2013 MLB All-Star Game, Tuesday 7/16, 7:30 CT

I wish MLB would stop "This Time It Counts"; the reasons for not having the result of this game determine home field in the World Series are well-documented. But it is what it is, and that obviously won't affect the Cubs this year, so you can put that sort of rooting interest aside and just enjoy the All-Stars performing. Let's hope it's a more competitive game than last year's, which was pretty much over in the first inning.

I've put "7:30" as the starting time; there's a pregame show at 6:30 that won't tell you anything you don't already know, and th game telecast starts at 7 pm CT. That will include the usual blathering of Joe Buck and Tim McCarver on Fox, a national anthem that you hope (probably beyond hope) won't completely be a botch, and likely TV shots of Hollywood types who are on Fox shows. The first pitch will likely hit somewhere around 7:40 or so.

This is the 80th anniversary year of the first All-Star Game. There have been 83 previous games; there were two a year between 1959 and 1962 to raise more money for the players' pension fund, and no game in 1945 due to World War II; thus, this is Game 84 in the series. The National League has won 43, the American League 38, and there have been two tie games: the second 1961 game due to rain, and the 2002 game, due to this.

Enjoy the game; if Travis Wood, the Cubs' only representative, gets to pitch, the best thing he could do is not get hurt.

National League lineup:

2B Brandon Phillips, Reds
RF Carlos Beltran, Cardinals
1B Joey Votto, Reds
3B David Wright, Mets
LF Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies
C Yadier Molina, Cardinals
SS Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies
DH Michael Cuddyer, Rockies
CF Bryce Harper, Nationals

American League lineup:

LF Mike Trout, Angels
2B Robinson Cano, Yankees
3B Miguel Cabrera, Tigers
1B Chris Davis, Orioles
RF Jose Bautista, Blue Jays
DH David Ortiz, Red Sox
CF Adam Jones, Orioles
C Joe Mauer, Twins
SS J.J. Hardy, Orioles

All-Star Game Starting Pitchers

Matt Harvey National League vs. Max Scherzer American League

If you haven't seen this video of Matt Harvey interviewing people in New York about how they feel about Matt Harvey... worth a look:

Now, take a look at the stat lines of the two pitchers; that tells you how little individual W/L records are in modern baseball, particularly for starters. Scherzer has been good this year, but Harvey has clearly been better in nearly every category. Scherzer is 13-1 because he's playing for a good team; Harvey 7-2 because he isn't. A better (though still not perfect) indicator: the Tigers are 15-4 in Scherzer's 19 starts, the Mets 11-8 in Harvey's. That's a bit closer to the difference in the team records, and also shows you that the Mets bullpen hasn't helped Harvey at all. In fact, Harvey got a no-decision in his best start of the year, May 7 against the White Sox, where he threw nine shutout innings, allowing one hit and striking out 12... because his team couldn't score, either. The Mets won in 10, and someone else got the "win".

This will be the only thread for the ASG; enjoy!