Sheets to Start All-Star Game

The Brewers now have officially as many starters in the All-Star game as the Cubs do, and I, for one, am very pleased about that. Ben Sheets has been named the starting pitcher for the National League, while Cliff Lee will get the honor for the American League. This is Sheets fourth All-Star game. In his career, he has pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings for the Senior Circuit.

Sheets has gone 10-3 this season with a 2.85 ERA. He has 108 strikeouts and 28 walks in 123 innings. Despite a losing effort, Sheets struck out 11 batters against the Rockies on Wednesday. Colorado manager Clint Hurdle is the manager of the NL All-Star team.

Clint Hurdle talked to the Journal Sentinel's Tom Haudricourt about Ben Sheets: "I like everything about him. He's blue collar; he brings his lunch pail to work every day. I thought it would be an opportunity that he'd embrace. He has a lot of energy, a lot of passion. He's a perfect match for me."

Obviously Sheets is deserving of the award, but it was really between he and Carlos Zambrano as to who would start the game. Other candidates included Edinson Volquez and Tim Lincecum, but they both started over the weekend and may not even play on Tuesday.

In other All-Star news, Ryan Braun is slated to bat 7th in the NL's lineup. Here are the lineups, per Haudricourt.

National League

SS Hanley Ramirez, Fla
2B Chase Utley, Phil
1B Lance Berkman, Hou
DH Albert Pujols, Stl
3B Chipper Jones, Atl
RF Matt Holliday, Col
LF Ryan Braun, Mil
CF Kosuke Fukudome, Chi
C Geovany Soto, Chi
RHP Ben Sheets, Mil

American League

RF Ichiro Suzuki, Sea
SS Derek Jeter, NY
CF Josh Hamilton, Tex
3B Alex Rodriguez, NY
LF Manny Ramirez, Bos
DH Milton Bradley, Tex
1B Kevin Youkilis, Bos
C Joe Mauer, Min
2B Dustin Pedroia, Bos
LHP Cliff Lee, Cle

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