I think you’re making way too much of nothing. Fukudome and Soto - aka the slow and the slugging challenged - hitting at the bottom of the order is fairly consistent with AL lineups. And if I were to hazard a guess, Lou is probably doing alot of whispering in Clint’s ear about how he’d prefer those players are used; most notably the pitchers.

Oh, and Willie Randolph? It would have been an insult not soon forgotten to not have the manager from the host city on the staff.

... Hurdle started Zambrano and he came up hurt.

Of course the outcome of this game could impact the Cubs, IF the Cubs get into the World Series, but as it is do you really want extra pitches thrown in “anger” on Zambrano’s arm (shoulder)?

Zambrano is on the AS team so he gets the respect, but you may perhaps be glad if he did not pitch on Tuesday.

Really searching for topics now.

It’s the friggin All Star game. I could care less where Clint Hurdle bats Soto and Kosuke. I saw his lineup card and it looks about right given the other primetime names on hand. The best thing in the world to happen is for Carlos Zambrano and Ryan Dempster to never take their jackets off on Tuesday night. I’m happy Ben Sheets is starting.

was the Mets manager (the New York Connection) and was also a hero and long-time player and coach for the Yankees.

Not only that, but All-star coaches usually aren’t picked for the success of their team on the field. Ask Bud Black, whom Hurdle picked because he’s a friend.

Some people are just looking to get offended. There is no story here. Hurdle has nothing against us.

By the logic you use, Hurdle should have picked Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin, since they beat us in the playoffs last season. (And the Diamondbacks had the best record in the NL too, when the coaches were picked in early May.)

I’d bat them 8th and 9th, too.

The only thing I would have done differently is put Fukudome in the 9 spot as a 2nd leadoff hitter. It’s unfortunate he has to play CF, but that’s the way it goes.

Hurdle already saw multiple Cubs starting and wanted another team to have a starter. Better call Oliver Stone to research this conspiracy.

I would honestly have our players play for a little bit of time and really rest up for the second half. But eight all stars from the team is fair enough. Ben Sheets is a great pitcher and despite having an ERA that is .01 higher than Z, there isn’t really a crisis. I suspect Z will still pitch and some reserves will have an at-bat, but thats enough for me. The honor is being an All-Star, it doesn’t really matter who starts.

I have to say that my initial premise is probably wrong. It’s not like I thought that Hurdle is a bad guy (I see him a lot, living in Denver), but it just seemed weird that all of these things happened the way they did. The explanations I’ve seen here make sense.

I do agree that I’d rather make sure no Cub gets hurt tonight (for that matter, no PLAYER). I sense that some people who posted would almost rather no Cub played tonight. But it’s also a lot of fun to see the Cubs getting some respect from the rest of the league, and indeed, many sports commentators.

Here’s hoping they do us proud. Soriano’s homer at the end of last year’s game was the first big moment for a Cub I can remember in an All-Star game in quite some time (i.e., a GOOD moment).