It’s crazy how fast time flies… This blogger remembers his MLB 2010 prediction assignment like it was yesterday…

Today, I’m given the task of covering the 2010 Major League Baseball All Star Game, which happens to take place down the 5 freeway in sunny Anaheim, CA.

That means two things. Firstly, it means that we are just about halfway through the baseball season – a season that has seen many great memories – Roy Halladay’s perfect game, Armando Galarraga’s im-perfect game, Ken Griffey Jr. retiring after a 20 year career. Ironically, Ken Griffey Jr. is still one of the top vote getters on this years All-Star voting ballot.

Secondly, it means is that by taking this task, I have agreed to fight LA freeway traffic and head to a ballpark just up the street from Downtown Disney to catch all of the action live. Tough life, right?

Angel Stadium of Anaheim, home of the Anaheim Angels, will house Major League Baseball’s best players on Tuesday, July 13th, 2010, marking the first time in over 20 years that the MLB All-Star Game will take place in Disneyland’s backyard. Of course, unlike most pro-sports All Star games, this one isn’t a meaningless baseball game. The winning team wins home field advantage for its league in the World Series this October.

As of this writing, the line-up cards for each team have only been penciled in, but that won’t stop us here at SaveFans! from taking out our pen and speculating who might be on them.

In the American League – Josh Hamilton is a lock to start in this year’s mid-season classic. The Texas Rangers slugger is having the best season of his life, and is making baseball in Arlington interesting again. He will likely join Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners and Tampa Bay Rays Carl Crawford in the outfield.

The infield will see the league’s top vote getter, Joe Mauer, behind the plate, with fellow Minnesota Twins Justin Morneau, at first base. New York Yankees fans will likely see their beloved captain, Derek Jeter, at shortstop turning double plays with his Bronx-Bombing teammate, Robinson Cano, at second base.

Here is where it gets interesting. At third base, its looking like Alex Rodriguez will NOT be starting, in lieu of Tampa Bay Rays Evan Longoria. This will have NY Yankees fans up in arms.

Anaheim Angels fans won’t see one of their own in the starting lineup, but Texas Rangers Vladimir Guerrero will still get the hero’s welcome in a stadium he ruled for so many seasons. He is likely to get the nod as DH.

On the mound – while this is very much still up in the air – it appears that New York Yankees Andy Pettitte deserves the starting nod as much as anyone else in baseball. Pettitte should write the book on how to come out of a steroid scandal looking like a million bucks, a book Roger Clemens might want to read. Pettitte, since admitting to HGH use, has seen his career take off, and seems to have a bullet-proof vest to negativity. No backlash against him, no “steeeerrrrr-oiiiiidsss” chants that A-Rod and Bonds had to endure. Nothing. The blue collar, nice-guy pitcher, is tossing gems in the Bronx this year and deserves to be the American League starter.

A few on-the-outside-looking-in names on the list of players who should be in uniforms on July 13th:

Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers is an RBI machine this season and arguably should be starting the game. Toronto Blue Jays Jose Bautista and Vernon Wells both have been hitting the long ball harder and farther than anyone in the AL. Boston Red Sox third baseman Adrian Beltre and Chicago White Sox mainstay Paul Konerko have both made stellar bids to be at the hot corners. With the fans in charge of selecting the starting lineups, these players are going to have to do some serious campaigning if they are going to start.

In the National League, top vote getter Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals will get the nod ahead of Philadelphia Phillies homerun king Ryan Howard in a move that will have Philly fans in an uproar. However, they can calm down, as they will be represented at second base by Chase Utley. New York Mets David Wright will have to get Citi Field voters to push him ahead of Placido Polanco - a feat we think he can achieve to get the third base starting job.

Rounding out the infield, Florida Marlins SS Hanley Ramirez, who many consider the best pure hitter in baseball, should get the start with Atlanta Braves catcher Brian McCann narrowly earning a spot ahead of Yadier Molina.

The outfield will be patrolled by Milwaukee Brewers Ryan Braun. That’s all we know so far, as this is the toughest positional race to call this year. Atlanta Braves rookie-sensation Jason Heyward has made a nice case for himself as has NY Mets Jason Bay – but again – this one is too close to call.

All signs point to Roy Halladay getting the nod as starter for the NL squad, but that is not stopping Colorado Rockies phenom Ublado Jiminez from claiming the role. Jiminez has been virtually un-hittable all season, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see him get the start over Doc Halladay at the big game.

The outside-looking-in players in the NL include Brewers OF Corey Hart, who has been a home run hero as much as anyone else in the league this year. Los Angeles Dodgers OF Andre Ethier has been swinging the hottest bat in LA this season, and veterans Troy Glauss and Adam Dunn have both proved their best days are not behind them. The big question in the NL, however, is whether or not Washington Nationals rookie pitcher Stephen Strasburg‘s hype will land him a spot in the big game. I guess we will find out on July 13th.

2010 Major League Baseball All-Star tickets will be the hottest ticket in baseball come July. Why catch the action on FOX when you can attend the game live? At SaveFans! you can negotiate the price you pay for MLB All-Star Game tickets and be right in the heart of all the action – so what are you waiting for?

Until then, like every other baseball fan, I’ll be continuing to flood MLB ballot boxes with votes for my favorite players. Lets hope that All-Star Game on July 13th lives up to it’s moniker – the Mid-Season Classic!

Major League Baseball All-Star Events Schedule and 2010 MLB All-Star Tickets:
July 9th-July 13th 2010 MLB All Star FanFest Tickets at The Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA
July 11th 2010 MLB All Star Sunday Tickets at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, CA
July 12th 2010 MLB All Star Workout & Home Run Derby Tickets at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, CA
July 13th 2010 MLB All Star Game 2010 Tickets at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, CA

2010 MLB All Star All Session Strip tickets (includes every 2010 All-Star Game event)

Tags: 2010 All-Star Game FanFest, 2010 MLB All Star Predictions, 2010 MLB All-Star Game Tickets, 2010 MLB All-Star Rosters, 2010 MLB AllStar Lineups, 2010 MLB American League All Stars, 2010 MLB Home Run Derby, 2010 MLB National League All Stars, Adam Dunn, adrian beltre, albert pujols, Alex Rodriguez, Andre Ethier, Andy Pettite, Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Brian McCann, Carl Crawford, Chase Utley, Corey Hart, david wright, Derek Jeter, Evan Longoria, Hanley Rameriz, Hanley Ramirez, Ichiro Suzuki, Jason Bay, Jason Heyward, Joe Mauer, jose Bautista, Josh Hamilton, justin morneau, Miguel Cabrera, MLB All Star Game 2010 Schedule, paul knerko, paul konerko, Placido Polanco, robinson cano, roy halladay, Ryan Braun, ryan howard, stephen strasburg, Steven Strasburg All-Star, Troy Glauss, Ublado Jiminez, vernon wells, Vladimir Guerrero, Yadier Molina

This entry was posted on Friday, June 25th, 2010 at 1:56 am and is filed under news, sports, tickets. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.