A Blast of a Weekend

The All-Star teams have been announced. I used to get worked up about who started and who didn't, but have really settled into all starting lineups really being about who the fans want to see. I do think the fans got most of the starters right this time around, which is pretty darn impressive. I think both managers did a good job as well filling out the rosters. I wonder if Jonathan Papelbon still feels he should be closing for the AL team, or maybe he thinks he should start at first for the NL team instead of Albert Pujols. I would like to see Zack Grienkie get the start for the American League squad and Tim Lincecum get the nod for the senior circuit.

Now the fans get one last chance to vote someone in, with the "final roster spot" voting.

Ricky Nolasco struck out twelve in the Marlins five to nothing win over the Pirates yesterday. They stay just one game back of the Phillies in the NL East. Remember, this is a team that started out eleven and one, fell off the face of the earth, and has now resurrected their season. Pretty impressive.

The Padres and the A's made a trade over the weekend. Oakland picked up outfielder Scott Hairston. Hairston has had a good season thus far .299 with ten home runs and 29 RBI. In return, San Diego picks up three minor league pitchers.

The two New York teams are heading in opposite directions. The Mets were swept by the Phillies, bested on Sunday by Joe Blanton, two to nothing. New York scored just three runs over the weekend. They now sit four games back of Philadelphia. Worst of all for the Mets, they had to wear red hats in the Phillies park (can you tell I am still not a fan?) The Mets close out the nominal first half with three against the Reds and three against the Dodgers.

The Yankees are now one game back of the Boston Red Sox, winning the first three games of their weekend wrap around series with the Blue Jays. They took yesterday's game ten to eight, taking the lead on a Derek Jeter homer to right in the fifth. Joba Chamberlain had a rough start, going just three and two-thirds giving up nine hits and eight runs, three of them earned.

Have I mentioned that I wasn't a fan of the red hats? Just wanted to drive that point home.