2013 MLB All Star Game Preview

The 2013 Major League Baseball All Star Game will be played this Tuesday at 5PM Pacific, at Citi Field in New York.

Jul 1, 2013; Cincinnati, OH, USA; San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy (15) in the dugout prior to the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports

The National League team will be managed by Giants skipper Bruce Bochy, and the American League team by his counterpart in the 2012 World Series, Jim Leyland.  With the winner receiving home field advantage for their respective league, the game does have a certain degree of importance.  In a recent interview with CSN Bay Area, Bochy expressed his desire to win the game: “We have been rewarded from the National League winning by getting home-field advantage,” Bochy said Wednesday. “We got two rings partly because of that. So I’ll feel a little pressure to win the game.”

Essentially, expect Bochy to manage as if it were a playoff game and to use each All Star in spots and situations to where they are best suited.

4 members of the San Francisco Giants have made the team including: C Buster Posey, P Madison Bumgarner, 2nd baseman Marco Scutaro, and Closer Sergio Romo.

Jul 8, 2013; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey (28) hits a home run against the New York Mets during the first inning at AT

Buster Posey hasn’t missed a step from his 2012 MVP season.  Marking his 2nd consecutive and 2nd overall All Star appearance, Posey has hit .325 with 13 HR, 56 RBI, and posted a .395 OBP.  Posey was the 1st catcher in 70 years to win the batting title in the National League in 2012, and could challenge for it again with a strong 2nd half this season.

June 30, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner (40) delivers a pitch against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Madison Bumgarner has been solid for the Giants in the 1st half of 2013.  With San Francisco not living up to its recent pitching standards throughout much of the 1st half, Bumgarner has remained a force, going 10-5 with a 3.02 ERA 0.95 WHIP while striking out 122.  This marks the 1st All Star appearance for Bumgarner, who at age 23 already has 2 World Series titles under his belt.

Jul 12, 2013; San Diego, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants second baseman Marco Scutaro (19) hits an RBI single during the seventh inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Marco Scutaro has been about as solid a 2 hitter that a club could ask for since joining the San Francisco Giants.  The 2012 NLCS MVP is hitting .316 with 2 HR’s and 18 RBI, and has 187 hits since being acquired by the Giants on July 27th, 2012.  Scutaro has been able to keep getting hits despite not being able to straighten his pinky, an injury known as “mallet finger” that he sustained earlier in the season when he was hit by a pitch.  This is the 1st All Star selection for the 37 year old 2nd baseman.

Jul 11, 2013; San Diego, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Sergio Romo (54) celebrates after a 4-2 win against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Sergio Romo has been the most solid contributor to the San Francisco bullpen since taking over as the closer full-time for Santiago Casilla in 2012.  After recording the final out with a strikeout of AL MVP and All Star Miguel Cabrera to end the 2012 World Series, Romo has posted solid numbers in 2013.  With 21 saves a 2.86 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 38 K’s, he will come out of the pen for Bruce Bochy’s NL squad.  This marks the 1st All Star appearance for Sergio Romo. All 4 should see some time in reserve rolls, and who knows, maybe we will see a rematch of Romo vs. Cabrera.

In news from the Futures Game, Giants top prospect Kyle Crick of the single A San Jose Giants pitched 1/3 of an inning for the US Team, walking 2 and giving up no hits.  Crick had great stuff, hitting 95-97 with his fastball and showed an excellent breaking pitch in limited action.

And now for the complete rosters; starters and reserves:

For a full interactive roster of each team including stats provided by mlb.com, click here.

Update: Lineups &  Scherzer has been slated to start for the AL, Harvey for the NL.

Aug 7, 2012; Flushing, NY,USA; Mr. Met unveils the 2013 All Star Game logo before the game between the New York Mets and the Miami Marlins at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

National League Starters:

1. 2B Brandon Phillips, CIN

2. RF Carlos Beltran, StL

3. 1B Joey Votto, CIN

4. 3B David Wright, NYM

5. LF Carlos Gonzalez, COL

6. C Yadier Molina, StL

7. SS Troy Tulowitzki, COL

8. DH Michael Cuddyer, COL

9. CF Bryce Harper, WAS

NL Pitchers:

LHP: Madison Bumgarner, Giants LHP: Aroldis Chapman, Reds LHP: Patrick Corbin, D-backs RHP: Jose Fernandez, Marlins RHP: Jason Grilli, Pirates RHP: Matt Harvey, Mets LHP: Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers RHP: Craig Kimbrel, Braves LHP: Cliff Lee, Phillies LHP: Jeff Locke, Pirates RHP: Mark Melancon, Pirates RHP: Sergio Romo, Giants RHP: Adam Wainwright, Cardinals LHP: Travis Wood, Cubs RHP: Jordan Zimmermann, Nationals

NL Reserves:

C: Buster Posey, Giants C: Brian McCann, Braves 1B: Paul Goldschmidt, D-backs 1B: Allen Craig, Cardinals 1B: Freddie Freeman, Braves 2B: Matt Carpenter, Cardinals 2B: Marco Scutaro, Giants SS: Everth Cabrera, Padres SS: Jean Segura, Brewers 3B: Pedro Alvarez, Pirates OF: Domonic Brown, Phillies OF: Michael Cuddyer, Rockies OF: Carlos Gomez, Brewers OF: Andrew McCutchen, Pirates

American League Starters:

Jul 14, 2013; Flushing, NY, USA; Members of the World Futures team pose for a photo at batting practice for the All-Star Futures Game at Citi field. Mandatory Credit: William Perlman/THE STAR-LEDGER via USA TODAY Sports

1. CF Mike Trout, LAA

Jul 3, 2013; New York, NY, USA; General view of fireworks following a game between the New York Mets and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

2. 2B Robinson Cano, NYY

3. 3B Miguel Cabrera, DET

4. 1B Chris Davis, BAL

5. RF Jose Bautista, TOR

6. DH David Ortiz, BOS

7. CF Adam Jones, BAL

8. C Joe Mauer, MIN

9. SS JJ Hardy, BAL

AL Pitchers:

RHP: Grant Balfour, A’s RHP: Clay Buchholz, Red Sox LHP: Brett Cecil, Blue Jays RHP: Bartolo Colon, A’s RHP: Jesse Crain, White Sox RHP: Yu Darvish, Rangers RHP: Steve Delabar,Blue Jays RHP: Felix Hernandez, Mariners RHP: Greg Holland, Royals RHP: Hisashi Iwakuma, Mariners RHP: Justin Masterson, Indians RHP: Matt Moore, Rays RHP: Joe Nathan, Rangers LHP: Glen Perkins, Twins RHP: Mariano Rivera, Yankees LHP: Chris Sale, White Sox RHP: Max Scherzer, Tigers RHP: Chris Tillman, Orioles RHP: Justin Verlander, Tigers

AL Reserves:

C: Jason Castro, Astros C: Salvador Perez, Royals 1B: Prince Fielder, Tigers 2B: Jason Kipnis, Indians 2B: Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox 2B: Ben Zobrist, Rays SS: Jhonny Peralta: Tigers 3B: Manny Machado, Orioles OF: Nelson Cruz, Rangers OF: Alex Gordon, Royals OF: Torii Hunter, Tigers DH: Edwin Encarnacion, Blue Jays

July 9, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; American League first baseman Prince Fielder (28) of the Detroit Tigers holds up his trophy after winning the 2012 Home Run Derby at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley/USA TODAY Sports via USA TODAY Sports

To kick off the festivities Monday, the HR Derby will be held at Citi Field at 5 PM Pacific.

The NL squad features David Wright of the hometown Mets, Bryce Harper of the Nationals, Pedro Alvarez of the Pirates (replacing Carlos Gonzalez), and Michael Cuddyer of the Rockies.

The AL squad features Robinson Cano of the Yankees, Prince Fielder of the Tigers, MLB HR leader Chris Davis of the Orioles, and Yoenis Cespedes of the A’s.

Tune in to support manager Bruce Bochy and your 2013 San Francisco Giants All Stars- the last baseball we get to see until Friday July 19th at AT&T Park in a divisional series against the Diamondbacks.