The Midsummer Classic, the MLB All-Star Game is set to take center stage once again, and on a night where sports takes a bit of a breather, the best players on the diamond will compete against one another for their league's right to have home field advantage in the World Series.
HISTORY OF THE MLB ALL-STAR GAME
2014: 5-3 American League (over)
2013: 3-0 American League (under)
2012: 8-0 National League (over)
2011: 5-1 National League (under)
2010: 3-1 National League (under)
2009: 4-3 American League (under)
2008: 4-3 American League (under)
2007: 5-4 American League (over)
2006: 3-2 American League (under)
2005: 7-5 American League (over)
2004: 9-4 American League (over)
2003: 7-6 American League (over)
2002: 7-7 Tie (over)
2001: 4-1 American League (under)
2000: 6-3 American League (over)
Dating back to 2000, the American League has been dominant here in the All-Star Game, winning 11 of the 15 games with the infamous 2002 tie in Milwaukee. If you go all the way back to 1988, the AL still holds a huge edge of 20-6-1 over the 27 seasons.
The other trend to note is the recent emergence of under games in the All-Star Game. Last year's 5-3 result for the AL pushed the game just a hook past the total, but prior to that, there were five under games in the previous six years with one push in 2012.
There hasn't been an All-Star Game with more than eight runs scored in it since 2007, including a seven-run performance in 2008 when the game lasted 15 innings.
2015 NATIONAL LEAGUE ROSTER
The strength of the NL team this year is clearly in its bullpen. When Bruce Bochy put this team together, he knew that he was going to need a bunch of starters, and a bunch of closers.
We're not fond of the fact that he has seven pitchers on his team who have never been in the All-Star Game before, but the bottom line is that Mark Melancon, Trevor Rosenthal and of course, Aroldis Chapman are quiet familiar with the setting here in Cincinnati, as they are all closers in the NL Central and visit the Great American Ball Park quite often.
Remember too, that two of the closers on the roster, Jonathan Papelbon and Francisco Rodriguez, are both here for the sixth time in the All-Star Game, and K-Rod also pitches in the NL Central with the Brewers.
The starting pitching will be aided by Clayton Kershaw or Johnny Cueto as the last player in the game, one would figure. Aside from that, there aren't a lot of experienced arms for Bochy to choose from.
Offensively, there are eight first-timers here in the All-Star Game on the NL roster, though many of those such as Nolan Arenado, Kris Bryant and Joc Pederson are clearly headed for careers where they are 5+ time All-Stars when it's said and done with.
2015 AMERICAN LEAGUE ROSTER
We hate the AL's roster for sure, just because its chock full of Royals. Ned Yost already has four starters from his own team (though Alex Gordon won't play in the game after tearing his groin on Wednesday night), and he elected to put two more from his bullpen, Kelvin Herrera and Wade Davis on the team as well.
Don't look hard for experienced pitchers on the AL roster either. Felix Hernandez is in his sixth trip to the Midsummer Classic, while David Price and Chris Sale have five and four appearances respectively. Aside from that, there isn't a starting pitcher on the team who has ever been here before, and only two of the relievers (Glen Perkins and Dellin Betances) have ever been at the All-Star Game in the past.
That said, there are some sluggers here who could be game-changers. Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera are now both 10-time All-Stars, while Jose Bautista and Prince Fielder are here for the sixth time each.
If the American League is going to win this game, it is going to do so thanks to the home run ball. There are clearly more sluggers on this side than on the National League side, especially with the NL not getting the benefit of having a healthy Giancarlo Stanton. However, we hate putting an All-Star roster together full of sluggers and not much else, and that's a disadvantage as we see it to the American League.
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