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Starting Lineups for the 83rd All-Star Game Announced; Verlander, Cain Will Start the 2012 Midsummer Classic

Aces Verlander of the Tigers and Cain of the Giants Earn Starting Honors

KANSAS CITY, MO The 2012 All-Star Game managers, Tony La Russa and Ron Washington of the Texas Rangers, have announced their starting lineups for the 83rd Midsummer Classic, to be played on Tuesday at Kauffman Stadium.  The lineups were announced at this afternoon’s 2012 All-Star Game Press Conference. 

La Russa’s National League lineup will be:

               

Player, Club

Bats

Pos.

Statistics (N.L. bests are bolded)

CARLOS GONZALEZ, COL

L

DH

.330, 61 R, 17 HR, 58 RBI, 11 SB, .389 OBP

MELKY CABRERA, SF

S

CF

.353, 8 HR, 44 RBI, 119 H, .391 OBP

RYAN BRAUN, MIL

R

LF

.306, 24 HR, 61 RBI, 15 SB, .599 SLG

JOEY VOTTO, CIN

L

1B

.348, 14 HR, 48 RBI, .471 OBP, 1.087 OPS

CARLOS BELTRAN, STL

S

RF

.296, 20 HR, 65 RBI, .382 OBP

BUSTER POSEY, SF

R

C

.289, 16 2B, 10 HR, 43 RBI

PABLO SANDOVAL, SF

S

3B

.307, 8 HR, 30 RBI, .362 OBP

DAN UGGLA, ATL

R

2B

.221, 53 R, 12 HR, 45 RBI, .351 OBP

RAFAEL FURCAL, STL

S

SS

.275, 54 R, 5 HR, 36 RBI

MATT CAIN, SF

R

RHP

9-3, 2.62 ERA, 120.1 IP, 118 SO

 

 

Washington’s American League lineup will be:

Player, Club

Bats

Pos.

Statistics (A.L. bests are bolded)

DEREK JETER, NYY

R

SS

.308, 7 HR, 25 RBI, 111 H, .354 OBP

ROBINSON CANO, NYY

L

2B

.313, 57 R, 20 HR, 51 RBI, .578 SLG

JOSH HAMILTON, TEX

L

LF

.308, 27 HR, 75 RBI, .635 SLG, 1.016 OPS

JOSE BAUTISTA, TOR

R

RF

.244, 59 R, 27 HR, 65 RBI, .540 SLG

PRINCE FIELDER, DET

L

1B

.299, 15 HR, 63 RBI, .505 SLG

ADRIAN BELTRE, TEX

R

3B

.326, 15 HR, 54 RBI, .524 SLG

DAVID ORTIZ, BOS

L

DH

.312, 62 R, 22 HR, 57 RBI, .607 SLG

MIKE NAPOLI, TEX

R

C

.228, 12 HR, 30 RBI, .340 OBP

CURTIS GRANDERSON, NYY

L

CF

.248, 61 R, 23 HR, 48 RBI

JUSTIN VERLANDER, DET

R

RHP

9-5, 2.58 ERA, 5 CG, 132.2 IP, 128 SO

 

Cain, now a three-time N.L. All-Star, threw the first perfect game in Giants franchise history and the 22nd of all-time on June 13th against the Houston Astros.  His 14 strikeouts were tied for the most ever in a perfect game, matching Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax.  The eighth-year hurler, who has a 3.29 career ERA, threw 21.1 innings without allowing an earned run in the 2010 Postseason, helping lift the Giants to the city of San Francisco’s first World Series Championship.  Cain became the sixth pitcher in Major League history to make three starts in a Postseason without allowing an earned run.  His streak of 21.1 innings without allowing an earned run to start his Postseason career is the sixth longest in Major League history.  The durable right-hander has made at least 31 starts in each full season of his career (2006-2011).

Verlander, now a five-time A.L. All-Star, was both the 2011 American League Most Valuable Player and the 2011 A.L. Cy Young Award winner after going 24-5 with a 2.40 ERA, becoming the 10th pitcher of all-time to win both in the same season and the first since Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley in 1992.  The Old Dominion product was also the A.L. Rookie of the Year in 2006, when he helped Detroit reach the World Series for the first time since 1984.  Verlander becomes the first pitcher ever to win an MVP, a Cy Young, the Rookie of the Year Award and to start an All-Star Game in his career.  Don Newcombe won the three awards but never started the Midsummer Classic in his four All-Star appearances.  Verlander owns a career record of 116-62 with a 3.45 ERA and has thrown two no-hitters in his career.  The Virginia native will become the seventh different Tigers pitcher to start the All-Star Game (10th overall). 

The 2012 All-Star Game will be played at Kauffman Stadium on Tuesday, July 10th.  The 83rd All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX Sports; in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS; and worldwide by partners in more than 200 countries via MLB International’s independent feed.  Pregame ceremonies will begin at 8:00 p.m. (ET)/7:00 p.m. (CT).  ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide exclusive national radio coverage of the All-Star Game.  MLB Network, MLB.com and SiriusXM also will provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage.  For more information, please visit allstargame.com or royals.com/2012.