If everything works out in favor of the American League tonight, Twins lefthander Glen Perkins will be the last man standing.
Perkins will get the ball to close out tonight's game if the AL is in a save situation. Perkins could become the first pitcher to save back-to-back All-Star Games since Mariano Rivera did it in 2005-06.
The AL is shooting for it's third straight win in the MidSummer Classic.
Two lines of storms have just moved through Cincinnati, the tarp is being pulled off as I write this, and we are about to have All-Star baseball,
Cincinnati has put on a good show so far. The gala on Sunday as excellent, the fireworks show after the Home Run Derby was spectacular. The Reds hired DJs to spin during the Home Run Derby and after the Derby. They both had the place rocking.
There were police on darn never every corner, and their presence was appreciated.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred and player's association head Tony Clark met with the media today. Both are very pleased with the way things are going across the league. One bone of contention might come in the form of expanding pace of game rules to include a pitch clock. Clark clearly doesn't feel the same way Manfred does about it.
The stakeout is on for Pete Rose. He's being allowed in the stadium for the game, and national scribes are trying to figure out what time he's arriving and through which entrance. Manfred is willing to meet with Rose to listen to him state his case for reinstatement, but the recent reports about him gambling on Reds games can't help his cause.
Clark would only describe the Rose situation as, ``disheartening,'' leaving us to figure out what about the case he's disheartened about. One thing is for sure, this place will go nuts as soon as fans spot No. 14.
American League
Mike Trout, CF
Josh Donaldson, 3B
Albert Pujols, 1B
Nelson Cruz, DH
Lorenzo Cain, RF
Adam Jones, LF
Salvador Perez, C
Jose Altuve, 2B
Alcides Escobar, SS
Zack Grienke, RHP
National League
Andrew McCutchen, CF
Todd Frazier, 3B
Bryce Harper, RF
Paul Goldschmidt, 1B
Buster Posey, C
Anthony Rizzo, DH
Jhonny Peralta, SS
Joc Pederson, LF
DJ LeMathieu, 2B
Dallas Keuchel, RHP
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La Velle E. Neal III has covered baseball for the Star Tribune since 1998 (the post-Knoblauch era). Born and raised in Chicago, he grew up following the White Sox and hating the Cubs. He attended both the University of Illinois and Illinois-Chicago and began his baseball writing career at the Kansas City Star. He can be heard occasionally on KFAN radio, lending his great baseball mind to Paul Allen and other hosts.
Phil Miller covered three seasons of Twins baseball, but that was at a different ballpark for a different newspaper. Now Miller returns to the baseball beat after joining the Star Tribune as the Gopher football writer in 2010, and he won't miss the dingy dome for a minute. In addition to the Twins and Gophers, Miller covered the Utah Jazz and the NBA for six years at The Salt Lake Tribune.
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