All Star Game Rosters

The only Pirate chosen was Freddy Sanchez, but Tom Gorzelanny could be voted in as the last National League player, he was one of the five picked so everyone go to www.mlb.com and vote for Gorzo.

National League
Starters
C Russell Martin, LAD R/R
1B Prince Fielder, MIL L/R
2B Chase Utley, PHI L/R
3B David Wright, NYM R/R
SS Jose Reyes, NYM S/R
OF Carlos Beltran, NYM S/R
OF Barry Bonds, SF L/L
OF Ken Griffey Jr, CIN L/L

Pitchers

P Francisco Cordero, MIL R/R
P Brian Fuentes, COL L/L
P Cole Hamels, PHI L/L
P Trevor Hoffman, SD R/R
P Jake Peavy, SD R/R
P Brad Penny, LAD R/R
P Takashi Saito, LAD R/R
P Ben Sheets, MIL R/R
P John Smoltz, ATL R/R
P Jose Valverde, ARI R/R
P Billy Wagner, NYM L/L

Reserves

C Brian McCann, ATL L/R
1B Derrek Lee, CHC R/R
1B Albert Pujols, STL R/R
1B Dmitri Young, WSH S/R
2B Orlando Hudson, ARI S/R
2B Freddy Sanchez, PIT R/R
SS J.J. Hardy, MIL R/R
3B Miguel Cabrera, FLA R/R
OF Matt Holliday, COL R/R
OF Carlos Lee, HOU R/R
OF Aaron Rowand, PHI R/R
OF Alfonso Soriano, CHC R/R

American League
Starters

C Ivan Rodriguez, DET R/R
1B David Ortiz, BOS L/L
2B Placido Polanco, DET R/R
3B Alex Rodriguez, NYY R/R
SS Derek Jeter, NYY R/R
OF Vladimir Guerrero, LAA R/R
OF Magglio Ordonez, DET R/R
OF Ichiro Suzuki, SEA L/R

Pitchers

P Josh Beckett, BOS R/R
P Dan Haren, OAK R/R
P Bobby Jenks, CWS R/R
P John Lackey, LAA R/R
P Gil Meche, KC R/R
P Jon Papelbon, BOS R/R
P J.J. Putz, SEA R/R
P Francisco Rodriguez, LAA R/R
P C.C. Sabathia, CLE L/L
P Johan Santana, MIN L/L
P Justin Verlander, DET R/R

Reserves

C Victor Martinez, CLE S/R
C Jorge Posada, NYY S/R
1B Justin Morneau, MIN L/R
2B Brian Roberts, BAL S/R
SS Carlos Guillen, DET S/R
SS Michael Young, TEX R/R
3B Mike Lowell, BOS R/R
OF Carl Crawford, TB L/L
OF Torii Hunter, MIN R/R
OF Manny Ramirez, BOS R/R
OF Alex Rios, TOR R/R
OF Grady Sizemore, CLE L/L

Pirates Cannot Complete Sweep, lose 3-2

The Pirates could not get the sweep, losing 3-2 to the Nationals Sunday afternoon. Paul Maholm(4-11) got the loss despite pitching well going 7 innings giving up 3 runs. He gave up a 2-run homer to Jesus Flores(1) that proved to be the edge in the game. The Pirates trailed 3-0 but got 2 runs in the bottom of the 7th but couldnt complete the comeback. The Pirates are now 35-46 and have to have a great week this week when they take on Milwaukee in a 4 game series and Chicago in a 3 game series before the All-Star break if they want to compete in the second half.

Pirates win again 7-2 over Nationals

The Bucs prevailed over the Nats 7-2 Saturday night and have won 4 of their last 5 games. A big six run second inning got the Pirates most of their offense. Jack Wilson(22) and Freddy Sanchez(28) both had 2-RBI singles and Adam Laroche smacked a 2-RBI double(20) in the inning. Laroche added his 10th home-run in the 5th inning for the last of his 3 RBI's(45). Tom Gorzelanny(8-4) got the win after he went 7.1 innings 2 runs on 5 hits while striking out six batters. He gave up a RBI single in the first inning to Dmitri Young but after getting the 6 runs in the second he cruised to the victory. He also gave up a solo homer to Ronnie Belliard(3) in the sixth. Masumi Kuwata, a 37-yr old Japanese league star, got the last 5 outs for the Pirates. Kuwata has turned out to be pretty good, he has a 2.53 ERA. The Pirates are getting hot at the right time, in my opinion their last chance to turn it around is now, they start a series with Milwaukee,the division leader, on Monday. If they wanna have a respectful year they need to put together a winning streak now. They are 35-45 and 12 games behind Milwaukee who are 47-33.

The Countdown Begins/Why I'm still mad at Barry

Barry Bonds hit #750 last night and as he said earlier in the year, "the countdown should begin at #750". He hit the home run last night after a drunken fan trotted out to say hello to Barry in left field. The guy was from North Dakota, so maybe he didnt know he wasn't allowed to enter the field??? Yeah, I doubt it. Barry was nice to the man, put his hand on his shoulder and walked him to security personnel, the man was arrested. So the countdown and steroid debate begins, all his at-bats will be televised on ESPN soon and the critics will be out in full force. But, Barry Im not mad at you for doing steroids(allegedly) or that you are gonna break Aaron's record after being hopped up on the juice(allegedly) for many years at the start of this decade, after all most MLB'ers were probably on them. Barry, Im mad at you because you couldn't throw out that dinosaur named Sid Bream on that single to left field in Game 7 of the NLCS against the Braves 15 years ago, why Barry? Why? I'll never forgive you for that Barry, also you were horrible at the plate all 3 years in the playoffs for the Pirates. I still have nightmares of Sid Bream truckin around third and thinking Barry will throw him out, no he's safe!!!! Why Barry!?? Why!?

Pirates Win 3-2 over Nats

The Pittsburgh Pirates started a 3-game series at home with the Washington Nationals and won 3-2 on a Jose Bautista sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 9th inning. Ian Snell started the game and left after 7 innings down 2-0. The Pirates scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 7th on a Nate McClouth RBI triple(1) and Jose Bautista hit a sacrifice fly to center field that scored McClouth. Then in the bottom of the 9th Ronny Paulino got a single to left field, then was bunted over to second by Jack Wilson, then he moved over to 3rd on a wild pitch while McClouth was batting. Paulino was then substituted by Castillo to pinch run. McClouth and Doumit both walked to load the bases. Jose Bautista then hit his second RBI(29) sacrifice fly of the game to end it. Ryan Langerhans(4) hit the only home run of the game off Ian Snell in the 3rd inning. Snell went 7 IP, with 2 ER on 5 hits, he struck out 5. His ERA is now 2.90. Matt Capps(4-4) pitched the top of the 9th to get the win. The Pirates are now 34-45.

NBA Draft

Here are the lottery picks(first 14) from yesterday's draft. Oden goes to the Trail Blazers but Seattle got Durant at #2 and Jeff Green(Georgetown)

#1 Portland- Greg Oden,C, Ohio State
#2 Seattle- Kevin Durant,F, Texas
#3 Atlanta- Al Horford,C, Florida
#4 Memphis- Mike Conley Jr., PG, Ohio State
#5 Seattle- Jeff Green, F, Georgetown
#6 Milwaukee- Yi Jianlian, F, China
#7 Minnesota- Corey Brewer, F, Florida
#8 Golden State- Brandan Wright, F, North Carolina
#9 Chicago- Joakim Noah, F, Florida
#10 Sacramento- Spencer Hawes, C, Washington
#11 Atlanta- Acie Law III, PG, Texas A&M
#12 Philadelphia- Thaddeus Young, F, Georgia Tech
#13 New Orleans- Julian Wright, F, Kansas
#14 LA Clippers- Al Thornton, F, Florida State

Seattle made a trade with Boston to get pick #5, Ray Allen will be in Boston next year.

Biggio gets 3,000 hits; Frank Thomas gets 500th HR

Thursday was a big day for milestones in Major League Baseball. Craig Biggio got his 3,000th hit as he went 5 for 6 in an 8-5 win in 11 innings over the Colorado Rockies that ended on a walk-off grand slam by Carlos Lee. Biggio has 3,002 hits now and got #3,000 off Aaron Cook. Biggio was thrown out at 2nd trying to stretch #3,000 into a double.

Frank Thomas of the Toronto Blue Jays got his 500th home run in Minnesota also on Thursday. "Big Hurt" got it off Carlos Silva in the 1st inning of an 8-5 loss to Minnesota. He has hit 10% of his 500(50) off of the Minnesota Twins where they were a division rival for most of his career while he was in Chicago playing for the White Sox. Then, in the 9th inning Thomas got ejected from the game for arguing balls and strikes with umpire Mark Wegner.