Free Republic

Today, Bryce Harper will be in a Major League uniform for the Washington Nationals as they take on the Los Angeles Dodgers. This day is a culmination of three years of hype surrounding him. After being the number one overall pick in 2010, he seemed to languish in the minor leagues. Most experts figured he would be called up late in the season to bolster the Nationals who would inevitably be out of contention and it would give him some low pressure big league at bats. That was not the case.

Rally To Support Arizona! All Star Game Anaheim, July 13, 2010 Date: July 13, 2010 Time - 2:00 pm - 5:00 PM Location: State College Blvd & E Gene Autry Way, Anaheim, Orange, California 92805 Bring: American Flags, AZ Flags, "Stop Illegal Immigration" Signs. Anti Arizona protesters, large crowds and Media Expected. Be prepared to pay for parking. Opposition: http://la.indymedia.org/uploads/2010/06/allstar_boycott_3pm_sb1070_color.pdf

Amid Furor over State's New Immigration Law, Commissioner Defends Baseball's Record on Minority Hiring (AP) Baseball commissioner Bud Selig is ignoring calls to move next year's All-Star game from Phoenix because of Arizona's new immigration law. Asked about such demands at a news conference Thursday following an owners meeting, he responded with a defense of baseball's record on minority hiring. "Apparently all the people around and in minority communities think we're doing OK. That's the issue, and that's the answer," he said. "I told the clubs today: 'Be proud of what we've done.' They are. We should. And that's our...

On MLB network, 12 pm today: The 1989 All Star Game (July 11, 1989) President Reagan joins Vin Scully in the broadcast booth.

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (July 20, 2009) — For 1st Lt. Jean LeGall, spending three days with the 7th Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team supporting civilian authorities at the Major League Baseball All-Star festivities was the right combination of work and play. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said LeGall, the unit’s physician assistant. “We got to go there and work with the secret service. That was a lot of fun, and they were very appreciative of us being there.” The team’s mission was to support the St. Louis Fire Department by checking the stadium and its patrons for potential...

Some pundits are using President Barack Obama's throwing out the first pitch at the 2009 All Stars Baseball game to find a new way to criticize him. Apparently, though it was not readily apparent to TV audience, Obama throws like a girl. The account by Examiner Larry Amon was typical. "Yesterday, at the major league all star game President Obama threw out the ceremonial first pitch. Now politically this doesn't matter much but for a president who has carefully crafted his image, especially as a sports enthusiast, it's worth noting that President Obama is not much of a baseball player....

"Though Obama was roundly cheered by the All-Star fans, his live presence still didn't attract the applause that George W. Bush did during a taped announcement by the four previous Presidents before the game and some boos could even be heard among the cheers."

For those who are baseball fans.

ST. LOUIS -- President Barack Obama will be in the Fox broadcast booth for Tuesday night's All-Star Game...

Barack Obama could soon be adding baseball broadcaster to his résumé. With the president scheduled to throw out the first pitch Tuesday in St. Louis for the All-Star Game at Busch Stadium, Fox Sports has made a formal request to interview the president during the game, and the White House is considering it. "We are discussing with Fox the prospect of him being in the booth," White House spokesperson Dan Pfeiffer tells SI.com.

Stan Musial, the greatest Cardinal of them all, met up with Albert Pujols, the greatest Cardinal of now and perhaps of a very long time, for an All-Star photo session one day recently. Between the photo clicks, the picture that emerged was one of two St. Louis baseball icons from different eras with an admiration for each other. They traded tips on hitting, joked about their salaries and golf games and showed appreciation for a baseball bat as only two sluggers of their stature could. Musial, who appeared in 24 All-Star Games and is expected to play a key role...

BEACHWOOD, Ohio -- A local community has canceled an all-star game for youth baseball players because it doesn't want to exclude anyone. People in Beachwood are upset, and it's not just parents and children. The issue is when is a child just learning a game and when are they old enough to compete in it? The city of Beachwood and its recreation department drew the line at age 12. The phone lines lit up on WTAM on Thursday morning as parents and sports fans called to voice their opinion on the city canceling its all-star game for 9- to 12-year-olds....

AL 2 - NL 1 - No Barry bombs yet.

Seeing as this All-Star Game is going to be a San Francisco thing anyway, they might as well have put Barry Bonds in the middle of it, in the city and amid the fans that adore him without reservation. Besides, most of the game will be played at night. No shadows. Bonds overtook Alfonso Soriano in the final days of balloting, a quarter million-vote rally that put him into the National League outfield with Ken Griffey Jr. and Carlos Beltran. So, presumably in the hours before he chases down Hank Aaron, before he forces an in-or-out answer from Bud Selig,...

Who are your picks for this year's All-Star Game in San Francisco? 32 players on a side, and each team must be represented. Voting at mlb.com ends Thursday night at midnight. I weigh three factors: this year, last year, and career. Here are my picks, with 18 position players and 14 pitchers (9 starters, 5 relievers) on each side: NATIONAL LEAGUE C: RUSSELL MARTIN (LAD), Bengie Molina (SF) 1B: ALBERT PUJOLS (STL), Prince Fielder (MIL), Dmitri Young (WSH) 2B: CHASE UTLEY (PHI), Orlando Hudson (ARI) SS: JOSE REYES (NYM), Edgar Renteria (ATL), Hanley Ramirez (FLA) 3B: MIGUEL CABRERA (FLA), David...

2006 SIERRA MIST MLS ALL-STAR GAME Toyota Park, Bridgeview, Ill. Saturday, Aug. 5, 2005 (6:30 p.m. ET; Live on ESPN)

PITTSBURGH, July 11, 2006 – Oakland A's All-Star pitcher Barry Zito, founder of "Strikeouts for Troops," will donate $500 for each strikeout thrown during the Major League Baseball All-Star Game here this evening. Strikeouts for Troops assists wounded troops by providing comforts of home during their recovery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, in Washington, D.C.; the National Naval Medical Center, in Bethesda, Md.; and other military hospitals. Since the program's inception in April 2005, more than $190,000 has been raised through Zito's own contributions of $200 a strikeout and those of 35 players from the A's and other...

The Nextel All-Star Challenge is the proverbial table setter for a furious fortnight of action at Lowe's Motor Speedway -- a venue that made its name with special events. The race is set this year for Saturday night, May 20, and it's got the track's ringmaster, err, president and general manager, H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler, as thrilled as ever. "The all-star race is my favorite race," Wheeler said. "I'm telling you, you talk about wild eyes and people? "You get down there before [the race], after that [Nextel] Open is done and the guys have already gone through the introductions and...

Join us for Saturday Night Racing at Lowe's Motor Speedway, Open qualifying Friday.

OK, let's see your All-Star teams. Online voting at mlb.com ends Wednesday at 11:59 PM (ET). (You can vote up to 25 times.) 32 players on a side, every team must be represented. Here are my teams, starters listed first: NATIONAL LEAGUE C: Javy Lopez (ATL), Jason Kendall (PIT) 1b: Todd Helton (COL), Ryan Klesko (SD) 2b: Jose Vidro (MON), Jeff Kent (HOU) SS: Edgar Renteria (STL), Alex Gonzalez (FLA), Rafael Furcal (ATL) 3b: Scott Rolen (STL), Mike Lowell (FLA) OF: Albert Pujols (STL), Barry Bonds (SF), Jim Edmonds (STL); Gary Sheffield (ATL), Luis Gonzalez (ARI), Preston Wilson (COL), Geoff...