MLB Betting – 2011 All-Star Game Preview & Pick
Will the American League All-Stars show up in Arizona with a chip on their collective shoulder?
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Date: Tuesday July 12, 2011
Venue: Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Broadcast: FOX
2011 MLB All-Star Game Betting Lines from Betonline.com
Money Line: American League +106, National League -118
Over/Under: 8.5
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American League (38-41-2 all-time)
Jered Weaver (11-4, 1.86)
Before the National League won last season, the AL had a 13-year unbeaten streak going at the All-Star Game. Yet all it took was one loss and the AL is relegated to underdog status at the books. 
So what gives? Part of the problem for the American League is absentees. Both teams had players pull out but you could argue that the AL has been hit harder. The National League has lost plenty of position players, including Ryan Braun, Jose Reyes and Shane Victorino. But the AL has lost almost its entire rotation. Felix Hernandez, C.C. Sabathia, Justin Verlander, David Price and James Shields are all missing either due to injury or because they pitched too recently.
Jered Weaver may be comfortable but the plethora of first-time pitchers stepping in as reserves – Ricky Romero, Michael Pineda, Alexi Ogando and so on – could succumb to jitters. The big boys like Jose Bautista and Adrian Gonzalez will need to produce some runs.
National League (41-38-2 all-time)
Roy Halladay (11-3, 2.45)
Did last season symbol a changing of the guard for the National League? The losing streak finally ended. Many baseball experts and handicappers agree that the reason is star power. While the AL often fields a deeper roster, the NL has the big guns. We won’t see Braun or Albert Pujols but we’ll see Prince Fielder, Joey Votto, Troy Tulowitzki and so on.
On the hill, the NL again my not have the depth but it has the best of the best. Roy Halladay, Tim Lincecum, Cliff Lee and Clayton Kershaw are dominant pitchers.
The pick:
Given that only three games separate the two sides all-time and that the run differential in every All-Star game combined is 340-339 (seriously), the bet remains a crapshoot. But I like the National League to start a winning streak at two. The Senior Circuit arguably hasn’t been bitten as hard by the injury bug and has more experience.
All Star Game Players
Starters Position-Player
C Alex Avila, DET
1B Adrian Gonzalez, BOS
2B Robinson Cano, NYY
3B Adrian Beltre, TEX
SS Asdrubal Cabrera, CLE
OF Jose Bautista, TOR
OF Curtis Granderson, NYY
OF Josh Hamilton, TEX
DH David Ortiz, BOS
Pitchers Position-Player
P Josh Beckett, BOS
P Aaron Crow, KC
P Gio Gonzalez, OAK
P Felix Hernandez, SEA
P Brandon League, SEA
P Jon Lester, BOS
P Alexi Ogando, TEX
P Chris Perez, CLE
P Michael Pineda, SEA
P David Price, TB
P David Robertson, NYY
P Ricky Romero, TOR
P Mariano Rivera, NYY
P CC Sabathia, NYY
P James Shields, TB
P Jose Valverde, DET
P Justin Verlander, DET
P Jordan Walden, LAA
P Jered Weaver, LAA
P C.J. Wilson, TEX [dfads params=’groups=10&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]
Reserves Position-Player
C Russell Martin, NYY
C Matt Wieters, BAL
1B Miguel Cabrera, DET
1B Paul Konerko, CWS#
2B Howard Kendrick, LAA
3B Kevin Youkilis, BOS
3B Alex Rodriguez, NYY
SS Derek Jeter, NYY
SS Jhonny Peralta, DET
OF Michael Cuddyer, MIN
OF Jacoby Ellsbury, BOS
OF Matt Joyce, TB
OF Carlos Quentin, CWS
DH Michael Young, TEX
National League Starters Position-Player
C Brian McCann, ATL
1B Prince Fielder, MIL
2B Rickie Weeks, MIL
3B Scott Rolen, CIN
SS Troy Tulowitzki, COL
OF Ryan Braun, MIL
OF Lance Berkman, STL
OF Matt Kemp, LAD
Pitchers Position-Player
P Heath Bell, SD
P Matt Cain, SF
P Tyler Clippard, WSH
P Kevin Correia, PIT
P Roy Halladay, PHI
P Cole Hamels, PHI
P Joel Hanrahan, PIT
P Jair Jurrjens, ATL
P Clayton Kershaw, LAD
P Craig Kimbrel, ATL
P Cliff Lee, PHI
P Tim Lincecum, SF
P Jonny Venters, ATL
P Ryan Vogelsong, SF
P Brian Wilson, SF
Reserves Position-Player
C Yadier Molina, STL
C Miguel Montero, ARI
1B Gaby Sanchez, FLA
1B Joey Votto, CIN
2B Brandon Phillips, CIN
SS Jose Reyes, NYM
3B Placido Polanco, PHI
3B Pablo Sandoval, SF
3B Chipper Jones, ATL
SS Starlin Castro, CHC
OF Carlos Beltran, NYM
OF Jay Bruce, CIN
OF Matt Holliday, STL
OF Hunter Pence, HOU
OF Andrew McCutchen, PIT
OF Justin Upton, ARI
OF Shane Victorino, PHI
OF Andre Ethier, LAD
2011 MLB All-Star Game prediction: National League 5, American League 3
Money Line: National League -118
Over/Under: UNDER 8.5
