The 2014 MLB All Star Game will take place at 8 p.m. on Tuesday night in Minneapolis Minnesota. The lineups are now officially set, and baseball's best will spend an evening at Target Field.
Derek Jeter will experience an appropriate ending to his decorated career as he'll start at shortstop and lead off for the American League. The 14-time All Star is playing his final season in the Major Leagues and it's only customary for baseball fans to see Jeter leave the game in such a manner. Although his numbers aren't all-star worthy this year, his legacy earned him a spot on the AL roster.
"It's a rare and unique opportunity," said AL manager John Farrell of the Boston Red Sox, in this ESPN article. "At the same time we are able to celebrate a player who is not only a champion, but a guy that sets the bar that I think all players should aspire to. The way he has handled himself with class, with performance -- no doubt a Hall of Famer."
It was also announced on Monday that Felix Hernandez of the Seattle Mariners will be the starting pitcher for the AL and St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright will be his opponent. Hernandez (11-2 with a 2.12 ERA) is the first Venezuelan pitcher to start for the All Stars and the second Mariner to start an All Star Game. Wainwright is 12-4 with a ridiculous 1.83 ERA and was chosen by his own manager, Mike Matheny, who is coaching the NL All Stars, to start the game.
Wainwright actually pitched seven innings on Saturday afternoon in a win over the Milwaukee Brewers, but he didn't want to turn down an opportunity to represent his league in this year's All Star Game. Interestingly enough, Wainwright has never faced Jeter during his nine years as a pitcher in the MLB and is excited to face the Yankee legend in the bottom of the first inning tomorrow night.
The starting lineup and batting order for the AL team is as followed: Derek Jeter SS, Mike Trout LF, Robinson Cano 2B, Miguel Cabrera 1B, Jose Bautista RF, Nelson Cruz DH, Adam Jones CF, Josh Donaldson 3B, and Salvador Perez C. The NL roster includes: Andrew McCutchen CF, Yasiel Puig RF, Troy Tulowitzki SS, Paul Goldschmidt 1B, Giancarlo Stanton DH, Aramis Ramirez 3B, Chase Utley 2B, Jonathan Lucroy C, and Carlos Gomez LF.
You can read more about the 2014 MLB All Star Game in this MLB.com article (they provide the complete list of pitchers that were voted to each roster as well). Tune in to ESPN at 8 p.m. tonight for the Gillette Home Run Derby.
