Kansas City Impresses MLB Officials As Host For All-Star Festivities

For the last week, the Kansas City metro area has served as the host site for the 83rd annual Major League Baseball All-Star Game and the surrounding festivities. While it's an honor to host such an event, it's also a massive undertaking and the city is placed in the spotlight -- both good and bad. Kansas City, it seems, passed with flying colors.

From the commissioner of baseball Bud Selig to the Royals own brass, KC has a lot to be proud of from the last week.

"It's been really wonderful. Every event has been sold out, even the Futures Game. All the events have been good," Selig told a meeting of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. "The Glass family, the Royals, everybody really [made this] a great thing for Kansas City.

"You can debate the economics -- is it $60 million, $80 million, $100 million, I'll let the Kansas City people do that, but it's a lot -- but I think as you watch what's happening in this community, you see how important it is to it. It's an uplifting event, to say the least, and the Royals have really gone the extra mile to make this happen. So I want to thank them and acknowledge how I feel."

Royals owner David Glass was around for the festivities and, besides walking out of a radio interview, was quite pleased with the involvement of everyone.

"I am unbelievably proud of the Royals' organization, the city of Kansas City, the county. Everyone involved just went above and beyond," Royals owner David Glass said. "Talking to Major League Baseball, they were elated with the way everything happened in Kansas City. And I talked to tons of people at FanFest and on the streets, in restaurants and at the ballpark. They'd come there and they couldn't believe how beautiful the ballpark was, how beautiful the city was, the hospitality, how nice everyone was. In looking at it and saying, 'Do you need a correction of errors? If you do this again, what would we change?' And we couldn't come up with anything. I think it went off as well as it could."

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VIDEO: Luke Bryan Checks Watch, Lyrics During National Anthem At 2012 MLB All-Star Game

Sports history is littered with horrible renditions of the National Anthem, and that's not surprising given how all attention is paid to one person at that very moment. The very set-up is bound to lead to issues here or there. While Luke Bryan avoided any major catastrophe at the 2012 MLB All-Star Game, he definitely made some people wonder what he was doing when looking down at his hand and wrist while singing on national television.

During the broadcast, which you can see below, Bryan said he was checking out the lyrics to the song and his watch as well. He later explained that he didn't want to miss the timing for a flyover by a stealth bomber. However, it's still a bit funny to watch. You can check out his take below:

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2012 MLB-All Star Game: Even Chris Perez Gives Credit To Kansas City For Great Week

The 2012 MLB All-Star Game wasn't just an exhibition of the best and brightest in the game of baseball today. It also served as a potential exhibition for Kansas City as a hidden gem of the heartland.

Events such as the All-Star Game for Kansas City or the most recent Super Bowl for Indianapolis provide opportunities for people to discover the beauty of cities that aren't typically trafficked to for the sake of larger markets or more well-known destinations. Yet just like Indy, Kansas City enjoyed its fair share of kudos this week from members of the media, fans, players and league personnel for being a great host for the last week.

Interestingly enough, Chris Perez of the Cleveland Indians even gave the city a shout out for the recent week. Given the tension often associated with the Indians closer and the Royals, it was a nice gesture from Perez and a representative nod of just how well the city handled the event.

On the way to the airport, heading back to Cleveland, what a trip!!KC put on a great event with the whole city being excited. #ASG2012

— Chris Perez (@ChrisPerez54) July 11, 2012

Perez hasn't exactly made fans in KC with gestures to Jarrod Dyson or making light of the team slogan. However it's good to see that even a rival appreciated the city as the All-Star host.

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MLB All-Star Game: Billy Butler Grateful To Fans, Kansas City For Experience

Billy Butler went to the Major League Baseball All-Star game this year for the first time despite arguably being the Royals best hitter for the last four season. And after soaking in the atmosphere of the game itself combined with the 83rd annual game being in his home environment in Kansas City, Butler seemed quite grateful for the entire experience after the festivities, whether through quotes after the game or his own Twitter account.

Hey KC thx for the love you've showed my family and I...we've loved playing here & now the country knows why I'm gonna stay a Royal! #fans

— Billy Butler (@BillyButlerKC) July 10, 2012

"In his big-league career, this is the biggest moment for sure ," said his wife, Katie. "It's an unforgettable experience, being around all the Royals fans, and our family, and where we've been since 2007.. . . Six years here, and this is the best we've ever seen Kansas City."

"I'm very blessed," Butler said. "A lot of guys go through their whole career and make a lot of All-Star teams, and it's never in their home ballpark. So I'm definitely very thankful for this opportunity and I'm loving every minute of it."

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2012 MLB All-Star Game: Ratings Up 3 Percent From Last Year

The MLB All-Star Game's ratings have slid consistently over the years, so any improvement is considered good for baseball, and the 2012 edition from Kansas City posted an improvement over last year's edition, despite the blowout score from the first inning on:

Despite 8-0 score, #ASG overnight ratings up +3% on FOX (8.1 vs. 7.9). St. Louis led all markets w/ 20.5, followed by DET, CIN & DAL.

— MLB Public Relations (@MLB_PR) July 11, 2012

It's interesting to note that the top market, St. Louis, is home to the World Champion Cardinals and N.L. manager Tony LaRussa, while Detroit, Cincinnati and Dallas are all home to division contenders at the All-Star break.

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2012 MLB All-Star Game: Former Royal Melky Cabrera Named MVP

Former Kansas City Royal Melky Cabrera gave local fans a bitter reminder of what they had during Tuesday night's 2012 MLB All-Star Game, as the former K.C. favorite went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI in the N.L's 8-0 walloping of the A.L. Cabrera's single in the first inning was part of a barrage of hits off of starter Justin Verlander that gave the N.L. a four run lead they never looked back from.

Cabrera was a beast for the Royals in 2011 - hitting 305/.339/.470 with 18 homers, 87 RBI, 44 doubles, 20 steals and 201 hits, but was traded to the Giants for left-handed pitcher Jonathan Sánchez and minor league pitcher Ryan Verdugo.

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All-Star Week Booing Of Robinson Cano Could Cause Rule Change

The biggest news of all coming out the 2012 MLB All-Star Game festivities over the course of several days in Kansas City might just be the booing of Robinson Cano during his time here, specifically at the Home Run Derby. After Cano said he would add a hometown guy like Billy Butler to the Derby, Cano apparently went back on his word and had Prince Fielder, Mark Trumbo and Jose Bautista chosen as the players around him.

No one can argue with those names and the performances on that night speak for itself. But somehow Kansas Citians took it upon themselves to boo the Yankees second baseman to deafening levels. Apparently it was embarrassing enough for baseball that Bud Selig is open to changing the rules about the event.

"We'll talk about this [potential rule change]," Selig said during his annual session with the Baseball Writers Association of America. "While I understand [the feelings of fans in] Kansas City ... I felt very badly last night. I felt badly last year for Prince. This was tough."

"If we move to something where there's a spot reserved for one of the home-team participants, that would probably generate a lot of excitement in the ballpark," MLB Players Association executive director Michael Weiner said. "But I don't know how the ESPN producers would have felt if Mark Trumbo or Jose Bautista or Prince Fielder were left out of the event instead of Billy Butler.

"So on the one hand, if the union and the commissioner's office want to continue the captains format, the last thing we want to do is say to a player who volunteers to participate in an event and volunteers to be a face of the event [that] he is setting himself up to be booed. We don't want that. ... It sort of defeats the purpose of having players select their peers to be on their team if you have these kinds of restrictions. So I don't know which way it goes. But there will be continued discussions. And I don't know what kind of aftereffect it will have."

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2012 MLB All-Star Game Recap: National League Wins 8-0 Over American League

Justin Verlander, the American League's version of Superman, found the National League line-up to be his Kryptonite from the very outset of last night's 2012 MLB All-Star Game at Kauffman Stadium. The Detroit Tigers ace gave up five runs in one inning and the deficit was something that the AL could never even dent, leading to an ultimate 8-0 outcome.

Verlander gave up all five runs in the first, his only inning, tying him with Jim Palmer and Tom Glavine for most runs given up in an All-Star Game. Matt Harrison of the Texas Rangers gave up the other three runs for the AL.

Matt Cain got the win with two scoreless innings for the NL. Clayton Kershaw had the roughest single inning for any National League starter but managed to get through unscathed in the end.

As for the offense, Melky Cabrera, the former Royals OF, had the only home run off of Harrison. Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval also had three RBI.

The National League now owns the home field advantage in this year's World Series.

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2012 MLB All-Star Game: National League Strikes Early In 8-0 Win

That long winless streak for the National League seems like the distant past.

The NL beat up the American League MVP and cruised to an 8-0 win in the 2012 MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday in Kansas City. It is the third straight year the NL has won, and as a result, the winner of the NLCS will host the 2012 World Series. It was the largest margin of victory for the NL in All-Star Game history.

Tuesday was the 8th shutout in All-Star Game history and the 1st since 1996.It was the second-largest shutout trailing only the 1946 game.

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) July 11, 2012

Tigers starter Justin Verlander allowed five runs in the first inning, including a three-RBI triple from Giants infielder Pablo Sandoval. All eight NL runs came over two innings. Rangers starter Matt Harrison allowed three two-out runs in the fourth inning, including a two-run homer from Giants outfielder Melky Cabrera.

Cabrera went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored and was awarded the game's MVP.

As for Billy Butler, the lone Royals player on the roster, he went 0-for-2, grounding out to third in the seventh inning and striking out swinging on a full count in the ninth. Here is SI.com's box score.

In the end, 41 position players and 20 pitchers total played in the game.

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2012 MLB All-Star Game: Billy Butler Grounds Out In First At-Bat

After a long wait (and some controversy), Royals fans finally were able to cheer for designated hitter Billy Butler on the field at the All-Star Game.

Butler came up for his first at-bat in the seventh inning to fans chanting his name, but grounded out to third base on a 1-2 count.

Butler was a part of headlines during Monday's Home Run Derby when Kansas City fans booed American League captain Robinson Cano for not selecting Butler for the event. The boos continued for Cano during the early part of Tuesday's game, while Butler received a long ovation during player introductions. He also was cheered after his groundout.

Butler and the American League have a long way to go, currently trailing 8-0 in the seventh inning.

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GIF: Bryce Harper Loses Fly Ball, Looks Funny

Bryce Harper was a big story coming into this All-Star Game as the youngest position player in the game's history.

In the fifth inning of Tuesday's game, he had an embarrassing moment.

Bryce Harper is the youngest player to lose a ball in the sky at Kauffman Stadium in an #ASG... #History

— Eric Stangel (@EricStangel) July 11, 2012

via gif.mocksession.com

2012 MLB All-Star Game: Justin Verlander Allows 5 Runs To NL In First Inning

The reigning American League was banged around in his first All-Star Game start.

Justin Verlander gave up five runs in the top of the first to dig an early hole for the AL. The first run was scored on a double from reigning National League MVP Ryan Braun with one out. After Joey Votto struck out, Verlander walked Carlos Beltran and Buster Posey to load the bases.

Pablo Sandoval cleared them with a triple to right field extend the lead to 4-0, and Dan Uggla drove him home with an infield single, as Prince Fielder couldn't handle Derek Jeter's throw in the dirt at first base.

Verlander matches record for most earned runs allowed by All-Star starter (five). Glavine '92 NL, Palmer '77 AL.

— Freep Tigers (@freeptigers) July 11, 2012

Verlander had several pitches faster than 100 mph, but perhaps was too amped up and was wild. Verlander is known for his triple-digit pitches, but they usually come later in the game. Given the All-Star Game format, it was up to Verlander to balance his normal pace with a short start, but he couldn't do it.

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2012 MLB All-Star Game: Royals Appointed Right Man For Ambassador Job In George Brett

Back in April, Kansas City Royals icon George Brett took on the role as All-Star Game Ambassador for the city since Kauffman Stadium was going to serve as the host for the 83rd installment of the mid-summer classic. The returns so far have been exemplary as Brett has served as a great representative for both the KC regional area and the team that belongs to it.

"He's done a phenomenal job," said former Royals general manager Herk Robinson. "He started on this in April, and he's devoted every second he's had to it. And his attitude was just outstanding, positive, upbeat."

The current roster of the Royals is keenly aware of Brett's contribution not only to the city and the team itself but to the game of baseball as a Hall of Fame member and 13-time All-Star.

"Huge impact. George is such a special person. You can see how he was a Hall of Famer," said Royals manager Ned Yost. "He gives his all every day. He doesn't care about the fluff side of it. He wanted to play hard, he wanted to run hard on the bases, he wanted to be as smart as he can. Well, he's got that same attitude off the field where he takes pride in the Kansas City Royals, he takes pride in what we do, and he lives his life with a lot of integrity."

"He's the most key figure in Royals history, he's the best player to ever put a Royals uniform on, he's a great person on and off the field," Royals All-Star Billy Butler added.

The 83rd All-Star Game starts tonight in Kansas City at 6:30pm CT.

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2012 MLB Home Run Derby Ratings: Those K.C. Fans Not Booing Robinson Cano In Person Were Doing So At Home

2012 MLB All-Star Game: Start Time, TV Schedule, Live Stream

Kansas City's own Kauffman Stadium is the host site this year for the 83rd MLB All-Star Game, and the American League hopes to break through this year after losing the last two years to the National League. Home field advantage in the World Series is at stake, so there's definitely something to play for.

Twenty six players will be making their All-Star debut tonight, so expect to see a lot of fresh faces tonight. However with stars like Derek Jeter, David Ortiz, David Wright, Carlos Beltran and several others, it will still be a great night for baseball celebrating the best in the game.

Game date/time: Tuesday, July 10, 7:00 p.m. CT

Location: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Mo.

TV: Fox

Streaming: MLB.com

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Bud Selig Announces New First Round Playoff Format For 2013 Season

This year, the first round of the Major League Baseball playoffs is going to feature a truncated five-game series that goes from two games in one venue to the final three in another. For the team who is up first, it’s nice to have the first two games at home, but it’s a major disadvantage overall to have to clinch on the road. That’s why Bud Selig says MLB will change those rules starting next season.

David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported today that the format will switch next season to a 2-2-1 format giving the lead team the chance to clinch at home that’s typical of every sport and every other format in baseball as well. In fact, O’Brien notes that baseball scheduled things this way to avoid further travel time for that first round since the season already runs well into autumn as it stands.

While it’s nice that baseball didn’t want to elongate things any more than necessary, the team that is forced to win out on the road this year will be frustrated and there’s likely to be a lot of grumbling having to play through it. The consolation is that it’s only for one year.

MLB All-Star Game 2012: Billy Butler Comments On Being An All-Star For The First Time

On Tuesday night, Kansas City Royals slugger Billy Butler will take part in his first-ever All-Star Game. He'll be the lone representative for the Royals, who are hosting the Midsummer Classic at Kauffman Stadium.

Dick Kaegel of MLB.com gathered some comments from Butler about making the team.

"Every player is in here for a reason -- because they're really good players -- and I'm just happy to be a part of it," Butler said.

"It's really a priceless moment," Butler said. "The city's been great to me and my family, the fans have been amazing, and what's better than to get with them at the home ballpark and share the excitement?"

Butler also commented on the Kansas City fans booing Robinson Cano during Monday's Home Run Derby for not selecting Butler to the AL team.

"Robinson is a great player and he made his team, it's as simple as that," Butler said. "I hope I get one in the future, and it's nothing I can control. It's not something that's bothering me, I'm just enjoying the experience of being an All-Star. It's great."

Butler will be hoping to give the Kansas City fans plenty to cheer about on Tuesday night.

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MLB All-Star Game 2012: David Letterman Releases Fun Facts Edition Of Top 10 List

The Top 10 list is synonymous with Late Night with David Letterman, so it's not surprising that a version of the list came out last night in time for the 2012 MLB All-Star Break. The beauty of it is that Letterman got several American League players and a former local hero in George Brett to participate. Here's the complete "Top 10 Fun Facts About The All-Star Game" below and the player who mentioned it:

10.This year, they've added an extra base (Detroit Tigers starting pitcher, Justin Verlander)

9.Catcher may be replaced by a designated squatter (Minnesota Twins catcher, Joe Mauer)

8.After the Home Run Derby, there's now a Weak Grounder to Third Derby (Chicago White Sox starting pitcher, Chris Sale)

7.During the 1937 All-Star Game, Dizzy Dean's the first player to yell "Go sit in the truck!" (Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher, Jered Weaver)

6.All-Star etiquette requires players to spit discreetly into a hankerchief (Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher, David Price)

5.The game's tomorrow and I still don't know what the All-Star Ambassador does (All-Star Ambassador, George Brett)

4.Players need notes from two different doctors to get out of doing lame Top Ten List (Baltimore Orioles outfielder, Adam Jones)

3.This year's game is cup-optional (Texas Rangers outfielder, Josh Hamilton)

2.Earlier today, we all bonded at a matinee of "Magic Mike" (Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher, C.J. Wilson)

1.Oh crap, the game's tomorrow?! (New York Yankees shortstop, Derek Jeter)

You can also catch the video here.

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MLB All-Star Game 2012: Lineup, TV Schedule, Streaming And More

It's game day for the 2012 MLB All-Star Game, hosted by Kansas City's Kauffman Stadium. Baseball Nation is covering the event on the ground, and of course, the SB Nation Kansas City StoryStream updates are here.

Below, we've provided the lineups for both leagues and the broadcast information as well.

American League

Derek Jeter, SS
Robinson Cano, 2B
Josh Hamilton, LF
Jose Bautista, RF
Prince Fielder, 1B
Adrian Beltre, 3B
David Ortiz, DH
Mike Napoli, C
Curtis Granderson, CF

Justin Verlander, SP

National League

Carlos Gonzalez, DH
Melky Cabrera, CF
Ryan Braun, LF
Joey Votto, 1B
Carlos Beltran, RF
Buster Posey, C
Pablo Sandoval, 3B
Dan Uggla, 2B
Rafael Furcal, SS

Matt Cain, SP

Game date/time: Tuesday, July 10, 7:00 p.m. CT

Location: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Mo.

TV: Fox

Streaming: MLB.com

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VIDEO: Home Run Derby Brings Boos For Robinson Cano

If you missed the 2012 Home Run Derby on Monday night during the MLB All-Star Game festivities in Kansas City, then you're likely wondering what all of the fuss is about with Robinson Cano. The reigning Home Run Derby champion was back again among his contemporaries to defend his crown against the new and familiar, yet he received an enemy's welcome when he was announced at Kauffman Stadium.

Twitter was abuzz with pros and cons of the Royals-centric crowd's response, but the reason was Cano's choice to leave a Royals player out of the Derby when he had earlier stated that would be the right move. Mike Moustakas or Billy Butler would have made the best choice, but either one is a fringe candidate anyway, so it is hard to fault Cano for his choice as the captain. Then again, he shouldn't have made any promises he wasn't ready to keep.

Either way, here's just a part of the booing that Cano endured on the night. Who says there's no drama in the All-Star Game?

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2012 MLB All-Star Game: Chipper Jones Makes 1st Appearance At Kauffman Stadium

Jones will play his first game in the beautifully renovated Kauffman Stadium on Tuesday night as a NL reserve -- the only park he hasn't played in.

Prince Fielder Wins 2012 Home Run Derby, Matches Ken Griffey As All-Time Leader

The Detroit Tigers have to be pleased so far with their offseason investment in Prince Fielder, but now the rest of the nation, if they didn't already know, is now aware of what Fielder brings to the diamond every night as one of the most feared power hitters in all of baseball. The 2012 Home Run Derby took place last night and Fielder became just the second player of all-time to win a second title in his career.

Ken Griffey, Jr. is the other player to earn the honor putting Fielder in some impressive company. He won last night over Jose Bautista, who put on an impressive display of his own. In the end, Fielder hit 28 home runs in three rounds to take the win.

''Just being mentioned with him is real special,'' said Fielder, who spent time at Griffey's house when he was a kid. ''My dad would let me go over and play video games all day. He always took care of me when I was a kid.''

Robinson Cano, the winner of last year's Derby, was unable to knock a single pitch over the fence.

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2012 Home Run Derby: Prince Fielder Wins With Record 12 In Final

Prince Fielder is your 2012 Home Run Derby champion.

The Tigers first baseman won his second derby, defeating Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista in the final. Fielder went first and hit 12, which tied a record in a Home Run Derby final.

Prince's 12 HR tie the record for most in a final round, set way back in 2011 by the people's choice, Robinson Cano

— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) July 10, 2012

Needing to hit more home runs in a final than anyone has ever done, Bautista fell short with seven.

Fielder became just the second player to win multiple derbies, joining Ken Griffey Jr. who won three in the 1990s. Fielder's other win came in St. Louis in 2009 as a member of the Brewers. Fielder is the first to win for both leagues.

2012 Home Run Derby: Prince Fielder, Jose Bautista Reach Final

The second round of the 2012 Home Run Derby brought plenty of splashes and a swing-off.

Tigers first baseman Prince Fielder and Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista will meet in the final.

Fielder hit 11 home runs in the second round after five in the first for a total of 16. He also has the longest home run of the night a 476-foot shot.

Bautista hit 11 in the first round, but just two in the second round for a total of 13. Angels outfielder Mark Trumbo hit seven in the first and six in the second for a total of 13. The tiebreaker was a swing-off, with each player getting five swings. Trumbo went first and hit one homer on his final swing. Bautista homered on his first swing and hit another to win and advance to the final.

VIDEO: Robinson Cano Booed During Home Run Derby

The Kansas City crowd was going to be a bit tough on Robinson Cano and everyone should have realized that heading into Monday night's Home Run Derby. What everyone might not have known was just how bad it would be and how poor Cano's performance would be on the night. The Yankees star second baseman even acknowledged the crowd's negative response as he stepped up to the plate. In short, it was awkward all around.

Cano was booed by Royals fans and the local crowd for saying that it would be a nice gesture to put a Royals player in the Home Run Derby and then failing to follow up on that. Mike Moustakas would have been a nice addition as would Billy Butler. Of course, other players are more deserving, but don't say anything like that if you cannot follow up. Then again, booing a guy for going back on a promise like that is a bit over the top.

Anyway, here's a taste of the drama tonight at Kauffman.

Home Run Derby 2012: Robinson Cano Acknowledges Boos

Robinson Cano is not a favorite among Kansas City fans.

The American League captain didn't pick Royals designated hitter Billy Butler for the Home Run Derby, resulting in boos during player introductions. When Cano came up to bat in the first round, the boos were even louder, and continued for the entire round as Cano went homerless.

I can't believe I have so many fans in KC lol smh can't win them all *kanye shrug*

— Robinson Cano (@RobinsonCano) July 10, 2012

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Home Run Derby 2012: Jose Bautista Leads 4 Into Second Round

The first round of the 2012 Home Run Derby is in the books from Kauffman Stadium. Jose Bautista, Carlos Beltran, Mark Trumbo and Prince Fielder have all advanced to the second round.

Bautista led everyone with 11 homers, including six with nine outs and the gold balls coming his way. He averaged 418 feet per blast. Former Royal Carlos Beltran and Angels young star Mark Trumbo each hit seven. Tigers first baseman Prince Fielder hit five.

But the highlight of the round was defending champ Robinson Cano, who was heavily booed by the Kansas City crowd during introductions and his round. Local fans were upset that Royals designated hitter Billy Butler was left off the derby roster. The fans definitely had an effect, as Cano went homerless and failed to advance.

Home Run Derby 2012: Former Royal Carlos Beltran Hits 7 In First Round

Former Royal Carlos Beltran made his most-notable return to Kansas City as a member of the National League Home Run Derby Team on Monday. Beltran led off the derby and hit seven home runs in his first round.

He was welcomed with cheers from the Kansas City fans during player introductions, and mouthed a "thank you." Beltran played for the Royals from 1998-2004, hitting 123 home runs over his career.

The switch-hitting Beltran hit from the left side and had one home run with the State Farm gold balls, which result in an $18,000 donation per home run. His first home run came with three outs, and all seven went to right field. His longest was 436 feet. The top four advance to the second round, and Beltran's seven should put in him a good position.

Home Run Derby 2012: TV Time Schedule, Line-Up, Live Stream, Radio Info

The 2012 Home Run Derby is here and Robinson Cano of the New York Yankees is ready and willing to take on his rivals for the sake of defending his title from last year. However the field this year is formidable, led by the incredible 27 home runs of Jose Bautista and including some other impressive candidates including Prince Fielder, newcomer Mark Trumbo, Carlos Beltran and others.

Kauffman Stadium is going to be a tough place to hit the longball tonight compared to other venues, but it will be interesting to see who is up to the task. Here's the info you need to check out tonight's Home Run Derby.

Game Date/Time: Monday July 9, 8 p.m. ET

Location: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Mo.

TV: ESPN

Radio: ESPN Radio

Streaming: ESPN3 and WatchESPN app

Commentators: Chris Berman, John Kruk, Nomar Garciaparra, Buster Olney and Pedro Gomez

American League contestants:
Robinson Cano, New York Yankees
Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays
Mark Trumbo, Los Angeles Angels
Prince Fielder, Detroit Tigers

2012 MLB All-Star Game: Starting Pitchers Announced For American And National Leagues

On Monday, the managers for both the NL and AL sides have announced their starting pitchers for Tuesday night's 2012 MLB All-Star Game in Kansas City.

Texas Rangers skipper Ron Washington decided on Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers to start for the AL. Verlander told MLB.com on Monday that he was honored to be named the starter:

"What an honor it is to start my first All-Star Game," Verlander said at an Arrowhead Stadium news conference on Monday. "I've been to a few in the past and some I haven't had the opportunity to pitch like last year and some I've pitched out of the bullpen. But this is something different, and I'm going to relish every moment and hopefully play a part in helping the American league win."

Despite the year that New York Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey has had this season, St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa decided on Matt Cain of the San Francisco Giants to be the NL starter on Tuesday night, explaining the logic behind his decision this way:

"I know Dickey's going to play," La Russa said. "I'm very aware of the first half he's had. The one edge that I thought made sense, we've got Buster [Posey] catching and Matt is equally legitimate as far as getting the honor. And then we're just going to play the game. I can't bet you Dickey will come out in the second or fourth, I just know he's going to pitch in the first half of the game."

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Home Run Derby 2012: A Viewers Guide For Monday Night

If the All-Star Game is the main course, then the home run derby serves as the appetizer during Major League Baseball's All-Star festivities. On Monday night at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, eight of the games best home run hitters will compete for a chance to take home the crown as MLB's best slugger.

SI.com did a masterful job of breaking down each of the competitors (Jose Bautista, Carlos Beltran, Robinson Cano, Prince Fielder, Carlos Gonzalez, Matt Kemp, Andrew McCutcheon, Mark Trumbo) as well as the ballpark itself.

Be sure to take a look and read through each capsule thoroughly as it may help in predicting who will emerge victorious on Monday night.

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2012 MLB All-Star Game: Local Community Projects Receive Millions In Donations

Major League Baseball's community projects in the Kansas City area were billed as the largest in the history of the Midsummer Classic. And once the game is over on Tuesday, local residents will feel and see the effects for many years to come according to the Kansas City Star:

Major League Baseball's donation of $4 million stems from commissioner Bud Selig wanting the All-Star Game to leave a legacy in host cities, said Celia Bobrowsky, Major League Baseball's director of community affairs.

About a year ago, the Royals recommended to Major League Baseball what local charities and community organizations it thought should benefit from the funds. The Royals and Major League Baseball then discussed the recommendations and decided where to allocate the money, Bobrowsky said.

A complete list of the are projects that will benefit from the MLB donation appear in the KC Star report, but it's nice to see Commissioner Bud Selig taking such a vested interest in the Kansas City community at-large.

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2012 MLB All-Star Game: National League Starters Anchored By Carlos Beltran

The National League looks even younger than the American League in an All-Star Game featuring 26 total rookies to the show. This year at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, there is truly going to be a youthful look to the entire week, not just the Futures Game.

As for Carlos Beltran, he's the senior starter for the National League for the 2012 MLB All-Star Game given that this is his 7th career appearance. As for the rest? It's not even close. Matt Holliday and David Wright are making their sixth appearances, but they are reserves. Among the fan-voted starters, the next closest is three with Joey Votto, Rafael Furcal, Dan Uggla and Pablo Sandoval all tied.

National League Starers (No. of AS appearances)
C Buster Posey San Francisco 1
1B Joey Votto Cincinnati 3
2B Dan Uggla Atlanta 3
3B Pablo Sandoval San Francisco 3
SS Rafael Furcal St. Louis 3
OF Matt Kemp L.A. Dodgers 2
OF Carlos Beltran St. Louis 7
OF Melky Cabrera San Francisco 1

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MLB All-Star Game: American League Starters Anchored By 13-Time Veteran Derek Jeter

The 2012 MLB All-Star Game is being held at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City this year, and the theme seems to be about emerging players. An incredible 10 players are making their first All-Star appearance from the American League alone and there's another 16 on the NL side. That makes 26 total players who've never been to the mid-summer classic as an official roster member.

That makes Derek Jeter's 13th career appearance all the more impressive this year. He has the most career appearances by far of any of his American League teammates, with only David Ortiz eclipsing half of his total with 8. In short, he's truly a man among boys out there on Tuesday night.

As for the rest of the starters, several are starting to add to their career totals and it's easy to see names like Prince Fielder and Robinson Cano eventually getting to double digits like Jeter. For now, they all defer to the Yankees great.

American League Starters (No. of AS appearances)
C Mike Napoli Texas 1
1B Prince Fielder Detroit 4
2B Robinson Cano N.Y. Yankees 3
3B Adrian Beltre Texas 3
SS Derek Jeter N.Y. Yankees 13
OF Josh Hamilton Texas 5
OF Curtis Granderson N.Y. Yankees 3
OF Jose Bautista Toronto 3
DH David Ortiz Boston 8

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VIDEO: Home Run Derby Breakdown With Amy K. Nelson

With the 2012 Home Run Derby set to take place on Monday night in Kansas City, SB Nation takes a look at this year's contestants, some of the longest derby dingers in recent history, and whether or not the field will be able to put on a show at a stadium not all that known for surrendering the long ball.

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Wil Myers Ranks As No. 2 Fantasy Prospect In Major League Baseball

Twenty-seven home runs by mid-season will earn any player a lot of notice, but especially for Wil Myers, who has been predicted to hit at such levels for some time now in the Kansas City Royals system. Now that the right fielder is eating nearly every minor league pitcher for lunch, it's only a short matter of time until he's helping to anchor the heart of the Royals line-up alongside Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer. That's why Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus has Myers as No. 2 of his list of prospects with fantasy impact.

Goldstein writes, "There is plenty of debate as to whether Myers or Oscar Taveras is the best offensive prospect in baseball, but Myers gets the edge based on his breakout season in terms of power, as he leads the minor leagues in home runs while also projecting to hit for average. Speed is not a factor in his game, but he's the one prospect most likely to hit third in a championship-level big league lineup."

On the season between AA Northwest Arkansas and AAA Omaha, Myers has hit .327 with 27 home runs and 72 RBI in 83 games.

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MLB All-Star Week: Bill Self Slugs Home Run, Hurts Hamstring In Celebrity Softball Game

Kansas Jayhawks head basketball coach Bill Self had himself quite a night during the recent All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game during MLB All-Star festivities in Kansas City. Surrounded by pro athletes and celebs of all kinds, Self was one of the heroes for the American League in a losing effort with a home run and 2 for 3 performance on the night.

"I was surprised as anybody hitting a home run," Self said. "I don't know if anybody actually swung and missed the whole night. I was worried I'd do it three times. To actually put the bat on the ball was pretty cool."

Unfortunately, Self had to be pulled for a pinch runner after running to first on his single in the sixth inning. With a slight hamstring injury, Self didn't want to push his luck.

"I was nervous because I couldn't run to first," Self said. "I thought I better do some running for this and I mistakenly put the treadmill on ‘four-minute mile."

In the end, the National League won 21-8.

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MLB All-Star Game: Justin Verlander To Start For American League

One year after winning the Most Valuable Player and Cy Young Award trophies both for the American League, you'd think that Justin Verlander would consider winning such accolades as par for the course. But word from FOX Sports that he will be starting in the 2012 MLB All-Star Game for the American League at Kauffman Stadium is something the Detroit Tigers ace says would be an exciting proposition.

"It would be fantastic, but I know there are some other guys out there having exceptional years," Verlander said. "I'd like to have that on my resume, but you aren't owed anything in this game. I'm not the only guy having a good season."

Verlander is currently 9-5 with a 2.58 ERA for the Tigers. It's been a frustrating season for Detroit after signing Prince Fielder in the offseason, but the staff has been beat up by injuries and Verlander has proved more valuable than ever. In a tumultuous season, this is another honor well deserved.

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Home Run Derby: Robinson Cano, Jose Bautista Considered Favorites

There are only eight possibilities that could potentially be named the Home Run Derby champion of 2012 during Major League Baseball's All Star Festivities, but it's clear that mostly everyone believes it will come down to Jose Bautista and Robinson Cano when all is said and done. Judging by the experts opinions at ESPN, the majority of responses come down to one of those two.

Bautista is understandable since he has 27 home runs by the All Star Break and has been one of baseball's greatest sluggers over the last few seasons. As for Cano, he won the event last year, so this is his crown to defend. Last year, Cano took down Adrian Gonzalez for the title.

Others receiving multiple nods include Prince Fielder and Mark Trumbo. The one player no one is really giving a shot is Carlos Gonzalez of the Colorado Rockies. He might be the one to surprise the field.

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Home Run Derby 2012: TV Schedule, Start Time, Contestants And More

The 2012 Home Run derby is the main event before the actual All-Star Game, and just like every other year ESPN is anchoring the coverage so be prepared to listen to a bunch of "back, back, back's" from Chris Berman who is calling the action.

The home run derby did see a replacement on the National League side with Andrew McCutchen taking the place of the injured Miami Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton who had arthroscopic knee surgery on Sunday.

Game Date/Time: Monday July 9, 8 p.m. ET

Location: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Mo.

TV: ESPN

Radio: ESPN Radio

Streaming: ESPN3 and WatchESPN app

Commentators: Chris Berman, John Kruk, Nomar Garciaparra, Buster Olney and Pedro Gomez

American League contestants:
Robinson Cano, New York Yankees
Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays
Mark Trumbo, Los Angeles Angels
Prince Fielder, Detroit Tigers

2012 MLB Futures Game: Royals Prospect Will Myers Has 3 RBI To Help Team USA Defeat World Squad

The United States team used a nine-run sixth inning to easily defeat the World team in the 2012 MLB Futures All-Star Game. The event kicked off the All-Star festivities at Kauffman Stadium with the United States team winning 17-5.

The World team actually got out to an early lead by scoring four runs by the end of the top of the third inning. Three of those four early runs came off of home runs when Texas Rangers prospect Jurickson Profar hit a solo home run in the first, and then Jae-Hoon Ha of the Chicago Cubs hit a two-run home run in the second inning.

World team pitcher Ariel Pena of the Los Angeles Angels gave up eight earned runs in only one-third of an inning pitched in the bottom of the sixth inning, and that sealed the fate for the world team.

The Royals prospects in this game were pitcher Yordano Ventura of the World team, and then on the United States squad was pitcher Jake Odorizzi and outfielder Will Myers.

Ventura got the start for the World team and he pitched just one inning, but he pitched a perfect first inning. Odorizzi earned the start for the United States and he gave up just one hit but it was a home run to Profar, and he also had one strike out. Myers started in the outfield and had a big game by going 2-for-4, earned three RBI and scored a run.

2012 MLB Futures Game: Attendance Was Over 40,000

2012 MLB All-Star Game: Jake Peavy Replaces C.J. Wilson For American League

Many people were frustrated by the fact that Jake Peavy was left off of the American League roster when he was having a better year for the Chicago White Sox than other pitchers who were originally selected. While C.J. Wilson's injury is unfortunate for Los Angeles Angels starter, Peavy has now been named as a last second replacement for the AL roster heading into Tuesday night's game at Kauffman Stadium.

The Sox will now have four players on the roster with Peavy, Adam Dunn, Chris Sale and Paul Konerko landing on the team as well. Wilson has a blister on his finger that will keep him from being able to throw in time enough to make the game. Peavy has won the Cy Young Award in the past with the San Diego Padres and this is his third All-Star appearance.

He is 7-5 with a 2.85 ERA and has 26 walks and 108 strikeouts in 120 innings for the ChiSox in 2012.

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2012 MLB Futures Game: Wil Myers Called Best Hitter By Keith Law

The MLB Futures game is loaded with the All-Stars of tomorrow, so to be honored among such storied company is something to truly celebrate. That’s why Kansas City Royals fans should rejoice when ESPN’s Keith Law calls Wil Myers the best hitter of all of the players in this year’s MLB Futures Game.

The Royals recognize they have a special talent already in house and he’s responded their trust with 27 home runs between AA and AAA so far this season. He’s the long-term heir apparent to Jeff Francoeur in right field. For now, he’ll have to impress at the Futures game.

Law writes, “Myers, who is hitting .327 across two levels this year, can flat-out hit, and if we weren’t all so busy asking how Mike Trout went only 25th in the 2009 draft, we might be asking how Myers ended up in the third round. (Money was one of the reasons, of course.) Now that last year’s knee injury is well behind him, his lower half is working more like it used to, allowing him to drive the ball to all fields. He has a simple, natural swing, with great ability to manipulate the bat, and has shown he can hit all kinds of pitching.”

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2012 MLB Futures Game: Yordano Ventura Pitches For World Roster

The Kansas City Royals have the starting pitcher on the U.S. Roster, but some might be surprised that they also boast the starting pitcher on the World roster as well. As thin as the Major League rotation looks for the Kansas City Royals, the good news is that help is clearly on the way and on display at this year’s 2012 MLB Futures Game.

The World roster has been announced and Yordano Ventura is going to be starting the game against Jake Odorizzi. Both pitchers should factor into KC’s future rotation although Ventura is likely a year or more behind. However, fans can at least catch a glimpse of the pitcher to come with Ventura leading off the game.

Ventura is 3-5 with a 3.30 ERA for Class A Wilmington. He’s struck out 98 batters in 76-plus innings.

2012 MLB Futures Game: World Roster
2B: Jean Segura, LAA
SS: Jurickson Profar, TEX
RF: Oscar Taveras, STL
LF: Alfredo Marte, ARI
DH: Xander Bogaerts, BOS
3B: Wilmer Flores, NYM
3B: Wilmer Flores, NYM
1B: Jesus Aguilar, CLE
CF: Jae-Hoon Ha, CHC
C: Christian Bethancourt, ATL
RHP: Yordano Ventura, KC

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2012 MLB Futures Game: Wil Myers, Jake Odorizzi Highlight U.S. Roster

Kansas City is the host site for the 2012 MLB All-Star Game, so there’s already a local flavor in every aspect of the festivities happening all weekend long and into next week. But today’s 2012 MLB Futures game also includes several Royals prospects given the depth and talent in the farm system.

The U.S. and World rosters have been announced and the U.S. roster in particular has some players that Royals fans will get to know in coming years.

Wil Myers is the right fielder for the U.S. team and he’s been slugging the ball at an incredible rate in 2012 after a disappointing 2011 season. He’s always been heralded as a future slugger for the heart of KC’s order whenever he finally arrives in the Majors, and 27 home runs this year between Northwest Arkansas (AA) and Omaha (AAA) serves as the evidence.

Jake Odorizzi is the starting pitcher for the U.S. roster and he’s blossoming at the right time for a Royals team in search of a starter who can come in and help immediately in the rotation.

"It’s the best thing you can do if you’re a pitcher: lead off in your hometown stadium," Odorizzi said. "I’m really looking forward to it. George Brett is our coach and he’s an awesome guy to be coaching our team. It’s going to be a really exciting day.

"I’ve never really had to do this before. I’m going to try and throw like I normally do, but I’m sure there might be some adrenaline going, so I’ll have to rein it in a little bit. It’s really fun. I’m trying to figure out what I’m going to do with my inning of work."

Here’s the complete U.S. Roster:
SS: Billy Hamilton, CIN
2B: Kolten Wong, STL
RF: Wil Myers, KC
3B: Mike Olt, TEX
1B: Jonathan Singleton, HOU
LF: Michael Choice, OAK
DH: Nick Castellanos, DET
C: Tommy Joseph, SF
CF: Anthony Gose, TOR
RHP: Jake Odorizzi, KC

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2012 MLB Futures Game: Rosters, TV Schedule, Start Time And More

The Kansas City Royals will have three prospects representing the organization as All-Star festivities get underway at Kauffman Stadium with the 2012 MLB Futures Game. Jake Odorizzi and Wil Myers will represent the Royals on the U.S. Team while Yordana Ventura will suit up for the World team.

The game will be televised on ESPN2 with the first pitch scheduled for around 4 p.m. CT. Live streaming coverage of the game will also be available via MLB.com.

For a full look at the team rosters check out MLB.com's official site.

Game Date/Time: Sunday, July 8, 5 p.m. ET

Location: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

TV: ESPN2

Radio: MLB Network Radio XM 89

Online Streaming: MLB.com

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MLB All-Star Game 2012: Andrew McCutchen Replaces Giancarlo Stanton In Home Run Derby For National League

MLB All-Star Game: Bryce Harper, Michael Bourn And Baseball's Missed Opportunity

Today Ian Desmond, even on a day where he was 2 for 2 with a home run, was announced as a player who would have to miss the 2012 MLB All-Star Game with a strained oblique. It’s a sad moment for a Washington Nationals hitter who deserves to get in with a banner year for a shortstop — the sort of breakout campaign the Nats have been waiting for Desmond to have. Suddenly the National League roster had an opening. The question was: who would fill it?

Michael Bourn of the Atlanta Braves has been announced as the team’s replacement and it’s a solid selection that’s hard to argue with on the surface. Bourn is having an excellent season in a year where he will be a free agent, and he’s making himself a lot of money in this now All-Star campaign. With a .305 average, 7 home runs, 32 RBI and 23 stolen bases, Bourn has been an excellent part of the Braves line-up.

But what is missing here is the perfect opportunity to introduce the greater baseball world to a player in his rookie season who will end up at this game for the next decade or more anyway: Bryce Harper. In failing to put Harper on the team in any way, baseball is missing a chance to hype its own players. In the end, that’s the one thing that matters most about the All-Star Game.

If anything, Tuesday night’s game is an exhibition. The ratings might not be through the roof, but they don’t have to be. The game might be meaningless on the grand scale, but that’s okay. There are enough fans and enough attention to make the game purposeful if Bud Selig were to use it right. Instead, good enough players get to pat themselves on the back for 80 games worth of good-to-great stats.

Albert Pujols is not at the game. He should be. Bryce Harper is not at the game. He should be as well. Baseball is a slow game that lacks the star power of the NBA and overall popularity of the NFL. Relying on history and tradition and the old America’s Pastime moniker is one thing, but baseball could also become proactive and showcase its greatest stars in a game that no one knows what to do with. Instead, Michael Bourn will make an All-Star appearance and Bryce Harper will remain a star on a level one tier lower than he should be.

Harper is one of the game’s greatest young hitters, a player celebrated since he first came into the system being drafted No. 1 overall. Baseball needs to celebrate such players, allowing everyone to meet them instead of baseball fans in the Eastern time zone. As great as the Nats have been this year, many baseball fans aren’t familiar with the reasons why. Harper could help them with that.

This isn’t about Bourn not being the right choice, but rather that Harper should have already been in a week or more ago. The system is wrong. The voting is wrong. The final vote thing was a joke. To even have a chance of Yu Darvish being replaced by Jon Broxton is stupid. Stupid. Darvish is this year’s big import for one of the league’s best teams having an incredible year. He belongs there — not the closer on a one year deal subbing in for an injured Joakim Soria on a fourth place AL Central team.

The All-Star Game should be just that — All Stars. Make it about the game’s biggest personalities, the game’s greatest players, the game’s most charismatic stars. Baseball is the single worst sport at marketing its own players and it doesn’t even do it well inside its own schedule. It could start with remaking the All-Star game and making certain that the best and the brightest were there every year.

PHOTO: MLB All-Star Game Jersey And Cap Actually Look Nice

A quick photo of the American League hat and jersey available for the 2012 MLB All-Star Game held in Kansas City look nice. You can check out a quick snap below and tell us if you'd ever be interested in purchasing. When it comes to merch like this, the results can be mixed, but in our opinion this is a nice offering by the MLB powers-that-be.

Now if only they could do something about the Royals pitching staff.

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Erin Andrews To Make FOX Debut At MLB All-Star Game

Sportswriters and anchors are supposed to report the news, not make it. But occasionally a personality who typically serves as a medium for information becomes the subject of it. When Erin Andrews earned such a high profile after her stint on Dancing With The Stars, she became one of the most talked about sportscasters around, and her recent move from ESPN to Fox Sports has been documented in multiple places.

Now it's clear that Andrews will be making her debut with FOX in Kansas City of all places.

Fox told us today that Erin Andrews will be on the ASG broadcast for her Fox debut.#smartmove

— joshklingler (@joshklingler) July 6, 2012

While it's hardly a lead story of any kind, it will be an interesting media subplot to follow for those interested to see how she's used by her new network and how she handles the transition. Some praise Andrews while others denounce her, but she's earning attention one way or the other. Whether positive or negative, FOX has people talking about her which is a good thing in terms of the bottom dollar.

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2012 MLB All-Star Game: Jonathan Broxton Appreciative For Final Vote Support

Although he didn't win the All-Star Final Vote and earn a spot in the mid-summer classic, Royals closer Jonathan Broxton was thankful for the support the Royals organization and fans showed.

From MLB.com:

"I'm very appreciative for everything everybody's done for me, from my teammates to the coaching staff to all the fans out there who put the time in to vote," Broxton said. "We tried to pull it through, but it's kind of hard when you're going against a country. It was fun while it lasted and I just want to thank everybody for their support. Hopefully next year I can get it done without a vote."

Rangers starter Yu Darvish won the fan vote for the final roster spot.

Broxton said he plans on going home to Georgia during the All-Star break. Barring a major change, Billy Butler will be the lone hometown player at the game.

2012 MLB All-Star Week Projects Will Be The Most Extensive In League History

Major League Baseball and the Kansas City Royals has just announced that they will partner up for the biggest MLB All-Star week project in the 83 year history of the midsummer classic that will benefit the Kansas City community for years to come, according to an MLB.com press release:

The efforts feature: Habitat for Humanity home builds in partnership with families impacted by tornadoes; renovations to youth baseball/softball fields, and veteran and youth facilities; support for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum; support for youth outreach programs; scholarships for college-bound students; raising funds and awareness for cancer organizations; and highlighting the importance of environmental consciousness.

The community events will begin on Friday, July 6th and continue through Tuesday, July 10th, the day of the 2012 MLB All-Star Game.

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2012 MLB All-Star Game: Jonathan Broxton Loses Final Vote Bid

Kansas City Royals pitcher Jonathan Broxton will not get a chance to represent the American League as a member of the host city in next week's All-Star game as he didn't receive enough fan support in MLB.com's Final Vote to secure the last spot on the AL roster. Instead, Rangers starter Yu Darvish won the vote and will appear in next Tuesda's game.

St. Louis Cardinals third baseman David Freese was declared the winner on the National League side and Broxton finished fourth, in order, behind Freese, Atlanta Braves center fielder Michael Bourn, Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper, and Arizona D-Backs second baseman, Aaron Hill.

Broxton, the Royals closer, has a record of 1-1 this season with an ERA of 2.05 and 20 saves.

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MLB All-Star Game: American Idol Phillip Phillips To Perform

As the 2012 MLB All-Star Game gets closer to next Tuesday's game date, more details are emerging about the performers and events taking place in and around Kansas City during the week's festivities. One such detail to come out has to do with a recent American Idol winner who will be performing his hit single "Home" before the game.

.@AmericanIdol winner @Phillips will conduct a special onfield performance of his hit song #Home before the #ASG. Yeah, we're excited.

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 5, 2012

Other notables include Luke Bryan singing the national anthem and Kellie Picker singing during the seventh inning stretch. There will be more concerts and celebrity arrivals to be announced in the near future for sure.

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MLB All-Star Final Vote: Jonathan Broxton Currently In Fourth Place

If the Kansas City Royals want to add on another representative when they host the 2012 All-Star Game at Kauffman Stadium in a week's time, fans will need to flood the polls to get reliever Jonathan Broxton to the event. Broxton jumped to fourth on the Fourth of July, overtaking the Angels' Ernesto Frieri, but still trails an impressive list - Texas' Yu Darvish, the White Sox' Jake Peavy and Baltimore's Jason Hammel.

There's a specific site established by the Royals to vote for Broxton (click here), and MLB has now opened up Twitter as a valid voting method for Broxton and the rest of the candidates:

Any tweet sent out during that four-hour span that includes a designated player hashtag will go toward that player's Final Vote total. Royals fans can use the hashtag #VoteBroxton to vote for the Kansas City closer. Fans can follow @MLB on Twitter for standings updates up until the polls close at 3 p.m. CT.

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2012 All-Star Game Final Vote: Yu Darvish, David Freese Lead

There's only one day left to vote for Jonathan Broxton, or whoever you feel is deserving of the American League's last spot on the All-Star Game roster.

Yu Darvish currently leads in the voting, with a narrow edge over former Cy Young winner Jake Peavy. Peavy is followed by Jason Hammel, Broxton and Ernesto Frieri.

Though Peavy is probably the most deserving of the five American League hurlers, it won't be much of a shock if Darvish gets the nod. If Darvish does hang onto the last spot, he'll be the eighth member of the two-time defending American League champion Texas Rangers to grace the American League All-Star roster.

Over in the National League, St. Louis Cardinals World Series hero David Freese leads over teen phenom Bryce Harper. Chipper Jones had been leading the voting, but he was named as an injury replacement for Matt Kemp. Kemp, though, will still participate in the Home Run Derby on Monday night.

You can vote for Broxton, Freese, and whoever else you'd like over at MLB.com.

MLB All-Star Final Vote: Royals Get Behind Jonathan Broxton

Over at MLB.com, writer Dick Kaegel makes a convincing argument for Kansas City Royals closer Jonathan Broxton to be considered in the fans' "final vote" for the 2012 All-Star Game in Kansas City, in which fans will select among a group of eligible players for the final roster spot on the AL and NL teams.

Broxton's story is an All-Star comeback, having appeared twice as a Los Angeles Dodger, most recently as 2010. But bone spurs in his right elbow nearly destroyed Broxton's career before he's returned this season to notch 20 saves with a 2.05 ERA for the Royals. Now manager Ned Yost is leading the campaign:

"You can vote numerous times and it doesn't take long," Yost said. "We try to vote [for a] half-hour every day and get as many votes as we can. If we can just get the city behind us, we will have two All-Stars."

Read more about the Kansas City Royals and the 2012 All-Star Game at Kaufman Stadium by visiting Royals Review and SB Nation Kansas City. Head over toBaseball Nation for news and analysis around Major League Baseball. Also, be sure to subscribe to our Youtube Channel for video commentary.

MLB All-Star Game 2012: Teams Set For Annual Home Run Derby

One of the most famous components of the annual All-Star break is the Home Run Derby. The current incarnation of the Home Run Derby will pit two teams of four representatives from each league against one another until one slugger is left standing. Kansas City fans will be treated to more than a few moonshots likely landing in the fountains at Kaufman Stadium.

The captain for the American League derby contestants will be defending champion Robinson Cano. He has selected Prince Fielder, Mark Trumbo and Jose Bautista to join him, which is certainly a formidable team.

For the National League, captain Matt Kemp selected Carlos Beltran, Carlos Gonzalez and possibly the individual who will launch the longest of the longballs in the competition, Giancarlo Stanton of the Miami Marlins.

Read more about the Kansas City Royals and the 2012 All-Star Game at Kaufman Stadium by visiting Royals Review and SB Nation Kansas City. Head over toBaseball Nation for news and analysis around Major League Baseball. Also, be sure to subscribe to our Youtube Channel for video commentary.

2012 MLB All-Star Game: FOX Sells All Ad Space Around Broadcast

The 2012 MLB All-Star Game is hopefully going to be good business for the Kansas City metro area as they serve as the host city, and FOX is also hoping the game is good for business on the broadcast end of things. So far, so good for at least one half of the equation.

Per SBD, Fox has sold out all of the ad inventory in and around the MLB All-Star Game. Reporting high single-digit % increase over last yr.

— Kristi Dosh (@SportsBizMiss) July 3, 2012

Last year's game in Phoenix drew 11 million viewers, down 9 percent from the previous year's 12.1 million total. The absence of Albert Pujols might hurt the game this season as well, but there are plenty of other intriguing stories especially if new players Bryce Harper and Yu Darvish win the Final Vote competitions currently in place for both leagues.

Read more about the Royals at Royals Review and SB Nation Kansas City. Head over toBaseball Nation for news and analysis around Major League Baseball. Also, be sure to subscribe to our Youtube Channel for video commentary.

MLB All-Star Snubs: Should Alex Gordon Be An All-Star?

Keith Law of ESPN finds it odd that Billy Butler and Mike Moustakas are representing the Royals in the All-Star game this year. In fact, he believes a case could be made for Alex Gordon over both of them. What do you think about that?

This, from Law:

Choosing Butler as the token Royal with Mike Moustakas, having a superior year and, more importantly, able to play a position and do it fairly well, is odd, and you could make a good case for Alex Gordon (who performed last year, as well) over both guys. Dunn's selection seems to be a nod to homers and RBIs; with his lack of defensive value, he's well behind guys such as Gordon and Jackson.

Read more about the Royals at Royals Review and SB Nation Kansas City. Head over to Baseball Nation for news and analysis around Major League Baseball. Also, be sure to subscribe to our Youtube Channel for video commentary.

Billy Butler Proud To Represent Kansas City Royals At MLB All-Star Game

The Kansas City Royals will host the MLB All-Star Game next Tuesday, and the only player from the hometown team to be on the roster is designated hitter Billy Butler.

After hearing he made the team, Butler was in shock, according to KansasCityRoyals.com.

"I'm very humbled and very honored, especially at our own ballpark and being able to play in front of the home crowd," Butler said. "My family is going to come out to see me play and do all the activities on the field. I'm just speechless right now."

Butler is off to a strong start this season. He has 16 home runs, 13 doubles and 48 RBIs with a .297 batting average.

The Royals designated hitter also said that he would be interested in participating in the Home Run Derby if Robinson Cano selected him.

Read more about the Kansas City Royals at Royals Review. Check out Baseball Nation for additional news and notes around Major League Baseball.

MLB All Star Game Rosters: National League Features Buster Posey, Ryan Braun

As the MLB All Star Game draws near on July 10, the official rosters have been announced minus the Final Vote competition which allows one more player to make the All-Star competition from each league via fan vote. The National League has a loaded roster and features leading NL vote-getter Buster Posey as well as some familiar faces in new places.

Carlos Beltran arrived in St. Louis hoping to help make up for the loss of Albert Pujols, but he’s exceeded all expectations with a first half worthy of an MVP run. Ryan Braun is also performing incredibly after dealing with allegations of performance enhancing drugs through the offseason. Here’s the complete NL roster.

NATIONAL LEAGUE ROSTER

Starters
C Buster Posey, SF
1B Joey Votto, CIN
2B Dan Uggla, ATL
SS Rafael Furcal, STL
3B Pablo Sandoval, SF
OF Melky Cabrera, SF
OF Carlos Beltran, STL
OF Matt Kemp, LAD

Pitchers
RHP Matt Cain, SF
LHP Aroldis Chapman, CIN
RHP R.A. Dickey, NYM
LHP Gio Gonzalez, WAS
LHP Cole Hamels, PHI
RHP Joel Hanrahan, PIT
LHP Clayton Kershaw, LAD
RHP Craig Kimbrel, ATL
RHP Lance Lynn, STL
LHP Wade Miley, ARI
RHP Jonathan Papelbon, PHI
RHP Stephen Strasburg, WAS
RHP Huston Street, SD

Reserves
C Yadier Molina, STL
C Carlos Ruiz, PHI
1B Bryan LaHair, CHC
2B Jose Altuve, HOU
SS Starlin Castro, CHC
SS Ian Desmond, WAS
3B David Wright, NYM
OF Ryan Braun, MIL
OF Jay Bruce, CIN
OF Carlos Gonzalez, COL
OF Andrew McCutchen, PIT
OF Giancarlo Stanton, MIA

The MLB All-Star Game will be held on July 10 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City.

MLB All Star Game Rosters: American League Boasts Justin Verlander, Prince Fielder

The 2012 Major League Baseball All-Star Game is only days away and the rosters have now been announced minus the winner of the Firestone Final Vote which includes Jonathan Broxon of the Kansas City Royals on the American League side. Speaking of the AL, the rest of the roster has been announced and we have the complete list for you below.

Prince Fielder made the team in his first season in the AL, while Albert Pujols is notably absent. Justin Verlander helps anchor the staff a year after his history-making 2011 season, and Josh Hamilton is the leading vote-getter of all time with over 11 million votes. Check out the complete AL roster below.

AMERICAN LEAGUE ROSTER

Starters
C Mike Napoli, TEX
1B Prince Fielder, DET
2B Robinson Cano, NYY
3B Adrian Beltre, TEX
SS Derek Jeter, NYY
OF Josh Hamilton, TEX
OF Curtis Granderson, NYY
OF Jose Bautista, TOR
DH David Ortiz, BOS

Pitchers
RHP Ryan Cook, OAK
LHP Matt Harrison, TEX
RHP Felix Hernandez, SEA
RHP Jim Johnson, BAL
RHP Joe Nathan, TEX
RHP Chris Perez, CLE
LHP David Price, TB
RHP Fernando Rodney, TB
LHP CC Sabathia, NYY
LHP Chris Sale, CWS
RHP Justin Verlander, DET
RHP Jered Weaver, LAA
LHP C.J. Wilson, LAA

Reserves
C Joe Mauer, MIN
C Matt Wieters, BAL
SS Elvis Andrus, TEX
SS Asdrubal Cabrera, CLE
3B Miguel Cabrera, DET
2B Ian Kinsler, TEX
1B Paul Konerko, CWS
OF Adam Jones, BAL
OF Mike Trout, LAA
OF Mark Trumbo, LAA
DH Billy Butler, KC
DH Adam Dunn, CWS

The MLB All-Star Game will be held on July 10 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City.

MLB All-Star Rosters: Jonathan Broxton, Yu Darvish Among Final Vote Candidates For American League

The Kansas CIty Royals officially have one player on the American League’s roster for the 2012 All-Star Game to be held in Kansas City at Kauffman Stadium. Billy Butler was announced today as a first-time All-Star after several solid seasons for the Royals. However, he might have some company for the host city if Jonathan Broxton, the team’s closer in the wake of injuries to Greg Holland and Joakim Soria this season, can make it in by winning the Final Vote competition.

Broxton is having a great season in 2012 for the Royals after signing a one-year free agent deal this offseason. He has 20 saves with a 2.05 ERA in nearly 31 innings of work for KC. His consistency at the back of the Royals bullpen has helped the team close out more close games in 2012 than any season in recent memory and has given the team a chance to take the AL Central this season with a good second half.

His competition for the Firestone Final Vote includes Texas Rangers starter Yu Darvish, Angels reliever Ernesto Frieri, Orioles starter Jason Hammel and White Sox starter Jake Peavy.

Billy Butler Announced As Kansas City Royals All-Star Selection

The Royals were honored with the selection of Billy Butler, making his first career All-Star Game. Through 75 games thus far, Butler is batting .297/.365/.516 with 16 home runs and 48 RBI.