Joined: Mar '14
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Posts: 8946
Keuchel named AL starter for All-Star Game Astros lefty helped cause with scoreless performance vs. Royals on June 30
CINCINNATI -- The difficult decision of selecting a starting pitcher to represent the American League was on manager Ned Yost's mind when he filled out his lineup card for the Royals' battle against the Astros' Dallas Keuchel on June 30 in Houston, viewing that matchup as an audition of sorts. Keuchel aced Yost's evaluation that night, hurling eight scoreless innings in a victory, and the AL will be looking for that same caliber of performance when Keuchel takes the ball to start Tuesday's All-Star Game presented by T-Mobile at Great American Ball Park (6 p.m. CT, FOX).
Joined: Sep '11
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This is the first All-Star Game in which the American League does not have a starting position player from either the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox. The American League has eight first time All-Stars on their pitching staff, which gives a clear advantage to the National League.
------------ This is the first All-Star Game in which the American League does not have a starting position player from either the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox. The American League has eight first time All-Stars on their pitching staff, which gives a clear advantage to the National League.
Joined: Mar '14
Location: Japan
Age: 49 (M)
Posts: 8946
MVP Trout fuels AL's third straight ASG win
CINCINNATI -- An unquestionably successful All-Star experience in Cincinnati saw some its most memorable moments delivered by two guys from New Jersey. Third baseman Todd Frazier of the host Reds, with an assist from a new format, provided the drama and energy while winning the Gillette Home Run Derby sponsored by Head and Shoulders on Monday. Then, Angels superstar Mike Trout added his own sizzle on Tuesday to the 86th All-Star Game presented by T-Mobile. Trout hit a leadoff home run and scored two runs, setting the tone for the American League in a 6-3 victory over the National League before 43,656 fans at Great American Ball Park. It was the third straight All-Star win for the AL, which will have home-field advantage once again in the World Series. Trout became the first back-to-back winner of the All-Star Game MVP Award presented by Chevrolet.
Joined: Mar '14
Location: Japan
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Posts: 8946
Harper, Greinke, Bryant top midseason awards Taking a look back at the best the first half of the season had to offer MLB.com
The All-Star break is the ceremonial midpoint of the baseball season, and as we all anxiously await games to get going again on Friday, we polled more than a dozen of our experts and asked them to select the first half's top performers in a number of key categories.
MVP: Bryce Harper, Nationals THE STAT: Harper, 22, is slugging .704. No player younger than 26 years old has topped .700 over a full season in the divisional era.
Top starter: Zack Greinke, Dodgers THE STAT: He has allowed one run or fewer in 14 of his 18 starts this season.
Top rookie: Kris Bryant, Cubs THE STAT: Leads all rookies with a .376 OBP, a mark that ranks ninth in the National League.
Joined: Sep '11
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Chicago Cubs at Atlanta Braves
Cubs are 1-3 in last 4 games overall. Over is 4-2-1 in Cubs last 7 games. Braves are 0-5 in last 5 games overall. Under is 3-1 in Braves last 4 games. Braves are 3-1 in last 4 head to head games against Cubs.
Joined: Mar '14
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Age: 49 (M)
Posts: 8946
Window for big trades ready to open History shows some clubs don't wait until July 31 to bolster their roster for stretch run
Now that the All-Star break has come and gone, it's time for baseball to shift into its next phase: the annual July trading frenzy. With the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline fast approaching, Major League front offices are entering their busiest and most chaotic time of the season. In fact, recent history tells us we should start to see a few trades in the very near future. While July 31 is the date most synonymous with activity, impact deals are just as likely to happen in the two weeks leading up to the Deadline.
Joined: Sep '11
Location: Bosnia and Herzegovina
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Posts: 3048
Tampa Bay Rays at Toronto Blue Jays
Rays are 3-0 in last 3 games overall. Under is 2-0-1 in Rays last 3 games. Blue Jays are 1-4 in last 5 games overall. Under is 4-2-1 in Blue Jays last 7 games. Rays are 7-4 in last 11 games head to head against Blue Jays.
Joined: Aug '08
Location: Germany
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Posts: 1115
MLB
Boston Red Sox @ Los Angels Angels
BOS are 3-8 in their last 11 Fri. games. LAA are 8-2 in their last 10 Fri. games. LAA are 11-3 in their last 14 overall. LAA are 11-3 in their last 14 games on grass.
Joined: Mar '14
Location: Japan
Age: 49 (M)
Posts: 8946
LA-Nats suspended due to power issues Nationals Park lights go out three times during game
WASHINGTON -- The game between the Dodgers and Nationals on Friday night at Nationals Park was suspended before the top of the sixth inning when some of the stadium lights shut off for the third time. It is not yet known when the game will be completed. The first delay occurred in the bottom of the fourth inning, and play resumed after a delay of one hour and 22 minutes. After the top of the fifth inning, lighting issues again caused a delay. The lights were turned back on and Dodgers righty Chin-hui Tsao took the hill for the bottom of the fifth, allowing a two-run homer to Yunel Escobar to give the Nats a 3-2 lead. Before the sixth inning could get underway, the lights went out again.
Joined: Sep '11
Location: Bosnia and Herzegovina
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Washington Nationals vs Los Angeles Dodgers
2 | AH -1.50
Los Angeles Dodgers meeting Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, Washington, District of Columbia. Los Angeles Dodgers is 51-39 vs Washington Nationals is 48-39 season records overall.
Joined: Mar '14
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14-K gold: Kershaw dazzles in DC
WASHINGTON -- Dominant is the best way to describe Clayton Kershaw's performance in Game 2 on Saturday in a 4-2 victory over the Nationals at Nationals Park. The Nats won Friday's suspended game, 5-3, earlier in the day. "He went out there like the MVP that he is," Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper said about Kershaw. "He was pretty devastating. We tried to go in there and did what we could. I think he is the best pitcher in baseball. He is pretty tough."
Joined: Mar '14
Location: Japan
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Keuchel-angelo: Astros ace crafts masterpiece Fired up All-Star starter whiffs career-high 13 in seven scoreless innings
HOUSTON -- To end the sixth inning, Dallas Keuchel spun a slider to Rougned Odor's back foot for his 11th strikeout of the game and fourth punchout in a row. "When you don't show respect to other players, there's guys who will take offense to that," Keuchel said. "You don't disrespect the game of baseball. I felt like we got disrespected [Saturday]. I wasn't [part of] it, but at the same time, I knew what I had to do and I was able to come out and set the tempo for the guys."
Joined: Sep '11
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Boston Red Sox at LA Angels
Red Sox are 1-4 in their last 5 overall. Angels are 5-13 in their last 18 Sunday games. Red Sox are 4-1 in Rodriguezs last 5 starts vs. a team with a winning record. Angels are 4-0 in Santiagos last 4 starts as a favorite. Under is 7-0 in Angels last 7 games as a home favorite.
Joined: Mar '14
Location: Japan
Age: 49 (M)
Posts: 8946
Pujols ties Schmidt with 548th homer Angels slugger shares 15th on all-time list with Phillies' Hall of Famer
ANAHEIM -- Angels first baseman Albert Pujols pounced on a knuckleball in the second inning of Monday's doubleheader finale vs. the Red Sox and lofted it over the left-field fence, giving him a Major League-leading 28 home runs on the year and tying him with Mike Schmidt for 15th on the all-time list. The 35-year-old Pujols is on pace to hit 49 homers, which would tie his career high. He and Mike Trout have combined for 55 on the season, just two fewer than the entire Braves team.
Joined: Sep '11
Location: Bosnia and Herzegovina
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San Francisco Giants at San Diego Padres
Giants are 9-20 in Cains last 29 starts vs. Padres. Under is 5-2 in the last 7 meetings. Padres are 0-5 in their last 5 Wednesday games. Giants are 3-9 in Cains last 12 road starts. Padres are 5-2 in Shields' last 7 home starts.
Joined: Mar '14
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Gutierrez's pinch-hit slam lifts Mariners
DETROIT -- The Tigers and Mariners celebrated Christmas in July at Comerica Park Tuesday night by exchanging tape-measure home runs and game-changing rallies. The last of the latter, a pinch-hit grand slam from Franklin Gutierrez in the eighth inning, sent Seattle ahead for good before hanging on for an 11-9 win.
