State Of The Yankees 15: Four-Game Losing Streak Is Alarming, But Nothing To Panic About ... Yet

  By Brad Carroll  
Our State of the Yankees column is back for its 15th installment with a team suddenly on the ropes, losing two of three to the Red Sox and the first two to the Orioles. As always, we want to hear what you have to say about your favorite (or least favorite) team below in the comments section. And check back next week for the latest from the New York Yankees right here.

  Opening Statement  

With the Yankees losing their fourth straight game to end the month of July, the question obviously becomes is this a sign of things to come or is it merely a temporary stretch of bad play and bad luck? The answer isn't clear, and it never is, but an educated guess says this is just one of those stretches where a great baseball team plays some pretty bad baseball. No more, no less. Sure, losing two of three to the Boston Red Sox hurts, especially considering the Yankees could have and should have swept the set. But that's the good news, bad news aura the Yankees have right now. Yes, they could win every game they play. But also they could easily endure a losing stretch like this one because they can't manufacture runs without relying on the home run. The Yankees' lead in the AL East is down to just 5.5 games over the Orioles, 6.5 over Tampa Bay and 7.5 over the Red Sox. Those leads are solid, but they don't represent the runaway it once did. That's why the Yankees could afford a bad stretch, but of course, it can't continue at this pace or all the good will gained throughout the season will be lost in an instant. 

State Of The Mets 15: More Losing Has Postseason Hopes On Life Support, But Matt Harvey Is A Bright Spot

  By Brad Carroll  
Our State of the Mets column is back for its 15th installment with another losing week, and postseason hopes dwindling even further into the abyss, but a shining light in the distance in the form of Matt Harvey has things looking up. As always, we want to hear what you have to say about your favorite (or least favorite) team below in the comments section. And check back each and every week for the latest from the Mets.

  Opening Statement  

If it wasn't for the ever superb R.A. Dickey and a rookie phenom making the first start of his career, this would have been yet another terrible week on the road to another season without a postseason berth. The Mets went 2-4 to drop to 49-53 on the season, 12.5 games behind NL East-leading Washington and nine games out of the two wild card spots. On top of that nine-game deficit, the Mets would have to jump five teams to get into wild card position. Just a week ago the Mets were 5.5 games out of the wild card, so things just keep getting worse. On a positive note, Dickey improved to 14-2 on the season after a 5-1 victory over Arizona Sunday. It clinched a split of a four-game series in Arizona. And, the biggest news of the week, was the debut of Matt Harvey. The young star struck out 11 batters in just 5 1/3 innings, allowing no runs on three hits and three walks in picking up the win. Those 11 strikeouts set a franchise record for most in a debut start. In a season that has gotten away from the Mets as we head to August, the fact Harvey will be in the rotation for the rest of the season and possibly years to come is something to celebrate. But the overall team picture is not a pretty one.

State Of The Red Sox 15: Series Victory Over Yankees Gives Playoff Hope Back To Boston And Its Fans

  By Matt Straub  

Our State of the Red Sox column is back for its 15th installment with a series victory over the Yankees that has Boston and its fans thinking playoffs again. As always, we want to hear what you have to say about your favorite (or least favorite) team below in the comments section. And check back next week for the latest from the Red Sox right here.

  Opening Statement  

"Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in." No, I’m not Al Pacino. I am a fan of the Boston Red Sox. They have made it hard on me this year. At times they have been unlikable, and much more often they have been a listless, mediocre baseball team. These qualities have caused casual fans to jump off the bandwagon and lifelong die-hards to watch the first half of the 2012 season with disdain. With football training camps opening this past week, now would be the perfect time for Red Sox fans to start thinking about the nation’s other pastime. But just when the opportunity to turn our attention to the NFL had arrived, a funny thing happened. The Red Sox started to come to life. The math is still very daunting, and their hopes of a spot in the playoffs remain faint, but they are still alive. Just hours before the trading deadline, the Red Sox took two of three from the New York Yankees and restored a bit of faith in Red Sox Nation. Things might still be bleak, but it’s not football season yet. Boston is four games out of the second wild card spot, but still has to pass five teams on the way to the postseason. The team, has, however, not only shown it is at least capable of taking on the mighty Yankees (and the Rangers for that matter) but put itself in position to be buyers at the trade deadline instead of sellers. The Boston Red Sox, in the span of three days, went from a team that could have been a contender to a team that might just be after all. Let’s look at how this transformation took place during a 3-3 week that feels like a 7-game win streak.

Alex Rodriguez Breaks Right Hand, Placed On 15-Day Disabled List

Alex Rodriguez broke his hand Tuesday night. (AP photo)

  By Brad Carroll  
Alex Rodriguez was placed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday night with a broken left hand. Rodriguez was hit by a change-up from Felix Hernandez in the eighth inning in a 4-2 loss to the Mariners. Hernandez had hit Ichiro Suzuki and Derek Jeter before nailing Rodriguez late in the game. The Seattle pitcher hit three of the final five batters he faced, although none appeared on purpose.

Rodriguez might miss six weeks with the broken hand. Eric Chavez, who will likely take Rodriguez's place in at third base, had the same injury as A-Rod suffered and was out for six weeks.

State Of The Yankees 14: Four-Game Sweep By Oakland Hurts, But Trade For Ichiro Should Fuel Yankees

  By Brad Carroll  
Our State of the Yankees column is back for its 14th installment with a terrible sweep at the hands of the Oakland Athletics and a shocking trade for Seattle Mariners star Ichiro Suzuki. As always, we want to hear what you have to say about your favorite (or least favorite) team below in the comments section. And check back next week for the latest from the New York Yankees right here.

  Opening Statement  

The first six games following the All-Star break couldn't have gone better for the New York Yankees. Coming out of the break with baseball's best record, the Yankees only solidified their spot as the best team in either league by winning two of three from the Angels and then sweeping three from the Blue Jays. But then a trip to Oakland changed all the good will surrounding the team. The Athletics swept four games from the Yankees, bringing back memories to the start of the season, where the Bombers were anything but the best team in the game. It also brought back up the biggest question mark of the season ... can the Yankees win in October if they can't score without the home run ball? The home runs have been there all season, but we all know baseball is a completely different game in the postseason. Scratching runs becomes a must as the pitching increases 10-fold. In the series finale against Oakland, a 5-4 loss in 12 innings, the Yankees were held scoreless for eight straight innings. The Yankees obviously can't be that inept in October. So, the sweep at the hands of the A's was big in opening eyes everywhere. However, the Yankees know how to respond to these situations, and they made a shocking trade Monday to answer, even if just a little bit, those fears. The Yankees sent two minor league pitchers to Seattle for Ichiro Suzuki, mainly to take Brett Gardner's spot on the team. The trade for Ichiro doesn't give the Yankees a big bat, it gives them a professional hitter, a singles hitter, with speed and above average defense. That is what the Yankees need, especially with Gardner likely out for the season. Ichiro is in no way the player he was when he first came to Seattle, but maybe this is the change of scenery he needs to regain some of the past greatness. The Yankees beat the Mariners in the first game of a three-game set and everything is OK in Yankees Land once again. The problems are still there, but the Yankees never rest with their current roster, always trying to improve. You have to love that as a fan.

Mets Super Prospect Zack Wheeler Working On New Pitches, Hasn't Let Recent Struggles Bother Him

Mets prospect Zack Wheeler during a Double-A start. (Matt Straub)

  By Matt Straub  

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. - Zack Wheeler’s game has come back to Earth enough over the last month to indicate he might not be quite ready to make his major league debut just yet. While his pitching is still being refined, however, Wheeler has shown he’s ready for the bright lights of the New York market by the way he has handled himself off the field this season. The definition of a big fish in a small pond, the prized Mets prospect is the most popular man in the building in just about every Double-A park he enters.

That was evident again Tuesday night when Wheeler met with the media before the Binghamton Mets took on the New Britain Rock Cats in New Britain, Conn. Wheeler, who is set to pitch Wednesday afternoon in New Britain, was pulled toward a gaggle of media next to the third base dugout while his teammates returned to the dugout after their pregame work.

State Of The Mets 14: From Playoff Hopes To A Season On The Brink, Mets Drop Nine Of 10 Since Break

  By Brad Carroll  
Our State of the Mets column is back for its 14th installment with a devastating 10-game stretch after the All-Star break, losing nine of 10 as their postseason hopes dwindle to near extinction. As always, we want to hear what you have to say about your favorite (or least favorite) team below in the comments section. And check back each and every week for the latest from the Mets.

  Opening Statement  

All it took was 10 games after the All-Star break for the New York Mets to turn a once promising season into a complete disaster. The Mets have lost nine of those 10 games to drop two games under .500 and now trail the NL East-leading Washington Nationals by 9.5 games and the two wild card spots by 5.5 games. We've discussed all season long that the Mets couldn't afford to have a stretch like this, as it would be a near death blow to the season, and it's sure looking like that now. The Mets were 46-40 at the break, giving fans hope, legit hope, that a playoff season would be a strong possibility. But the team was swept by the Atlanta Braves, then lost two of three from Washington, was swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers and dropped the first game against the Nationals Monday night. Now, the thought process isn't focused on the field, but rather at the front office. As most fans know, money is a huge talking point with the Mets and their owners, the Wilpons. Namely, most believe the Mets don't have any, which is contrary to what the owners would have you believe. But if the team has the money, why not bolster the team before the season gets out of control? The Mets need pitching and could use a power bat, all of which can be had if the price is right. But nothing has been done and nothing appears to be on the horizon. At least pitcher Matt Harvey has been moved to the major leagues, giving the team and their fans hope that a phenom may be added to the rotation. He's making his debut Thursday against Arizona. Hey, it's something to look forward to in this disaster of a start to the second half of the season.

Ichiro Takes The Field As A Yankee

Ichiro takes the field in his new Yankees uniform. (AP photo)

Jets Trade For OT Jeff Otah, Should Compete With Starter Wayne Hunter

The Jets traded for tackle Jeff Otah Monday. (AP photo)

  By Brad Carroll  
First the New York Rangers pull off a blockbuster trade Monday afternoon, bringing in Rick Nash from the Columbus Blue Jackets. Then, the New York Yankees answer with a shocker, trading for Seattle Mariners star Ichiro Suzuki a few hours later. And now, the New York Jets have joined the party, trading for Carolina Panthers offensive tackle Jeff Otah.

It's definitely been a wild day and night in New York.

Yankees Trade For Ichiro Suzuki, Will Bat Eighth Tonight Against Seattle

Ichiro Suzuki was traded to the Yankees Monday. (AP photo)

  By Brad Carroll  
The New York Yankees pulled off a shocking trade moments ago, acquiring outfielder Ichiro Suzuki from the Seattle Mariners for a pair of minor leaguers. The Yankees are in Seattle tonight, so Ichiro will switch dugouts for the game.

Ichiro is a 10-time All-Star, spending his first 12 seasons in the major leagues with the Mariners. He's a .322 career hitter with over 2,500 hits, but has struggled greatly this season. He's batting .261 for Seattle.

Penn State Sanctions: NCAA Finally Gets It Right, Hitting Penn State, late Joe Paterno With Severe Penalties

Penn State football was hit with severe sanctions. (AP photo)

  By Brad Carroll  
The NCAA finally did something right Monday, unleashing severe sanctions against the Penn State football program, including former coach Joe Paterno. The penalties will cripple the program for years to come and, most significant, will erase the Paterno's shamed name from the top of the history books.

Here are the sanctions:

• $60 million fine
• Vacating all 112 victories from 1998-2011
• Four-year postseason ban (the Big 10 also matched this)
• Athletic department is on probation for five years
• Four-year scholarship reductions, limited to 65 per year

It also means that Paterno will lose 111 victories, moving him from first overall on the all-time wins list to a distance 12th, with 298 victories. That, rightfully so, destroys Paterno's link to one of college football's greatest achievements. There is no doubt the NCAA did the right thing in tearing Paterno down, and now only the most loyal and delusional Penn State defender will still consider him a legend.

State Of The Red Sox 14: No Joy In Red Sox Nation As Losing Stretch Feels Much Worse Than The Record

  By Matt Straub  

Our State of the Red Sox column is back for its 14th installment with no joy in the Nation, as a 3-4 stretch feels a heck of a lot worse. As always, we want to hear what you have to say about your favorite (or least favorite) team below in the comments section. And check back next week for the latest from the Red Sox right here.

  Opening Statement  

Kevin Youkilis got his standing ovation and the Red Sox honored Jason Varitek, the captain of two world title teams. And yet somehow, there was no joy in this week. There have been a couple of times this season where the Boston Red Sox have had a 4-3 week that felt like a great stretch based on a big win or a good series. Then came this week, when the Red Sox went 3-4 over a 7-day stretch that felt like a 20-game losing streak. With the Yankees having their own problems in Oakland, the Red Sox are right about where they were a week ago in the standings. In the big picture, this week did nothing but take away a week’s worth of time to rally. At the moment, however, the week seems like it might have been the period in which the 2012 season slipped away. The momentum Boston had built early in the season’s second half is gone. With the trading deadline fast approaching, it now seems like the Red Sox really could be sellers next week, officially waiving the white flag and ending an era that saw the team win two world titles and contend for a playoff spot just about every season from 2003 to 2011. While we wait to see if the youth movement is coming to Fenway Park, let’s review how the charging Red Sox went back to being the bumbling boys from Boston.

Breaking Down The Brightest, and Dimmest, Stars From The First Half Of The New York Yankees Season

Robinson Cano is an MVP candidate. (AP photo)

  By Brad Carroll  
The All-Star break is about to end and the second half of the baseball season is about to begin. It also means our State Of columns, on the Yankees, Mets and Red Sox, are entering the second stage as well. We've had 13 such columns through the first half of the year, with 39 players making the "Up" and "Down" lists for each team we put together each and every week.

So, with the All-Star Game in the rear view mirror, we thought it would be interesting to break down the first half of the year in our own way, with the players who have had their stock rising the most, and also those that saw their stock plummet over the first half.

Here's the best and the worst of the first half of the 2012 Yankees season, with their season-to-date stats.

Breaking Down The Brightest, and Dimmest, Stars From The First Half Of The New York Mets Season

Terry Collins and David Wright at the All-Star Game. (AP photo)

  By Brad Carroll  
The All-Star break is about to end and the second half of the baseball season is about to begin. It also means our State Of columns, on the Yankees, Mets and Red Sox, are entering the second stage as well. We've had 13 such columns through the first half of the year, with 39 players making the "Up" and "Down" lists for each team we put together each and every week.

So, with the All-Star Game in the rear view mirror, we thought it would be interesting to break down the first half of the year in our own way, with the players who have had their stock rising the most, and also those that saw their stock plummet over the first half.

Here's the best and the worst of the first half of the 2012 Mets season, with their season-to-date stats.

Breaking Down The Brightest, and Dimmest, Stars From The First Half Of The Boston Red Sox Season

David Ortiz was celebrated for hitting his 400th HR. (AP photo)

  By Brad Carroll  
The All-Star break is about to end and the second half of the baseball season is about to begin. It also means our State Of columns, on the Yankees, Mets and Red Sox, are entering the second stage as well. We've had 13 such columns through the first half of the year, with 39 players making the "Up" and "Down" lists for each team we put together each and every week.

So, with the All-Star Game in the rear view mirror, we thought it would be interesting to break down the first half of the year in our own way, with the players who have had their stock rising the most, and also those that saw their stock plummet over the first half.

Here's the best and the worst of the first half of the 2012 Red Sox season, with their season-to-date stats.

State Of The Mets 13: Third Place In NL East, 6 Games Over .500 And A Shot At The Wild Card At The Break

  By Jenni Mennella  

Our State of the Mets column is back for its 13th installment with a .500 week heading into the All-Star break, taking the series against their former rival Phillies but losing to the struggling Cubs. As always, we want to hear what you have to say about your favorite (or least favorite) team below in the comments section. And check back each and every week for the latest from the Mets.

  Opening Statement  

Who would have thought the Mets would be heading into the All-Star break in third place in the NL East, six games over .500 and in prime contention for one of the two NL Wild Card spots. Much of this season’s success is due to an outstanding first half from David Wright and R.A. Dickey, the two Mets' representatives on the NL All-Star team, and unexpected contributions by Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Dillon Gee, Ruben Tejada and Bobby Parnell. New York's rotation has the third-best ERA in baseball at 3.55, trailing only the Nationals and Dodgers. As evidenced by his selection to the All-Star coaching staff, Terry Collins has once again proven to be a master at bringing the best out of his players.

State Of The Yankees 13: Jones Finds Fountain Of Youth And Yankees Head To Break With Baseball's Best Record

  By Brad Carroll  
Our State of the Yankees column is back for its 13th installment with another series victory over the Red Sox, Andruw Jones finding the fountain of youth and the Yankees holding the best record in baseball at the All-Star break. As always, we want to hear what you have to say about your favorite (or least favorite) team below in the comments section. And check back next week for the latest from the New York Yankees right here.

  Opening Statement  

Almost everything went right for the Yankees in their four-game series with the rival Boston Red Sox this weekend at Fenway Park. The Yankees won three of four games. Andruw Jones hit four home runs, and missed a fifth by just inches, in three games, rediscovering the form that made him a star a decade ago. Ivan Nova and Freddy Garcia were both superb on the mound. The Yankees won four of their last five heading into the All-Star break to hold the best record in baseball. They have the biggest division lead in baseball as well, seven games over the second-place Baltimore Orioles. And there was the burying of the Red Sox, all the way back into a last place tie with the Toronto Blue Jays, 9.5 games out of first in the AL East. There was some negatives, however, although they look minor now. The team played terrible defense in Boston and Phil Hughes couldn't continue his run of terrific starts, letting an early 3-0 lead evaporate in a 9-5 loss Saturday night against Boston. But all in all, the Yankees and their fans have nothing to complain about this week or the entire season for that matter. The Bombers are 52-33 at the break and have positioned themselves as the favorites for the American League pennant. The best part of the season to date? The Yankees keep getting better, which is a scary sight to the rest of baseball.

State Of The Red Sox 13: AL East Chances Dealt Serious Blow After Red Sox Drop Three Of Four To Yankees

  By Matt Straub  

Our State of the Red Sox column is back for its 13th installment with a devastating series loss to the hated New York Yankees and a last-place standing in the AL East, 9 ½ games back, at the All-Star break. As always, we want to hear what you have to say about your favorite (or least favorite) team below in the comments section. And check back next week for the latest from the Red Sox right here.

  Opening Statement  

My first Red Sox game at Fenway Park was in 1987. I was nine. I got an amazing opportunity to hang out on the field before the game, and have two of my favorite pictures ever of me on top of the Sox dugout chatting with players. Needless to say, after that day I was hooked. The Red Sox were my team and Fenway Park was my favorite place on Earth. Neither of those things have changed in the nearly 25 years since. The team’s roster turns over and I have some gray hairs on my head, but my love affair with the team and its home never died. After this weekend, I know it never will. How do I know that you ask? Because I just got done watching one of the most depressing series I’ve seen the Sox play in years in one of the more aggravating environments I’ve ever experienced at America’s most beloved ballpark. Boston played the Yankees in a four-game set from Friday to Sunday. I had tickets to the opener of Saturday’s doubleheader, which was going to be one of the highlights of a long weekend I took in the city to see old college friends, my favorite place and team, and some other sites. The sites were great. Catching up with old friends was wonderful. Watching the Yankees start training for Monday’s Home Run Derby stunk. Doing it while surrounded by Yankees fans, something that has never happened to me at the old ball yard, was horrible. The only thing worse was following the hometown nine over the previous five days. If you haven’t figured it out yet, this was not a good week. Even after a disastrous road trip, the Sox had a chance to cut into the gap between themselves and the Yankees when their bitter rivals came to town. Don’t mistake me, they tried. Saturday afternoon’s lineup wouldn’t have won the Triple-A International League, but it’s what the team decimated by injury perhaps more than any other (they have now put 20 different players on the DL this year) could muster. The “C” squad put up a couple of fights, but got crushed by a really good team hitting the ball exceptionally well. The end result was losing three of four and falling 9 ½ behind the Yankees in the AL East. There’s just under half a season to go, but this week felt like the time in which Boston lost the division and had to start trying for one of the wild cards, a key distinction this year because MLB has actually made the divisions matter by forcing the wild cards into a 1-game playoff for the right to make the ALDS. So while I try and get the “Let’s go Yankees” chant out of my head, let’s review a miserable 1-6 week that began with a sweep in Oakland that won’t be mentioned again because the next three days were even worse.

State Of The Mets 12: Despite Four Straight Wins, A Disappointing Week Against Two Struggling Teams

  By Brad Carroll  
Our State of the Mets column is back for its 12th installment with a disappointing week, even with four straight victories, including two shutouts by R.A. Dickey and Johan Santana, and a bit of controversy as star third baseman David Wright won't start the All-Star Game. As always, we want to hear what you have to say about your favorite (or least favorite) team below in the comments section. And check back each and every week for the latest from the Mets.

  Opening Statement  

The New York Mets won four straight games this week, but things could and should have been so much better. The Mets started the week by losing the first two games to the Chicago Cubs, a team that today sits 20 games under .500. The Mets won the series finale and then took three in a row against the free-falling Los Angeles Dodgers before losing Sunday night to end the seven-game road trip. Four wins in a row is great, but an overall 4-3 week against the Cubs and Dodgers just isn't going to get the Mets into the playoffs. The Metropolitans did take over second place in the NL East, trailing the Washington Nationals by 3.5 games. They are tied with two others for the wild card lead, with Pittsburgh and Los Angeles joining the Mets at the top of the standings. Not only was it a disappointing week on the field, it was a tough one off it too, as the face of the Mets, David Wright, was not voted by the fans to start the All-Star Game. Yes, he deserved it, but the San Francisco Giants supporters came out in droves and voted in Pablo Sandoval instead, as he erased a nearly 465,000 vote deficit in the final week to win by more than 1.6 million. If you're wondering about the comparison, it's not close. Wright is batting .355 with nine home runs and 50 RBI, while the Panda is batting .307 with six home runs and 25 RBI. But Giants fans beat Mets fans in this contest. At least R.A. Dickey won't have to rely on a fan vote in order to get his chance to start the game.

State Of The Yankees 12: Yankees Remain Red-Hot Despite Two Big Injuries, Lead AL East By Six Games

  By Brad Carroll  
Our State of the Yankees column is back for its 12th installment with a month to remember, a great start to the new one, four all-star selections and no end in sight to the winning ways, even with injuries to CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte leaving the rotation up in the air. As always, we want to hear what you have to say about your favorite (or least favorite) team below in the comments section. And check back next week for the latest from the New York Yankees right here.

  Opening Statement  

July started just how June ended for the New York Yankees - with a victory. The Yankees, coming off a tremendous month, going 20-7 in June, won the first game of July Sunday afternoon, clinching a split with the Chicago White Sox. The Yankees also got news that three of their players will be starting the all-star game, with Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson winning the fan vote, and another, CC Sabathia, chosen as a reserve. But not everything is going well for the Bombers. The Yankees lost both Sabathia and Andy Pettitte to the disabled list in a few-hour span Wednesday. The Sabathia injury isn't considered serious and he should be back to his old self in a couple weeks. Pettitte, however, broke his fibula on a comebacker to the mound against the Indians and will miss at least six weeks. That injury will hurt the Yankees the most, especially considering the alternatives. Still, even with those two big injuries, the Yankees keep on winning, going 5-2 this week and 3-2 since the two star pitchers landed on the DL. Plus, Robinson Cano has regained his spot as one of the best players in the game, Hiroki Kuroda has become an ace and even guys like Dewayne Wise are ripping the ball. It's been a heck of a run for the Yankees, who lead the Orioles by six games and Red Sox by 6.5 in the AL East, but this coming week is going to be huge, with seven games against Tampa Bay and Boston on the road.

State Of The Red Sox 12: Off-Field Issues Continue, Although Just One, In This Disappointing Week For Sox

  By Matt Straub  

Our State of the Red Sox column is back for its 12th installment with a disappointing week on the field, even with a winning record, and only (only!) one off-field crisis to speak of. As always, we want to hear what you have to say about your favorite (or least favorite) team below in the comments section. And check back next week for the latest from the Red Sox right here.

  Opening Statement  

The good news for the Boston Red Sox is there was only one off-field crisis this week. The bad news was twofold. First, this is considered good news the way this year has gone. Second, the Red Sox couldn’t do much on the field to make people forget about the off-field problems, missing out on a big chance to make some headway against the lowly Mariners as they head into another brutal stretch of schedule. There’s also good news for you. After two long, vitriol-filled rants on this blog, I promise to keep this one relatively short. I say relatively because we’re going to have to get into Clay Buchholz and some bad losses along the way. So let’s break down a disappointing week, even if the Sox did manage to come out of it at 4-3, which is all you can really ask for.

Jeter, Cano, Granderson Start All-Star Game; Wright Won't Start For NL

Derek Jeter and Robinson Cano will start for the AL. (AP photo)

  By Brad Carroll  
The All-Star Game in Kansas City will have a New York Yankees feel to it as three of its players were voted to start in the fan balloting. Derek Jeter will start at shortstop, Robinson Cano gets the nod at second and Curtis Granderson gets one of the starting outfield spots.

The Texas Rangers also had three All-Star starters voted in, Josh Hamilton (outfield), Mike Napoli (catcher) and Adrian Beltre (third baseman). Detroit's Prince Fielder (first base), Toronto's Jose Bautista (outfield) and Boston's David Ortiz (designated hitter) round out the American League all-star starters.

Jeter was voted in for the seventh straight year, although he didn't end up playing last year. It's his 13th selection overall. Cano will be making his fourth all-star appearance and Granderson his third.