competitor to post a bagel in the second round since the format was changed back in 1995.

And so close friends Ortiz and Ramirez moved on to the final. Mentor and mentee. Ortiz had befriended Ramirez when the young shortstop was a prospect in the Red Sox farm system (Ramirez was the key piece Boston shipped to Florida in the trade in which they acquired Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell). He told the national television audience that Big Papi had been “like my dad” when he had been a part of the Red Sox organization.

Ortiz, weary from the first two rounds, still managed to put on a show for the fans in the final round, hitting 11 more home runs to take a commanding lead. By doing so, he tied former Philadelphia Phillies OF Bobby Abreu for the most home runs hit in the final round of the competition (2005). In the round, he again pelted the State Farm sign and also hit the shortest dinger of the night – a ball that barely cleared the fence down the right field line at the 341 foot mark.

Ramirez followed Ortiz with five more home runs, but was also noticeably tired. In the middle of the round, Ortiz trotted out to home plate to give his protegee a breather, handing him a bottle of Gatorade and mopping his brow with a towel. But the respite didn’t help, and the young shortstop succumbed to his friend and “papi”.

And so the night belonged to Ortiz, who was crowned the king of your 2010 Home Run Derby.

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The grandstand was full today at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, RI, as Red Sox ace right-hander Josh Beckett took the mound for what will likely be his penultimate rehab start before re-joining the ball club for the second half of the season.

Beckett left the crowd contended with an effective four-inning outing in which he allowed one run on two hits, while issuing no walks and striking out four against the Syracuse Chiefs (WAS). While it was an effective outing, it really can’t be classified as a “sharp” outing, as Beckett threw only 42 of his 68 pitches for strikes.

One of the really promising developments in the game is that he hit 96 miles per hour on the radar gun, although the gun at McCoy Stadium is known to be a “fast” gun.

Veteran major leaguer Kevin Mench lined a single into center field in the second inning and Jason Botts pulled a fastball into the right-center field seats for a solo homer in the fourth inning.

That was the entire Chiefs’ attack while he was in the game.

Beckett has been on the disabled list (lower back strain) since May 19th. It seems likely he will have one more minor league rehab assignment, on July 16th, before making his much-anticipated return to the Red Sox rotation.

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It is without argument Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis should be on the American League All-Star team when the game takes place on Tuesday night in Anaheim.

But Youk was snubbed for the third time earlier today and will find himself watching the game at home on his couch instead of lacing ‘em up with his fellow American Leaguers.

First came his omission by the fans, coaches, and MLB officials when they selected the original team.

Then came Red Sox Nation’s inability to get him into the game during MLB’s Final Vote, as the hated new York Yankees and Nick Swisher begged, borrowed, and tweeted to get him elected at Youkilis’ expense in the closest Final Vote in the history of the promotion.

And now today, we learn that Minnesota Twins first baseman Justin Morneau will miss the game as a result of a concussion he suffered late last week, and that New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi pulled a bone-headed move by replacing Morneau with Chicago first baseman Paul Konerko instead of Youkilis.

Girardi swears he wasn’t motivated by the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry, but I don’t buy his story. And if the AL loses the game because of Girardi’s ill-considered decision, he should be hanged in effigy from the grandstands of all of home ballparks of the American League contenders—including Yankee Stadium.

Giardi told reporters, “It’s a hard choice to make. I could have taken (Konerko) or Youkilis. Konerko’s hitting slightly higher, has a couple more home runs and couple more RBI. I went with Konerko. They both deserve to be there; that’s the problem with this.”

No, IMO Joe, the problem with this is that you were gutless and didn’t want to face potentially irate Yankees fans after putting a member of the Red Sox on the team. In the process, you have lessened the American League’s chances of winning.

Casual analysis of the player’s stats shows that the pick can be considered a toss up, and therefore provides marginal support for Girardi’s explanation, or should I say, his rationalization.

Konerko is hitting .299, with a .380 OBP, .559 slugging percentage, 20 home runs, 62 RBI and zero SB. Youkilis is hitting .293, with a .408 OBP, .579 slugging percentage, 18 home runs, 57 RBI and three SB.

However, that is not where the analysis ends, although Girardi would have you believe that is where it did end.

Maybe we’ll find out the Red Sox or Youkilis actually begged off on heading to the game in consideration of his tender ankle, but I tend to doubt that. The likely truth is Girardi didn’t pick Youkilis because he wears a Red Sox uniform.

Sorry, Yankees fans, I don’t give a hoot whether you like my opinion or not—this decision stinks of pettiness and rivalry. And, it potentially harms the AL champion, which may be either your team or my team. 

Pee-you!!

Look, Konerko does not belong on the team at Youkilis’ expense. Period.

I will grant you he got off to a red-hot start this season—he hit .297, with 11 HR and 21 RBI in April (leading the league in homers at the time)—but, he has hit just nine homers since then, and hasn’t hit a home run in the month of July.

The All-Star Game is played in July!

Youkilis, on the other hand, started the season slowly, hitting only .270, with three home runs and 12 RBI in April. He has hit .302 since then, with 15 home runs and 45 RBI and has three home runs in July.

If those are the stats Girardi wants to use, then Youkilis has been better than Konerko in each and every one of them since April. And when the other major stats are three apiece, then the guys who has performed over the longer period deserved the All-Star designation.

And if you are a devotee of advanced stats, Konerko has a so-so 2.0 WAR, while Youkilis has a 3.4 WAR.

Girardi said, “I’m looking at the numbers, the numbers are close and one guy’s numbers are a little bit better. I took the guy whose numbers are a little bit better.”

Umm, Joe, no you didn’t!

Typical New York BS. I hate the bloody Yankees!!

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In the aftermath of Kevin Youkilis’ back-handed criticism of teammate Jacoby Ellsbury for being away from his ballclub and his teammates for the last five weeks, it appears that Team Ellsbury, led by his agent, Scott Boras, is going on the attack.

They have the Red Sox medical staff in their sights.

For the first time since leaving the team to rehab his broken ribs at Athletes Performance Institute in Arizona, Ellsbury returned to the team today and is speaking about the events which led him to seek medical attention in Phoenix.

He said that there are several inaccuracies in the version of events that have been circulated by the team’s medical staff. He stated the injury suffered in the collision with 3B Adrian Beltre was diagnosed as a bruise, and that for several days thereafter he tried to “tough it out” by taking a combination of anti-inflammatory and pain medications he hoped would enable him to remain in the lineup.

Ellsbury said the pain and discomfort did not improve as the days passed and consequently he asked the Red Sox to perform an MRI exam: “I was told exactly we aren’t going to MRI a bruise. Those were their exact words: ‘We aren’t going to MRI a bruise’.”

The pain persisted and he had trouble sleeping and getting out of bed, so Boras called the ballclub and insisted on an MRI. It was done the next day.

But he said that when the MRI’s were finally done they were not what he and Boras had requested when he arrived to undergo testing, and that although he asked for the tests to be run on both his front and back, the medical staff failed to do tests on his back.

He said because of that failure, only four broken ribs in his front were discovered.

He rested and his chest began to feel better, but he was still experiencing pain in his back. He said: “I was being told that it’s just part of the healing process…”. He continued to rest and after a couple of weeks he began a rehab assignment. He played in three rehab games…and while his ribs felt good he was still experiencing discomfort in his back.

He says he wanted to get back into the lineup, therefore he planned to play through the pain…so he was activated from the DL on May 22nd and played that night in Philadelphia.

He made a diving catch that night and landed awkwardly, but he popped right back up. He said the ribs again felt good, but he was still having the same pain in his back. After two more games in Tampa against the Rays, the pain in his back continued and manager Terry Francona gave him a day off.

On the off day, he spent some time in the batting cage with hitting coach Dave Magadan and felt a tremendous pain in his lat area. He had yet another MRI taken on the front and on the side, and he says the MRI came back negative: “It basically comes up that they didn’t see anything, but I (was) placed on the DL (anyway).”

After a few weeks, he said the symptoms worsened.

Ellsbury said that under Boras’ direction he sought the opinion of Dr. Lewis Yocum when the pain in his back persisted and a new discomfort in his side surfaced. The tests performed by Dr. Yocum revealed he had a broken rib in his back as well as a strained lat in his side.

He also said that, contrary to what the Red Sox medical staff has reported, the broken rib in this back was not a product of a catch he made against Philadelphia on May 22nd, but was actually a result of the collision he had with Adrian Beltre in Kansas City during the first week of the season.

Ellsbury said the reason he and Boras thought it best to rehab in Arizona was because he did not want to be a “distraction” to the team, and he said the team was on board with that decision: The Red Sox agreed to it, they were in favor, they were happy that I was going to go to API and rehab my lat, my nerve and my rib.”

The wagons are circling on Yawkey Way and at the offices of Scott Boras. Tweedle Dee meet Tweedle Dum. Who should we believe?

Does it even matter?

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This afternoon I came across a piece by a guy named Jon Star, who isn’t much of a ’star’ in my book. He ranked the fan bases of all thirty MLB teams and judged Red Sox Nation to be only the seventh-best fans across baseball. To show you how out of touch with reality this guy is, he ranked SF Giants fans as the second-best in baseball, just behind St Louis Cardinals fans.

I know, I know… when you can manage to wipe the tears from your eyes for laughing so hard, please finish reading this article. (Wow, I just had to pause for a moment as I wiped more tears from my own eyes. Whew! This guy should be writing for sitcoms, or maybe SNL. Someone call the networks!)

Anyway, his rankings were the Cards, the Giants, the Yankees, the Phillies, the Cubs, the Mets and, finally, the Red Sox.

Well, as you might well imagine, once the humor of the piece wore off, I decided I had to set the guy straight about who are the best fans in baseball… my comment to him is attached below:

Wow, Jon, really? I’m sorry, but your credibility with respect to this list is not very high. I will have to respectfully disagree with Rory and others, this wasn’t especially well done. It is a completely subjective piece that provides nothing to support its assertions… sort of a puff piece of baseball writing.

You must have something against Red Sox fans.

The fact of the matter is that Red Sox fans— love ‘em or hate ‘em— belong at the top of the list. This is unquestioned… and I don’t just say that because I am the Sox’ No. 1 fan, I say it because it is a fact.

Let’s not get into debates about the respective knowledge of fan bases… the fact is that all of the best fan bases are extremely knowledgeable. Cards fans are no more or less knowledgeable about baseball than Cubs fans, or Phillies fans, or Red Sox fans or Yankees fans. Period. The reason everybody coos over Redbirds fans is that they are more genteel than their brethren in Boston or Chicago or NY or Philly.

Fact: The Red Sox have drawn more than 2 million fans every year since 1986, except 1994 (and that abberation was attributable to the strike).

Fact: The Red Sox have finished No. 1 or No. 2 in baseball in percent of capacity in every year since 2001

Fact: The Red Sox are the only team in baseball to play to 96 percent or higher capacity in each of the last 10 years… to go you one step further, they are the only team to play to 90 percent+ capacity in each of the last 10 years.

These facts certainly undermine your contention that the Red Sox have somehow seen a bump in The Nation due to the pink hats or some semblance of “bump” from winning a couple of world championships. (To the contrary, two of the three lowest capacity figures in the 10 year period were in 2004 and 2005— when you would have expected the bump would have occured).

Further, some have argued that winning the WS should have had the opposite effect… that after finally winning it all, Red Sox fans might have been less ardent as the romanticism of ‘not having won it all’ would be removed from the equation. Yet we still bang out the place year after year.

As far as your top teams go…

Fact: St Louis has a very knowledgeable fan base, agreed, but their reputation is much greater than they are deserving. Sorry, Redbirds fans, but you have attended your home games at a 90 percent+ capacity level only three times in the last ten years, – the exact same number of times you actually attended at less than a 75 percent capacity for the year. I don’t call that the hallmark of “the best fan base in baseball”.

Fact: Attendance in San Francisco dropped off dramatically as soon as Barry Bonds retired. Over the last three years they haven’t once drawn attendance at 90 percent or higher for a season—i n spite of having a fantastic ballpark as a drawing card. These are the second best fans in the game?

Fact: Not only do Yankees fans routinely boo their own players, but they don’t even show up to home games in great numbers. Yeah, I know, they routinely draw over three and four million fans annually. So what? They play in the most populous city in the country and in a large ballpark. THEY SHOULD DRAW FOUR MILLION FANS EVERY YEAR!! The fact is that they don’t draw what they should… Yankees fans are generally fair-weathered “bandwagon” types who want to be at the park to be seen in the post-season but otherwise often will find other things to do. The numbers speak for themselves… over the last ten years, the attendance capacity at Yankee Stadium (new or old) has ranged from a low of 74.1 percent to a high of 92.3 percent. Big whoop!

Fact: Phillies fans packed the old stadium at the following rates of capacity in 2001-03: 36.6 percent, 32.8 percent and 46.9 percent. In the subsequent seven years they have failed to achieve 90 percent on three other occasions. In the ten-year span under consideration, the only time they crested the 90 percent mark prior to 2008 was in 2004— the year they opened Citizens Bank Park. Afterwards, they went right back to drawing somewhat poorly. Phillies fans began showing up at the ballpark again only when the team became competitive. Over the last year and a half (2009 and 2010) they have led baseball in percentage of capacity (the Red Sox were second last year and are again second this year). Now if THAT doesn’t prove that Phillies fans are bandwagon jumpers who won’t be seen anywhere near the ballpark when the team is scuffling, I dont know what will!! (NOTE: When the Red Sox were really awful in the early 1990s under manager Butch Hobson, they still drew in excess of two million fans EVERY year).

Fact: Cubs fans come closest to giving the Red Sox fans a run for their money. Ironic, huh? They have drawn at 90 percent or higher in each of the last eight years (the only other franchise that can lay claim to that level of attendance). They have finished first or second in percent of capacity five times in the last ten years (Boston – 10 times; SF – three times, but not since Bonds retired; Philly – two times, see above). Cubs fans, like Red Sox fans, show up whether their team is winning or losing… but they have a tendency to be more laid back and less passionate than Red Sox fans— which some might consider a blessing, since Red Sox fans have a reputation for being manic.

Fact: Red Sox fans were one strike away and then watched as the ball went through Bill Buckner’s legs at Shea Stadium. And of Mets fans you wrote: “No other fans have been through the sheer horror of watching their team virtually disintegrate before their very eyes.” Are you freaking kidding me? Were you even born in 1986? ‘Nuff said. Your list has zero credibility in my book.

Look, I really don’t mean to ‘dis’ the fans in other cities. There are lots of great baseball fans in America. I have great respect for Cards and Giants fans, in particular. And as much as I LOVE to joke about hating Yankees fans, the fact of the matter is that I really just hate the OBNOXIOUS Yankees fans. I’ll grant you that is most Yankees fans, but not all. I was behind the Red Sox dugout in Yankee Stadium for ALCS Game Seven, in 2004. As the ninth inning unfolded I began crying many, many tears of joy. I was wearing my SOX1FAN license plate around my neck. Prior to the game I feared the license plate would make me a target if the Sox should win. To my surprise, not one single Yankees fan gave me guff… to the contrary, many high-fived me and knocked knuckles with me and wished the Red Sox luck in the Fall Classic. They saw just how much I love my team and put down the swords of rivalry… instead they reached out to me as fellow baseball fans, with compassion, and shared a moment with me that forever changed my mind about SOME Yankees fans.

That still doesnt mean I think they are a better fan base than the Red Sox fans… but I have to admit that it earned my respect.

Look, I’m not saying Red Sox fans are perfect. We aren’t. Far from it. We are manic and can be just as obnoxious as anyone else… and the fact that we still do The Wave during ballgames is a bit embarrassing. But we are fans that come out to the park night in and night out, even when the Sox are losing. We LOVE our ballclub with unabashed passion. We understand the fine points of the game as well as anyone and better than most. We respect a “dirt-dog” effort on the field and give a standing ovation for a top-notch effort, even when that effort is given by an opposing player (well, except for Yankees players). And even in our braggadocio, we can acknowledge when we have behaved poorly (like when we failed to support our Big Papi through his struggles earlier this year, something that gave us a black eye that we have to answer for each time we look at ourselves in the mirror).

But in spite of our peccadilloes, there isn’t a better fan base in America… not even close, my friend.

Fan base ratings: Red Sox, Cubs, Cardinals, Yankees and Giants, in that order.

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Orioles southpaw Brian Matusz pitched shutout ball for seven innings at Fenway Park this afternoon, leading the Baltimore Orioles to a rare win in Boston, beating the Red Sox, 6-1. He held the Red Sox to two hits — one each in the third and fourth innings — while walking three and striking out seven in earning his first win since April 18th. He had lost his last nine decisions.

It was the 13th time in 17 starts Matusz has held an opponent to three runs or less, yet his record is a dismal 3-9. The problem has been his run support — his teammates have scored only one run or were shut out in eight of his starts.

Orioles interim manager Juan Samuel said: “He’s probably been one of our most consistent guys. We haven’t been able to score runs for him, but he’s been able to take us deep into games, with us not playing well behind him, with us not getting base hits, so it was very nice to see us score some runs for him today.”

They didn’t score many for him today off Red Sox starter John Lackey, but they scored enough. Lackey and Matusz took a 2-0 game into the eighth inning, but the O’s scored two runs in the eighth and two more in the ninth to put the game out of reach. Lackey gave up four runs (three earned) on eight hits in 7.1 innings. He walked one and struck out seven.

Of Lackey’s outing, Red Sox manager Terry Francona said: “I thought today was the best stuff he’s had all year.”

The Orioles broke a scoreless tie with two runs in the fourth inning against Lackey. Nick Markakis doubled, advanced on Ty Wigginton’s bouncer to second and scored on a wild pitch. Scott Moore added an RBI single.

Baltimore chased Lackey with two runs in the eighth inning. Miguel Tejada led off with a double and advanced to third base on a single by Markakis. He then scored on Wigginton’s bouncer to shortstop, which should have been a double play. But Marco Scutaro looked toward home plate for a force out, ending any chance of a double play, and then bounced the throw to first base. Wigginton reached on the throwing error and Markakis moved to third base. Adam Jones hit a sacrifice fly to make it 4-0, and Lackey was replaced by lefty Dustin Richardson. The O’s added two runs in the ninth inning off Scott Atchison.

Kevin Youkilis homered for the Red Sox in the bottom of the ninth inning to avoid the shutout.

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The Red Sox began the day with a chance to move into first place in the AL East, but fell 1½ games back after New York beat Toronto, 7-6, in 10 innings.

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Francona said Clay Buchholz won’t make a start on Monday or Tuesday night in Tampa. Originally, he was pushed back after straining his left hamstring last weekend in San Francisco. He’s been throwing and running without any trouble, but the Red Sox want to be cautious — they aren’t going to take any chances heading into the second half of the season. Francona said: “I think what worries us is the unexpected moves that happen in a game.” He also said the club may put him on the disabled list.

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Daisuke Matsuzaka will face the Rays tomorrow night and Tim Wakefield is scheduled for Wednesday… that leaves the team needing a starting pitcher for Tuesday. Felix Doubrant will likely be recalled for an impromptu start.

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The fans may not have given the Red Sox much love when casting their ballots for the all-star game, but opposing players and managers- as well as Major League Baseball itself- certainly did as six Red Sox were chosen to play in the Mid-Summer Classic next week in Los Angeles.

And now Sox fans can help to make certain that another player gets to go along too, as a seventh player (1B Kevin Youkilis) is one of five non-selectees nominated in the MLB.com Final Vote.

The American League starting squad will consist of two players each from the Minnesota Twins, NY Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays and Texas Rangers, as well as one Seattle Mariner… and in spite of the fact no Red Sox player was selected to start the game, The Olde Towne Team tied the Yankees for the most players to be selected for the AL squad, with six.

Boston players so honored were C Victor Martinez (4th selection), 2B Dustin Pedroia (3rd), 3B Adrian Beltre (1st), DH David Ortiz (6th), RHP Clay Buchholz (1st) and LHP Jon Lester (1st).

Unfortunately, Martinez and Pedroia are injured and won’t be able to participate in the ballgame. They will be replaced by Texas 2B Ian Kinsler and Toronto C John Buck, respectively.

And we will learn in the next 24 hours if Clay Buchholz will share their fate, as unconfirmed reports indicate he will likely join his teammates on the disabled list sometime this week.

Red Sox fans also have the opportunity to send Youkilis to the game- which would give the Red Sox an MLB-high seven all-stars!

He is one of the five players eligible to be selected to the team by fan balloting, along with 1B Paul Konerko of the Chicago White Sox, OF Nick Swisher of the NY Yankees, OF Delmon Young of the Minnesota Twins and 3B Michael Young of the Texas Rangers.

Voting can be done exclusively at MLB.com… click here to vote for YOUK!

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Here are your 2010 all-stars… starters are in bold-faced type:

American League:

C: Joe Mauer, MIN (Victor Martinez, BOS*; John Buck, TOR)

1B: Justin Morneau, MIN (Miguel Cabrera, DET)

2B: Robinson Cano, NYY (Dustin Pedroia, BOS*; Ian Kinsler, TEX; Ty Wiggington, BAL)

3B: Evan Longoria, TB (Adrian Beltre, BOS; Alex Rodriguez, NYY)

SS: Derek Jeter, NYY (Elvis Andrus, TEX)

OF: Carl Crawford, TB; Josh Hamilton, TEX; Ichiro Suzuki, SEA (Jose Bautista, TOR; Torii Hunter, LAA; Vernon Wells, TOR)

DH: Vladimir Guerrero, TEX (David Ortiz, BOS)

SP: Clay Buchholz, BOS; Trevor Cahill, OAK; Fausto Carmona, CLE; Phil Hughes, NYY; Cliff Lee, SEA; Jon Lester, BOS; David Price, TB; and C C Sabathia, NYY

RP: Neftali Feliz, TEX; Mariano Rivera, NYY; Joakim Soria, KC; Matt Thornton, CWS; and Jose Valverde, DET

National League:

C: Yadier Molina, ST L (Brian McCann, ATL)

1B: Albert Pujols, ST L (Adrian Gonzalez, SD; Ryan Howard, PHI)

2B: Chase Utley, PHI* (Brandon Phillips, CIN; Martin Prado, ATL)

3B: David Wright, NYM (Omar Infante, ATL; Scott Rolen, CIN)

SS: Hanley Ramirez, FLA (Troy Tulowitzki, COL*; Jose Reyes, NYM)

OF: Ryan Braun, MIL; Andre Ethier, LAD; Jason Heyward, ATL (Michael Bourn, HOU; Marlon Byrd, CC; Corey Hart, MIL; Matt Holliday, ST L; and Chris Young, AZ)

SP: Chris Carpenter, ST L; Yovani Gallardo, MIL; Roy Halladay, PHI; Tim Hudson, ATL; Ubaldo Jimenez, COL: Josh Johnson, FLA; Tim Lincecum, SFG; Evan Meek, PIT; and Adam Wainright, ST L

RP: Jonathan Broxton, LAD; Matt Capps, WAS; Arthur Rhodes, CIN; and Brian Wilson, SFG

NL nominees for fans Final Vote: RHP Heath Bell, SD; OF Carlos Gonzalez, COL; 1B Joey Votto, CIN; LHP Billy Wagner, ATL; 3B Ryan Zimmerman, WAS.

* unable to participate due to injury

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And with that, there is already much discussion about the snubs from each team.

In the American League, the biggest snub was Youkilis- who has been the best player on the Red Sox thus far in 2010.

But beyond Youk, I have to admit I was surprised that LAA RHP Jered Weaver wasn’t named to the team- since he leads the league in strikeouts and the game is being played on his home field.

Also, what about Seattle righty Felix Hernandez- who is arguably one of the three or four best pitchers in the league even though his record doesn’t reflect his ability (he does, after all, play for the woeful Mariners)? Or maybe DET OF Magglio Ordinez or CWS OF Alex Rios, who finally appears to have harnessed his immense potential?

NOTE: NYY lefty C.C. Sabathia is scheduled to pitch on Sunday and, by rule, he won’t be permitted to take a spot on the AL’s active roster. While I suspect Joe Torre would prefer to name his own pitcher, Andy Pettitte (who has 10 wins) to replace Sabathia, it seems likely the league will say the Yankees already have enough players on the roster, and that either Weaver or Hernanadez will be tabbed to replace the big lefty on the active roster.

The betting here is Youkilis wins the Final Vote, and Weaver is chosen to replace Sabathia because of the fact the game is being played in Anaheim.

In the National League, Bell, Gonzalez and Votto are on the Final Vote ballot. In addition I would add a couple of other snubs – C Miguel Olivo of the Colorado Rockies (.308 / 11 / 39) or RHP Mike Pelfrey of the NY Mets (10-2, 2.93).

It says here that Votto will win the Final Vote, although I will vote for Bell, who leads all of baseball in saves.

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Eighty-one games…that is the midpoint of the season.

Admit it, Red Sox Nation, if you knew what you know right now back on Opening Day you would have been thrilled to be 17 games over .500 and just a half game behind the NY Yankees on Independence Day (by the way, happy 4th of July to everyone!).

On April 4, we knew about Daisuke Matsuzaka’s injury…but what we didn’t know about was the impending glut of injuries that have somewhat gutted an oft-maligned lineup, not to mention the starting rotation. Mike Cameron, J D Drew, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jeremy Hermida, Mike Lowell, Victor Martinez, Dustin Pedroia, Jason Varitek, Josh Beckett, Clay Buchholz, and most recently, Manny Delcarmen.

Did I miss anyone?

And yet, here they are on July 4, just 1/2 game behind the Yankees. I’ll take it!

Tonight, a lineup dotted with a bunch of guys you had never heard of before the season began put a big hurting on the Orioles, 9-3. The nine runs supported southpaw Jon Lester, who improved to 12-0 in his career against the Orioles.

Kevin Cash, Darnell McDonald, Daniel Nava, Eric Patterson, and Niumann Romero. Okay, so you had heard of Cash before, but you were probably still trying to forget him.

Sure, the offense was led by Drew (3-for-3, 2 RBI), David Ortiz (3-for-4, 1 RBI), and Kevin Youkilis (2-for-5, 3 RBI, including his 16th home run), but the other guys were 4-for-12, with two RBI and two runs scored.

Meanwhile, Lester continues to dominate opposing hitters, going seven innings and allowing just one run on five hits and a walk while fanning seven. He improved to 10-3 while lowering his ERA to 2.76. Ramon Ramirez and Robert Manuel performed mop-up duty tonight.

And so the question must be asked: Will Yankees manager Joe Girardi select two Red Sox pitchers for the American League All-Star team because there are no more deserving hurlers in the league than Buchholz and Lester—neither of whom have been selected previously for the Mid-Summer Classic?

Of such chatter, Lester said, “Obviously it would be nice. Never been. I would like to go. If I end up going I’ll be very excited and it’ll be an honor.”

It would be a DESERVED honor for BOTH Red Sox pitchers!

The Red Sox jumped ahead 4-0 in the first inning. Youkilis drove in the first run with an RBI-double. Drew followed with a two-run double into right-center field, and one out later Nava drove a run-scoring double over the head of right fielder Nick Markakis.

After the Orioles cut it to 4-1 on Corey Patterson’s RBI single in the top of the fifth inning, Youkilis answered with a two-run home run over the Green Monster in the bottom of the inning. They added three runs off reliever Frank Mata in the eighth inning.

Baltimore finished the scoring in the ninth inning when Jake Fox hit a two-run shot off Manuel that barely cleared the wall in left field.

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RHP Clay Buchholz, who strained his left hamstring last weekend in San Francisco, threw from 90 feet and is tentatively scheduled to pitch on either Monday or Tuesday, but Francona said, “He’s going to have to be as close to 100 percent as he can be.”

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CF Mike Cameron was back in the lineup after being scratched Friday with abdominal soreness. His manager said, “He’s not 100 percent. I don’t think people realize what he’s going through to be able to play.”

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Francona said an MRI on RHP Manny Delcarmen’s strained right forearm showed no structural damage.

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The Red Sox have traded minor league infielder Angel Sanchez to the Houston Astros in exchange for catcher Kevin Cash.

Cash, 32, hit .204 with two homers and four RBI for the Astros this season before being designated for assignment on June 23rd.

The acquisition was prompted by an injury to team captain Jason Varitek, reportedly a broken bone in his foot that will cause him to miss four to six weeks.

Cash spent part of the 2007 and 2008 with the Sox, hitting .207.

He caught Tim Wakefield 35 times during his tenure with the Red Sox, thus explaining why the club may have re-acquired him in the wake of Victor Martinez’ injury.

With Wakefield due to start tomorrow night, Cash could be added to the roster prior to game time.

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A Major League source has told Nick Cafardo (Boston Globe) that the Red Sox will place righthander Manny Delcarmen on the disabled list with a right forearm strain.

Cafardo did not know who would be called up to replace him on the roster for tomorrow night’s game against Baltimore, but the Globe is reporting the two most likely candidates are right-handers Robert Manuel and RHP Fernando Cabrera.

Delcarmen has faced 14 batters in his last three appearances, retiring only three and surrendering nine hits.

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