Ben Sheets and Cliff Lee have been picked to start Wednesday’s All-Star game at Yankees Stadium.  Their selections mean that the final starting rosters have been set.  The All-Star festivities began on Sunday with the Futures Game that was won by the World team 3-0.  The events will continue on Monday with the Home Run Derby followed by the actual game on Tuesday.

Ben Sheets and Cliff Lee will square off in Tuesday's All-Star game.

Sheets, a right-hander, will take the mound for the National League.  He will be trying to lead the Senior Circuit to a victory in order to garner a modicum of respect (and home-field advantage in the World Series) even though it is widely regarded as the weaker division.  He has gone 10-3 for Milwaukee with a 2.83 ERA and 108 strikeouts.  Sheets is a fine selection, but I would have liked to have seen either Tim Lincecum or Edinson Volquez get the nod.  Both youngsters have been electric this season ranking first (135) and third (126) in strikeouts in the majors.  Both players have lowers ERAs than Sheets as well ranking second and third in the majors in that category (2.29 for Volquez, 2.57 for Lincecum).  The selection of Sheets is likely due to workload issues however.  Volquez last started on Saturday while Lincecum pitched on Sunday.  Sheets meanwhile has not thrown since last Wednesday and would be fully rested for Tuesday.

Cliff Lee, the lefty, will start for the American League in his first All-Star appearance.  His comeback story has been buried somewhat after his hot start, but it is still very impressive.  Lee has been one of the few bright spots for a Cleveland team that has severely disappointed, and recently dealt away its other ace CC Sabathia.  Lee has been terrific through it all sporting a 12-2 record with a 2.31 ERA and 106 strikeouts.  He has come a far way from being demoted to the minors just a season ago.  He won 10 of his first 11 starts, and the consistent strikeout totals and a 2.14 ERA through 3 starts in July show that he is not just an early season fluke.

One last change was made to the NL roster with Carlos Marmol taking over for injured teammate Kerry Wood (blister).  While Marmol was nearly unhittable to start the year, he has terrible of late having an ERA well over 9.00 since June 1.  He does not deserve a spot in the All-Star, and was likely chosen because he is a reliever and workload and rest will not be a problem.  If that is indeed the case names like San Diego’s Heath Bell, Colorado’s Taylor Bucholz, or even L.A.’s Hong Chi-Kuo have done better by performance.  If another “name” with stats was needed, Washington closer Jon Rauch would have been a better option.  My choice for a replacement would have been a starter.  Any one of Philly’s Cole Hamels, L.A.’s Chad Billingsley, or New York’s Johan Santana would have been a far better selection for the NL.  All three probably deserved to have been on the team from the beginning.

Carlos Marmol is yet another undeserving All-Star.