KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Detroit’s Justin Verlander will start on the mound for the American League, and Matt Cain of San Francisco will go for the National League in Tuesday night’s All-Star game. Verlander posted a 9-5 record with a 2.58 ERA for the Tigers in the first half of the season. Cain went 9-3, including a perfect game, with a 2.62 ERA for the Giants.
American League manager Ron Washington announced his starting lineup. Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter will lead off, followed by his teammate Robinson Cano at second. Texas left fielder Josh Hamilton bats third, followed by Toronto right fielder Jose Bautista, Detroit first baseman Prince Fielder, Texas third baseman Adrian Beltre, Boston designated hitter David Ortiz, Texas catcher Mike Napoli and Yankees center fielder Curtis Granderson.
National League skipper Tony La Russa’s lineup has Colorado’s Carlos Gonzalez leading off as the DH, followed by San Francisco center fielder Melky Cabrera, Milwaukee left fielder Ryan Braun, Cincinnati first baseman Joey Votto, St. Louis right fielder Carlos Beltran, Giants catcher Buster Posey, San Francisco third baseman Pablo Sandoval, Atlanta second baseman Dan Uggla and St. Louis shortstop Rafael Furcal.
Two of baseball’s youngest phenoms — 19-year-old Bryce Harper of Washington and 20-year-old Mike Trout of the L.A. Angels, will be part of the bench strength for each team. Harper is the youngest position player in All-Star history and a key part of the Washington Nationals’ transformation to a first-place team while Trout is leading the American League in hitting.
