Post-HR Derby and Pre-All-Star Game Notes

BEST OF AL AND NL FACE OFF IN 2017 MLB ALL-STAR GAME

The most-voted players in the American League and National League face off in thr 88th MLB All-Star Game at Marlins Park in Miami. Florida on Tuesday.

ASG PITCHING FORM

July 11, 2017 at Marlins Park
Miami, FL

AL
Sale (L)
2017: 11-4; 2.75 ERA, 13-5 *REC

NL
Scherzer (R)
2017: 10-5; 2.10 ERA, 12-6 *REC

*REC: Won-Lost record of pitcher's team in games he has started.

ASG STARTING LINEUPS

AL

2B: Jose Altuve, HOU
3B: Jose Ramirez, CLE
RF: Aaron Judge, NYY
LF: George Springer, HOU
SS: Carlos Correa, HOU
1B: Justin Smoak, TOR
DH: Corey Dickerson, TB
CF: Mookie Betts, BOS
C: Salvador Perez, KC

P: Chris Sale, BOS

NL

CF: Charlie Blackmon, COL
DH: Giancarlo Stanton, MIA
RF: Bryce Harper, WSH
C: Buster Posey, SF
2B: Daniel Murphy, WSH
3B: Nolan Arenado, COL
1B: Ryan Zimmerman, WSH
LF: Marcell Ozuna, MIA
SS: Zack Cozart, CIN

P: Max Scherzer, WSH

ALL-STAR GAME SITES:

2017 - Marlins Park, Miami
2018 - Nationals Park, Washington
2019 - Progressive Field, Cleveland

AARON JUDGE WINS HOME RUN DERBY

New York Yankees RF Aaron Judge won Monday's Home Run Derby by hitting 11 runs in the Championship Round vs. Minnesota Twins 3B Miguel Sano, who hit 10 in ten in the same round.

Judge defeated Miami's Justin Bour in the first round and defeated the Dodgers' Cody Bellinger in the second round.

2017 HOME RUN DERBY RESULTS

First Round

Sano (11 HR) def. Moustakas (10 HR)
Sanchez (17 HR) def. Stanton (16 HR)
Bellinger (15 HR) def. Blackmon (14 HR)
Judge (23 HR) def. Bour (22 HR)

Second Round

Sano (11 HR) def. Sanchez (10 HR)
Judge (13 HR) def. Bellinger (12 HR)

Championship

Judge (11 HR) def. Sano (10 HR)

PAST 10 HR DERBY WINNERS:

2017 - Aaron Judge, Yankees (Marlins Park)
2016 - Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins (Petco Park)
2015 - Todd Frazier, Cincinnati (Great American Ball Park)
2014 - Yoenis Cespedes, Oakland (Target Field)
2013 - Yoenis Cespedes, Oakland (Citi Field)
2012 - Prince Fielder, Detroit (Kauffman Stadium)
2011 - Robinson Cano, Yankees (Chase Field)
2010 - David Ortiz, Boston (Angel Stadium)
2009 - Prince Fielder, Milwaukee (Busch Stadium)
2008 - Justin Morneau, Minnesota (Yankee Stadium)

AL Stars-NL Stars Preview

Stats, LLC

(TSX / STATS) -- MIAMI -- Call this the Glamour Game.

Just minutes from glitzy South Beach, most of baseball's biggest names will gather at Marlins Park on Tuesday night for the 88th annual All-Star Game. It's the first All-Star Game ever in Florida.

The starting pitchers were announced on Monday: Boston Red Sox left-hander Chris Sale (11-4, 2.75 ERA, 178 strikeouts) for the American League, and Washington Nationals right-hander Max Scherzer (10-5, 2.10 ERA, 173 strikeouts) for the National League. They are Nos. 1-2 in the majors in strikeouts.

Sale, a native Floridian, will have friends and family members at Marlins Park to watch. He is the first American League pitcher to start two consecutive All-Star Games in 34 years.

"I'm very appreciative," the former Chicago White Sox pitcher said of his sixth All-Star appearance. "A lot of hard work and dedication goes into this. ... This is a fun time. Being in Miami, an hour and 45 minutes from where I live, makes it even better."

For the NL, Clayton Kershaw (14-2, 2.18 ERA) is unavailable since he pitched on Sunday for the Los Angeles Dodgers. But even if he were eligible, Chicago Cubs and NL manager Joe Maddon said on Monday that Scherzer would have gotten the nod anyway.

"I have a ton of respect for Mr. Kershaw," Maddon said. "But I broke down the numbers, and I had already chosen Max. Kershaw is a first-ballot Hall of Famer, and (Scherzer) probably will be, too. But based on the numbers, I think this is the right way to go."

If the Sale-Scherzer matchup were not enough glamour for fans, then consider that this could serve as the coming out party on a national stage for rookie stars from two of the sport's marquee franchises: the New York Yankees and the Dodgers.

We're talking about Yankees powerhouse Aaron Judge, who leads the majors with 30 homers, and Dodgers star Cody Bellinger, who is third in the NL with 25.

Both of the sluggers are closing in on potential rookie home run records for their respective leagues: 38 by Frank Robinson in the NL in 1956 and 49 by Mark McGwire in 1987 in the AL. Judge has already broken the Yankees rookie record for homers, which had been held by Joe DiMaggio.

Judge, a right-handed hitter, has the longest homer in baseball this year (495 feet) as well as the quickest exit velocity (121 mph).

Bellinger, a lefty hitter, started the season in the minors.

The presence in the All-Star Game of Judge, a massive man at 6-foot-7 and 275 pounds, and the 6-4, 210-pound Bellinger is good news for baseball, especially since Los Angeles Angels slugger Mike Trout will be missing.

Trout was hurt at Marlins Park, spraining a ligament in his left thumb while sliding into second base on May 28. The Angels star is, by consensus, the best player in the American League, and this would have been his fifth straight All-Star start.

"I'm honored to be voted in," Trout said in a statement. "I'm grateful that the fans see me as deserving of such an honor."

With Trout out, there is still the chance to see Nationals slugger Bryce Harper, who was the game's leading overall vote-getter.

Harper will try to reverse what for his league has been a nasty trend. The AL has a lopsided 16-3-1 advantage over the past 20 years, including a current four-game win streak. The NL leads the all-time series 43-42-2.

This year's All-Star Game, however, will be the first since it was decided that the winner would no longer receive home-field advantage in that year's World Series.

Instead, the players are competing for pride ... and money. Each winning player gets $20,000. The losers get nothing.

As to be expected, baseball's best teams have the most representatives. Case in point: The Houston Astros have three AL starters in the game: shortstop Carlos Correa, second baseman Jose Altuve and outfielder George Springer.

In the NL, the Nationals also have four starters with Scherzer, Harper, first baseman Ryan Zimmerman and second baseman Daniel Murphy.

"It's a reflection on how good our team is," Murphy said. "We've played really well this year. ... It's a team honor."

The host Miami Marlins have two representatives: starting outfielder Marcell Ozuna and designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton.

Two former Marlins players made the rosters -- Padres reliever Brad Hand and Indians reliever Andrew Miller. And it will be a homecoming for former Miami Hurricanes first baseman Yonder Alonso of the Oakland A's. Not only is this Alonso's first time as an All-Star, but he also gets to appear in his hometown.

Alonso is one of 23 first-time All-Stars at this year's game.

Some of the bigger names on the roster include Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg, St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina and San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey.

So who will win this All-Star Game full of glamour, power, youth and drama?

One clue could be who is on the field in the last inning. If it is Boston's Craig Kimbrel (1.19 ERA, 23-for-25 on save chances), there is a good chance the American League will continue its recent dominance.

But if it is the Dodgers' Kenley Jansen (0.93 ERA, 21-for-21 on save chances), there is a strong shot that the National League finally will break through.

Judge, Correa, Arenado among 12 1st-time All-Star starters

By RONALD BLUM
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge, Carlos Correa and Nolan Arenado led a new generation of All-Stars, among 12 first-time starters elected by fans for the July 11 game at Marlins Park.

“I’ve got to call my family and tell them to book a flight to Miami. They’re going to be excited,” Judge said after rosters were announced Sunday.

The dozen first-time starters are the most since voting was returned to fans in 1970.

Just one player was picked from the World Series champion Cubs: reliever Wade Davis, who wasn’t even with Chicago when it ended a 108-year title drought last fall. The Cubs had seven All-Stars last season, including their entire starting infield.

“Frankly, we haven’t had many guys who were all that deserving,” Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta.

Just past the halfway point, the Cubs are 41-41.

“Maybe this is actually a good thing. Right now, rest is not a bad word,” said Chicago’s Joe Maddon, who will manage the NL.

In a sign of the generational change, the All-Stars with the most selections are Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw with eight and St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina with seven. Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera, the senior All-Star last year with 11 selections, wasn’t picked for the first time since 2009.

Two of the first-time starters are from the Houston Astros, who have the best record in the major leagues: Correa, the shortstop drafted first overall in 2012, and outfielder George Springer. Second baseman Jose Altuve was elected to his third start.

“It’s something that you dream about since you are a little kid, since you get drafted, since you sign a professional contract,” Correa said.

Houston pitchers Dallas Keuchel and Lance McCullers Jr. were picked, as well, giving the Astros five All-Stars, tied for the most with the New York Yankees, Cleveland and Washington. Keuchel is hurt and won’t pitch.

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper, second baseman Daniel Murphy and first baseman Ryan Zimmerman were elected to start, and Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg were selected for the pitching staff. Harper led fan voting with 4.63 million ballots.

“Definitely humbled by fans, the way they treat me,” Harper said.

At 32, Zimmerman is an All-Star for the first time since 2009, when he was a reserve third baseman.

“Yeah, sports are funny, man,” Zimmerman said. “It’s just a crazy path to get back, but it’s also pretty cool.”

Judge, the 6-foot-7 rookie who leads the major leagues with 27 home runs, topped the AL with 4.49 million votes. He is joined in the outfield by Springer and Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout, who hopes to return in time from a torn thumb ligament.

Cleveland’s Jose Ramirez overtook Minnesota’s Miguel Sano in the final days of balloting to win the AL third base spot by about 54,000 votes, Toronto’s Justin Smoak bounced back to beat Kansas City’s Eric Hosmer by 555,000 at first base, and Tampa Bay’s Corey Dickerson rallied to win at designated hitter by nearly 75,000 over Seattle’s Nelson Cruz. The Royals’ Salvador Perez won at catcher.

Arenado overtook the Cubs’ Kris Bryant, last year’s NL MVP, to win at third base by 180,000. Arenado will be joined in the NL lineup by Cincinnati shortstop Zack Cozart, Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon, Miami outfielder Marcell Ozuna and San Francisco catcher Buster Posey.

“It would be even more fun if there were a few more guys going from the team,” said Posey, whose Giants are last in the NL West.

There were 11 first-time starters last season in San Diego, the last year the winning league received home-field advantage in the World Series. Under baseball’s new labor contract, the Series now starts in the ballpark of the pennant winner with the better record.

Catcher Gary Sanchez, injured second baseman Starlin Castro and pitchers Dellin Betances and Luis Severino also were picked from the Yankees. Cleveland is sending pitchers Corey Kluber and Andrew Miller, shortstop Francisco Lindor and outfielder Michael Brantley.

“I’m just happy for Cleveland,” said the Indians’ Terry Francona, who will manage the AL. “I think the fans and the city — everybody should be proud.”

Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton was picked as a reserve and plans to defend his Home Run Derby title on July 10. Judge also has been invited, and Los Angeles Dodgers rookie Cody Bellinger, who leads the NL with 24 homers, has said he will participate.

“It is going to be amazing,” Stanton said. “Either way, the week was going to be cool, but this makes it even cooler.”

The NL-leading Dodgers will send Bellinger, Kershaw, shortstop Corey Seager and closer Kenley Jansen to Miami, but nobody from Los Angeles was elected for the starting lineup by fans. Jansen was upset with his own fanbase for letting down Seager and third baseman Justin Turner.

“I’ll say it loud and clear again: It’s the Dodger fans’ fault,” Jansen said.

Among other strong candidates overlooked were Carlos Carrasco, Jacob deGrom, Gio Gonzalez, Ivan Nova, Roberto Osuna, Anthony Rizzo, Travis Shaw, Andrelton Simmons, Justin Upton and Alex Wood.

Rosters were cut from 34 per league to 32 under the new labor deal, and online voting determines the last spot on each roster. Elvis Andrus, Xander Bogaerts, Didi Gregorius, Logan Morrison and Mike Moustakas are the AL candidates, and Justin Bour, Bryant, Anthony Rendon, Mark Reynolds and Turner are on the NL ballot.

The AL had won four straight and went 11-3 in the years the All-Star Game determined World Series home field. Marlins Park is the third of four straight NL ballparks to host the All-Stars and will be followed by Washington in 2018.

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AP Baseball Writer Mike Fitzpatrick, AP Sports Writers David Ginsburg, John Marshall and Noah Trister and AP freelance writers Colin Fly, Ian Harrison, Nate Latsch, Jeremy Rakes and Dave Royse contributed to this report.

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More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

Rookies settling in atop baseball’s leaderboards

By NOAH TRISTER
Associated Press

The American League’s home run leader is a rookie. Same in the National League.

The AL batting race? A rookie is in front there, too.

Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger and Ben Gamel have made quite an impression already during the first half of this 2017 season, with Judge and Bellinger slugging their way to stardom for the Yankees and Dodgers. Gamel, who played briefly for the Yankees last year before being traded, has settled in nicely in Seattle.

Judge and Bellinger are the two home run leaders, and Judge is also second in the AL batting race — nine points behind Gamel. If they keep this up, it should be another banner year for baseball’s top rookies.

Entering Sunday, Judge and Bellinger had already combined for 7.0 wins above replacement, according to Baseball-Reference.com. And Bellinger wasn’t even the leader in WAR among NL rookies — he was behind Colorado left-hander Kyle Freeland.

It looks increasingly likely that the two Rookie of the Year winners will combine for over 10.0 WAR, which is a reasonably rare occurrence. Here are other years when it’s happened. (WAR totals from Baseball-Reference.com in parentheses.)

1964: Tony Oliva (6.8) and Dick Allen (8.8). Oliva and Allen each led his league in total bases, while Oliva also took the first of two straight AL batting titles.

1968: Stan Bahnsen (5.9) and Johnny Bench (5.0). Bench needs no introduction, but Bahnsen had a fine year, too, winning 17 games with a 2.05 ERA for the Yankees.

1972: Carlton Fisk (7.3) and Jon Matlack (6.1). Fisk hit .293 with 22 homers and 61 RBIs to become an immediate standout in Boston.

1975: Fred Lynn (7.4) and John Montefusco (6.4). Lynn pulled off a rare sweep by winning AL MVP honors in addition to Rookie of the Year. He hit .331 with 21 homers and a league-leading .967 OPS.

1976: Mark Fidrych (9.6) and Pat Zachry (3.5). Who could forget “The Bird” and his 19-win debut for Detroit? Fidrych was a clear choice in the AL, but the NL vote was actually a tie between Zachry and Butch Metzger (1.5 WAR).

1984: Alvin Davis (5.9) and Dwight Gooden (5.7). Gooden’s 276 strikeouts were a sign of things to come in New York, while Davis hit .284 with 27 homers and 116 RBIs for the Mariners.

1993: Tim Salmon (5.2) and Mike Piazza (7.0). A Los Angeles-area sweep, with Piazza hitting 35 homers for the Dodgers, while Salmon hit 31 for the Angels.

1997: Nomar Garciaparra (6.6) and Scott Rolen (4.5). Garciaparra led the AL with 209 hits. Like Salmon and Piazza in ’93, both Garciaparra and Rolen were unanimous Rookie of the Year choices.

2001: Ichiro Suzuki (7.7) and Albert Pujols (6.6). Suzuki won MVP honors for the 116-win Mariners. Pujols hit .329 with 37 homers and 130 RBIs — but with Barry Bonds around, he’d have to wait a few years for his own MVPs.

2012: Mike Trout (10.8) and Bryce Harper (5.1). Trout’s season was so stupendous — it took a Triple Crown-winning Miguel Cabrera to deny him the MVP — that it overshadowed Harper’s 22 home runs at age 19.

2015: Carlos Correa (4.1) and Kris Bryant (5.9). Correa narrowly beat out Francisco Lindor in the AL vote.

2016: Michael Fulmer (4.9) and Corey Seager (6.1). Seager was a unanimous choice in the NL, and he finished third in the MVP vote.

Here are a few other developments from around baseball:

RUNNING WILD

The Washington Nationals stole seven bases in a 6-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night. Cubs catcher Miguel Montero blamed Jake Arrieta’s slow delivery for the steals, and Montero was later cut by Chicago.

The seven steals tied a franchise record for the Nationals, including their time in Montreal. By way of comparison, Washington’s regional rivals, the Baltimore Orioles, have 16 stolen bases all year.

HIGHLIGHTS

Comerica Park’s spacious center field was home to two tremendous defensive plays this past week. Detroit’s Mikie Mahtook ran down a drive by Kansas City’s Salvador Perez on Tuesday, making a leaping catch against the wall in right-center. But on Saturday, Mahtook was on the other end of a defensive gem, when Cleveland’s Bradley Zimmer made a diving catch in left-center to take a hit away from him.

LINE OF THE WEEK

Mookie Betts, Boston, homered twice and drove in eight runs in a 15-1 win over Toronto on Sunday.

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More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

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Follow Noah Trister at www.Twitter.com/noahtrister