All-Star Game will benefit from infusion of young talent

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(MCT) — St. Louis is an old-school baseball town, rich in heritage and tradition, and the home base of some of the most illustrious names in baseball history.

But when the All-Star Game sets up at Busch Stadium on July 14, the event will have a new-wave appeal. It will offer a look at the sport’s future. At least part of the competition will feature the game’s rising stars, who are among the 21 first-time All-Star selections this season. The baseball royalty will be there — names such as Albert Pujols and Derek Jeter are as prominent and popular as ever — but the fresh princes are emerging.

Say hello to Arizona outfielder Justin Upton, 21, and Baltimore outfielder Adam Jones, 23.

There’s Washington third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, 24, and the second-time All-Star, Tampa Bay third baseman Evan Longoria, 23.

Among the golden arms are several 25-year-olds with seemingly unlimited futures: Kansas City’s Zach Greinke, San Francisco’s Tim Lincecum, Florida’s Josh Johnson. And they’re not even the youngest starting pitchers on the All-Star rosters.

Already imposing but still in development are San Francisco’s Matt Cain, 24, Los Angeles Dodger Chad Billingsley, 24, and Seattle’s Felix Hernandez, 23.

That’s why I think the St. Louis All-Star Game will be special.

The mix of players will be delightful. We’ve seen a dramatic turnover in talent over the past several years, and the St. Louis All-Star Game will illuminate these new points of light. So many recent All-Star fixtures didn’t make it this time for a variety of reasons, including advancing age, gradual wear and tear, career-threatening injuries, or performance-enhancing drug scandals.

Just think about the players we won’t be seeing at Busch Stadium a week from Tuesday; each of the men on this list were picked for the All-Star Game at least five times in their careers: Alex Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr., Manny Ramirez, Vladimir Guerrero, David Ortiz, Jim Thome, Gary Sheffield, Chipper Jones, Pudge Rodriguez, Jason Giambi, Maggio Ordonez, Andruw Jones, Todd Helton, Randy Johnson, John Smoltz, Tom Glavine, Trevor Hoffman, Pedro Martinez and Billy Wagner.

The icons have moved off to the side, and many of them will never make it back. And here come the boy wonders, strutting in to take their place. It’s an exciting transition.
Some quick All-Star takes:

• This All-Star Game has so much St. Louis flavor, they should serve toasted ravioli and Crown Candy ice cream to the players as a pregame snack. The Cardinals’ Pujols was the leading vote-getter. Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina was voted in as the NL starter. Closer Ryan Franklin got the call. He’s in. Three Cardinals; not bad. But that’s not all. Cardinals manager Tony La Russa is one of the NL coaches, as is the former Cardinal player and manager Joe Torre.

Native St. Louisans Ryan Howard (Phillies first baseman) and Mark Buehrle (White Sox starting pitcher) are coming home to play in this game. And the rosters include ex-Cardinal starting pitchers Jason Marquis (Rockies) and Danny Haren (Diamondbacks).

• Baseball pundits are ripping the selection of Ryan Howard as an NL reserve, because his numbers are down. But I’m pleased to be a hometown apologist for Howard. This is a game of stars, and Howard has established himself as one of the supreme power hitters of his generation. Here’s my closing argument: Howard loves to hit at Busch Stadium. In 63 career at-bats at Busch, Howard has seven homers, 29 RBIs and a .381 batting average. Don’t you want Howard’s munitions on your side, late in the game, if the NL needs a bomb to win it?

• Quibbles and nitpicks: I don’t have much of a beef with the National League choices, though starting pitchers Johnny Cueto (Reds) and Yovani Gallardo (Brewers) are having better seasons than Marquis. Their ERAs are much lower. Marquis has 10 wins, two more than Cueto or Gallardo, but he has benefited from generous run support.
A few things with the American League roster make me want to holler. Tim Wakefield’s 4.30 ERA is only the 29th-best in the AL. Kevin Millwood (Rangers) and Jered Weaver (Angels) were worthier choices.

And the fans’ selection of Josh Hamilton as a starting AL outfielder is among the worst picks in the history of the voting.

Because of injuries, Hamilton has played in only 25 games, and he’s batting .240.

• Finally, a prediction: I think the NL will get it done this year and end the American League’s 12-game unbeaten streak. I’m taking a risk in touting the National League because the NL pitching staff has a lot of young arms. But it’s time, and those young NL power arms will answer the call.

The All-Star Game returns to St. Louis for the first time since 1966, and the NL won the ‘66 contest.