The 2011 MLB All-Star Game and Home Run Derby in 82nd Annual Mid-Summer Classic

Baseball fanatics everywhere that enjoy wagering on the annual MLB All-Star Game and all of its star-studded happenings will be in all their glory when the festivities for the 8nd annual MLB Mid-Summer Classic get underway this coming weekend.

On Sunday, July 0, the Taco Bell All-Star Sunday kicks off at Chase Field with the XM All-Star Futures Game at 6:00 PM ET followed by the Taco Bell All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game at approximately 9:30 PM ET.

The real action for MLB bettors gets underway on Monday, July , at 8:00 PM ET with the Gatorade All-Star Workout Day at Chase Field featuring the State Farm Home Run Derby.

One day later, on July , 0, the 8nd annual MLB All-Star game gets under way at 8:00 PM ET.

Okay, with all of the particulars out of the way, let me get started with my expert MLB breakdown on both events, starting with Monday’s Home Run Derby.

MLB Home Run Derby Monday, July , 8:00 PM ET Chase Field: Home of the Arizona Diamondbacks TV: ESPN

Participants

Beloved Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz and Milwaukee Brewers’ power-hitting first baseman Prince Fielder will serve as captains of the American League and National League for this year’s event.

The two most recent winners of the yearly Home Run Derby will head up their respective ‘teams’ in this year’s new format. As part of the new Home Run Derby, both past champions picked three other participants to compete on their teams.

NL Milwaukee Brewers teammate, second baseman Rickie Weeks , will join Fielder, the 009 Derby winner, on this year’s team, along with St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday and Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp, who is tied for the National League lead with home runs.

AL Joining Ortiz, the 00 Derby winner, will be Red Sox first baseman and teammate Adrian Gonzalez, , MLB Home Run leader, Toronto Blue Jays outfielder/third baseman Jose Bautista, and last but not least, New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano .

While the odds for this year’s Derby weren’t posted at the time of this writing, baseball betting enthusiasts should know that this will be Ortiz’s fifth career Derby and the third for both Fielder and Holliday . Adrian Gonzalez will make his second appearance while this year’s event will be a first for Bautista, Cano, Kemp and Weeks.

The Pick: I’m going to urge MLB bettors to go with one of three players, starting with Prince Fielder with the big man having smacked 0 home runs in June. I also like MLB home run leader Jose Bautista and sweet-swinging power hitter Adrian Gonzalez.

Now, let’s move on to the annual MLB All-Star Game.

In 00, the National league beat the American league 3- to take an overall lead of 4-38- and snap the AL’s seven-game winning streak following the incomprehensible 7-7 tie in 00, thanks to Bud Selig.

Prior to 00, the AL had also won five straight All-Star contests to take of 3 prior to last year’s NL win at Angel Stadium. Gifted Atlanta Braves catcher Brian McCann will have a shot to win consecutive all-star MVP awards after taking home last year’s MLB All-Star MVP hardware.

Here is a look at both All-Star starting teams.

AL Starters Pos – Player C – Alex Avila, DET B – Adrian Gonzalez, BOS B – Robinson Cano, NYY 3B – Alex Rodriguez, NYY SS – Derek Jeter, NYY OF – Jose Bautista, TOR OF – Curtis Granderson, NYY OF – Josh Hamilton, TEX DH – David Ortiz, BOS

NL Starters Pos – Player C – Brian McCann, ATL B – Prince Fielder, MIL B – Rickie Weeks, MIL 3B – Placido Polanco, PHI SS – Jose Reyes, NYM OF – Ryan Braun, MIL OF – Lance Berkman, STL OF – Matt Kemp, LAD

This year’s all-star game features several perennial all-stars such as Derek Jeter , Alex Rodriguez , David Ortiz , Brian McCann , Lance Berkman while Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Hamilton and Ryan Braun will all make their fourth straight all-star appearance. Only four of this year’s starters started in the 00 version in Jeter, Braun, Hamilton and Robinson Cano.

Seven players will make their first career all-start starts in Gonzalez, McCann, Curtis Granderson, Alex Avila, Matt Kemp, Rickie Weeks and Jose Bautista. Last year’s voting leaders, St. Louis Cardinals’ first baseman Albert Pujols and Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer will both miss this year’s event.

This year will present an MLB All-Star ‘first’ with the designated hitter being used in an NL ballpark. Texas Rangers skipper Ron Washington will lead the AL while San Diego’s Bruce Bochy will lead the NL.

On Thursday, July 7, the All-Star Game ‘Final Vote’ will be announced with five players in the running for each league squad.

American League Pitching Staff The AL pitching staff consists of starters Josh Beckett , Gio Gonzalez , Felix Hernandez , David Price , James Shields , Justin Verlander , Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson . Relievers Aaron Crow , Brandon League , Chris Perez , Mariano Rivera and Jose Valverde also made this year’s team.

AL Reserves The 0 American League backup position players start with catchers Matt Wieters and Russell Martin . Up next, are infielders Adrian Beltre , Asdrubal Cabrera , Miguel Cabrera and Howard Kendrick , followed by outfielders Michael Cuddyer , Jacoby Ellsbury , Matt Joyce and Carlos Quentin . Designated hitter Michael Young rounds out the group.

National League Pitching Staff The National League pitching staff consists of starters Roy Halladay , Cole Hamels , Cliff Lee , Matt Cain , Jair Jurrjens , Clayton Kershaw , Tim Lincecum and Ryan Vogelsong ; and relievers Heath Bell , Tyler Clippard , Joel Hanrahan , Jonny Venters and Brian Wilson .

NL Reserves The NL’s reserves includes catcher Yadier Molina , infielders Chipper Jones , Troy Tulowitzki , Brandon Phillips , Starlin Castro , Gaby Sanchez and Joey Votto and last but not least, outfielders Carlos Beltran , Jay Bruce , Matt Holliday , Hunter Pence and Justin Upton .

The Pick: I’m going to keep my expert MLB All-Star pick here short and sweet by simply saying that I like the NL to win their second straight All-Star contest, mostly because I like their pitching staff a bit more than their AL counterparts.

While all three Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants starters will almost certainly not appear in this contest, I still expect the NL to get some stellar innings from at least two of each teams’ trio of aces.

Outside of Josh Beckett, David Price and Felix Hernandez, I’m not floored by any of the American League’s remaining starters.

I also like the ‘revenge’ factor here with the NL really going all out to secure home-field advantage in the World Series and stem the onslaught on AL wins that have taken place over the last 4 years.

Go with the NL in another squeaker as the senior circuit’s fantastic starters mostly silence the American League.

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