Jim Johnson Is The Name Of Someone Who Was In The 2012 All-Star Game, Obviously

2012 MLB All-Star Game: Tony La Russa And The Cardinals Win One More Time

If the 2012 MLB All-Star Game was the last we'll see of Tony La Russa in the dugout, count this St. Louis Cardinals fan satisfied. Not only did La Russa and the National League roll to an 8-0 victory; not only did the Cardinals who played--Matt Holliday, David Freese, Carlos Beltran, and Rafael Furcal--all play a role in said victory; but The Genius went out the way he came in, with a ton of strange pitching changes and an undeniable track record of success.

Melky Cabrera was the deserving MVP, capping off a return from the prospect wilderness with an All-Star Game home run, but you'll have to forgive those of us in St. Louis for imagining this as one last run from the Tony La Russa-Dave Duncan tandem that powered more than a decade of Cardinals success. When La Russa gave his giddy postgame interview and sounded, for once, like someone completely unworried by conspiracies or perceived slights--well, the 2011 World Series finally sank in for me.

That's what last year was about, in hindsight: One more season consumed by questions of Albert Pujols's legacy, one more trip through the comically intense La Russa ringer. If this season has felt, so far, like a mostly successful hangover, I think this was the closure I needed.

2012 MLB All-Star Game Final Score: N.L. Thumps A.L., 8-0

The MLB All-Star Game isn't normally known for its offense, but that was not the case on Tuesday night in Kansas City, as the National League won the 2012 All-Star Game by the score of 8-0. The N.L. jumped out to a 5-0 lead and never looked back from there, as their final run total was greater than the total number of hits (six) accumulated by the American League.

Those five runs came off of reigning AL Cy Young Justin Verlander, who gave up four hits and walked two batters in his sole inning of work. Ryan Braun got the scoring going for the N.L. when he doubled home Melky Cabrera, but the it was Pablo Sandoval (whose inclusion in the starting lineup was maligned) who broke the game open with a three-RBI triple to plate Braun, Carlos Beltran and Buster Posey. Dan Uggla capped off the five run first with a single to score Sandoval.

The N.L. did further work in the fourth inning, going up 6-0 when Matt Holliday singled in Rafael Furcal and stretching that lead to what would be the final score when Cabrera smashed a homer to left to score Holliday. All three runs came off Texas Rangers starter Matt Harrison.

As far as Cardinals All-Stars went, Furcal finished the night 1-for-3 with a triple and a run scored. Holliday went 1-for-1 with an RBI and a run and David Freese went 0-for-1 with a strikeout.

For more, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis. For more in-depth coverage of the Cardinals, head over to Viva El Birdos. And for complete All-Star break coverage, visit Baseball Nation.

MLB All-Star Game 2012: Rafael Furcal, Matt Holliday Take Part In N.L.'s Offensive Explosion

The N.L. All-Stars exited the fourth inning up 8-0, thanks to a barrage of extra base hits off A.L. All-Star pitchers Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers and Matt Harrison of the Texas Rangers. Rafael Furcan and Matt Holliday of the St. Louis Cardinals played a small role in that offensive explosion, but a role they did play.

With the N.L. up 6-0 in the fourth, Furcal tripled to right field off of Harrison. Holliday was then inserted into the game in place of Carlos Gonzalez, and promptly singled Furcal home to make it 7-0. San Francisco Giants OF Melky Cabrera then smacked a homer to left field to bring the score to 8-0.

The A.L. All-Stars have amassed only two hits on the night, with one coming off of Matt Cain and another off of Stephen Strasburg. Gio Gonzalez of the Washington Nationals pitched a clean third inning for the N.L.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis. For more coverage of the Cardinals, head over to Cardinals blog Viva El Birdos. For more news and notes from around baseball, check out Baseball Nation.

2012 MLB All-Star Game: Ryan Braun Not Booed At Kauffman Stadium

MLB All-Star Game 2012: Matt Holliday Is Having A Better Season Than Carlos Beltran, Cardinals Fans

MLB All-Star Game 2012: NL Pitcher Rotation To Feature Lynn In 7th Inning

The dynamic right-hander and All-Star SP Lance Lynn will be the lone St. Louis Cardinals pitcher on the roster for the National League All-Stars on Tuesday night. He is in his first season in the starting rotation for the Cardinals, but on Tuesday night, he will return to his late-inning bullpen duties.

The NL Team's pitching coach, Dave Duncan, has released the NL's general pitching plan, which has Lynn slotted to pitch the eighth inning:

1st inning, starter -- Matt Cain, Giants

2nd inning -- Gio Gonzalez, Nationals

3rd inning -- Stephen Strasburg, Nationals

4th inning, 5th inning -- Cole Hamels, Phillies and R.A. Dickey, Mets

6th inning -- Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers

7th inning -- Lance Lynn, Cardinals

8th inning and later -- Aroldis Chapman, Reds; Craig Kimbrel, Braves; Huston Street, Padres; [Joel Hanrahan], Pirates; Jonathan Papelbon, Phillies

Extra innings -- Wade Miley, Diamondbacks

In 2011 season, Lynn pitched in 18 games, 16 of which were in relief. He collected 1 save and 8 shutdowns with a 3.12 ERA and 2.88 FIP.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis. For more coverage of the Cardinals, head over to Cardinals blog Viva El Birdos. For more news and notes from around baseball, check out Baseball Nation.

MLB All-Star Game 2012: Tony La Russa Takes Heat For Not Starting R.A. Dickey

It's not often that Tony La Russa has taken heat, as a manager, for being too conventional, but in the 2012 MLB All-Star Game the National League manager--in what might be his final gig ever--has taken some heat for not starting a knuckleballer. R.A. Dickey, the New York Mets' 37-year-old, 12-1, knuckleball-throwing ace, will be entering the game second, behind San Francisco Giants stalwart Matt Cain.

Mets fans are justified in their angst; Dickey's been outstanding, and he's a better story, and for the average All-Star Game that's really all that matters. But here's one thing I think people are overestimating: How much people care about who started the All-Star Game after the All-Star Game is played.

Being an All-Star is a permanent honor; people will always know how many All-Star Games you were named to, and that number will follow you around forever. Starting the All-Star Game, though? I can't remember, if I'm being honest, who did that last year. So get mad at Tony La Russa, by all means; that's what he's there for. But I don't think Dickey is being kept from something that will, say, define the rest of his year, let alone the rest of his life.

MLB All-Star Game 2012: Cardinals Players Excited About La Russa Reunion

The St. Louis Cardinals had a total of six players selected to the 2012 MLB All-Star game, but they will have a seventh Cardinal on hand during the game. Now-retired manager Tony La Russa received a rare offer from commissioner Bud Selig to manage the National League All-Stars.

And according to the players, there could not be any other way:

"It's just fitting," [David Freese] said. "To be an All-Star is great. You add the fact that Tony is managing the team with the 2011 staff and the other guys from the Cardinals that are here, and it's perfect."

Not only will La Russa bring good feelings to the Cards players, he can also offer the NL team a particular edge:

"I learned a lot from Tony," added [Rafael Furcal]. "He's one of the smartest managers I ever played for. He knows how to manage. To play for him one last time in the All-Star Game, for me, I'm so excited."

The 2012 MLB All-Star Game is scheduled to begin at 7:15 p.m. CDT.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis. For more coverage of the Cardinals, head over to Cardinals blog Viva El Birdos. For more news and notes from around baseball, check out Baseball Nation.

MLB All-Star Game 2012: Lineup, TV Schedule, Streaming And More

The 2012 MLB All-Star Game in Kansas City takes place on Tuesday night, and the St. Louis Cardinals will be represented by National League manager and former St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa, OF Carlos Beltran, SS Rafael Furcal and OF Matt Holliday. Beltran and Furcal will be in the starting lineup (hitting No. 5 and No. 9, respectively), while Holliday will be a reserve.

The starting pitchers will be Matt Cain for the NL and Justin Verlander for the AL. The rest of the starting lineups can be found here.

Game date/time: Tuesday, July 10, 7:00 p.m. CT

Location: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Mo.

TV: FOX

Streaming: MLB.com

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis. For more coverage of the Cardinals, head over to Cardinals blog Viva El Birdos. For more news and updates from around the league, drop by Baseball Nation with Rob Neyer.

And for a closer look at the numbers and analysis behind the game, visit the sabermetrics blog Beyond the Box Score or keep up to date with the league's transactions at MLB Daily Dish.

2012 MLB All-Star Lineup: Carlos Beltran Hitting No. 5, Rafael Furcal No. 9

The National League Team manager, former St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa, has set the lineups for the 2012 MLB All-Star Game. La Russa, who has a pair of Cardinals at his disposal, will slide both OF Carlos Beltran and SS Rafael Furcal down from their usual spots in the Cardinals' order:

#NL #ASG lineup: Gonzalez DH Cabrera Braun Votto Beltran Posey Sandoval Uggla Furcal Cain

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 9, 2012

Furcal has hit leadoff in all but seven games from the St. Louis Cardinals in 2012 -- and in those seven game, he was on the bench. Meanwhile, Beltran will hit fifth for the first time in the 2012 season. He has hit at No. 4 in 50 games with the Cards, at No. 2 for 23 games and at No. 3 twice -- but not at No. 5 this season.

The All-Star game will commence at 7:15 p.m. CDT on Tuesday.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis. For more coverage of the Cardinals, head over to Cardinals blog Viva El Birdos. For more news and notes from around baseball, check out Baseball Nation.

2012 MLB Futures Game: Rosters, TV Schedule, Start Time And More

Major League Baseball's 2012 All-Stars won't arrive in Kansas City until next week, but one of the week's marquee events will take place on Sunday. That event is the 2012 MLB Futures Game, which features many of the top prospects in baseball facing off against each other in an exhibition game that has gained visibility over the years.

Representing the Cardinals will be two prospects: Oscar Tavares on the World team and Kolten Wong on the U.S. team. The former is widely considered to be one of the top hitting prospects in all of the minors, if no the No. 2 hitting prospect behind Kansas City Royals farmhand Wil Myers. Wong, the Cardinals' first round draft pick in 2011, is a career .320/.391/.467 hitter in 125 minor league games.

Game date/time: Sunday, July 8, 4 p.m. CT

Location: Kaufmann Stadium, Kansas City, Mo.

TV: ESPN

Stream: MLB.com

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis. For more coverage of the Cardinals, head over to Cardinals blog Viva El Birdos. For more news and notes from around baseball, check out Baseball Nation.

2012 MLB All-Star Game: Giancarlo Stanton Still Slated For Derby Despite Injury

Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton is considered by many to be the favorite in the 2012 Home Run Derby, but on Friday it was unclear if Stanton would be able to compete in this year's derby in Kansas City. Stanton has missed the Marlins' last four games with a slight right knee injury, but he intends to be back in the team's lineup on Saturday when they take on the St. Louis Cardinals, and he expects to be healthy enough to participate in the Home Run Derby.

Stanton says he'll return Saturday, plans to play in Home Run Derby and All-Star Game bit.ly/PsqAiU

— Manny Navarro (@Manny_Navarro) July 6, 2012

Stanton tested out his knee in a pre-game workout on Friday afternoon and felt good enough on Friday night to pinch hit in Miami's 3-1 win over St. Louis.

Stanton will join Carlos Beltran, Carlos Gonzalez and captain Matt Kemp as part of the NL's derby squad.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis. For more coverage of the Cardinals, head over to Cardinals blog Viva El Birdos. For more news and notes from around baseball, check out Baseball Nation.

2012 MLB All-Star Game: Matt Holliday Replaces Yadier Molina On NL Team

St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina is traveling to Puerto Rico following the death of his wife's grandfather and will not participate in the 2012 MLB All-Star Game. Tony La Russa has chosen Matt Holliday to replace Molina on the National League team.

Matt Holliday is named by Tony La Russa as Yadier Molina's replacement (bereavement) for the All-Star Game. #ASG

— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) July 6, 2012

Related: St. Louis Cardinals Place Yadier Molina On Bereavement List, Recall Bryan Anderson

Like Molina, Holliday has been an important part of a potent Cardinals offense; he's hitting .318/.397/.526 with 20 doubles, 14 home runs and 56 runs batted in.

Holliday joins teammates Carlos Beltran, Rafael Furcal, David Freese and Lance Lynn in the All-Star Game.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis. For more coverage of the Cardinals, head over to Cardinals blog Viva El Birdos. For more news and notes from around baseball, check out Baseball Nation.

2012 MLB All-Star Game Voting Results: David Freese Wins Final Vote

St. Louis Cardinals third baseman David Freese has earned a trip to the 2012 MLB All-Star Game after winning the fan vote for the final spot on the NL team. Freese defeated Aaron Hill, Bryce Harper and Michael Bourn in the voting.

And the #FinalVote winners are ... Yu Darvish and David Freese! Watch them in the #ASG on FOX on July 10. And thanks again for voting!

— MLB (@MLB) July 5, 2012

Related: 2012 MLB Home Run Derby: Carlos Beltran Joins National League Squad

Freese is hitting .285/.333/.475 with 13 doubles, 13 home runs and 50 RBI in 2012. He joins fellow Cardinals Carlos Beltran, Rafael Furcal, Lance Lynn and Yadier Molina on the NL All-Star team.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis. For more coverage of the Cardinals, head over to Cardinals blog Viva El Birdos. For more news and notes from around baseball, check out Baseball Nation.

2012 MLB All-Star Voting: David Freese-Jake Peavy Ticket Exemplifies Final Vote

MLB All-Star Game Roster 2012: Cardinals OF Matt Holliday Could Be Added To Roster As Alternate

The St. Louis Cardinals have been focused on getting the word out for the ongoing #FreesePlease Twitter voting campaign promoting David Freese for the 2012 MLB All-Star Game in Kansas City, but it's also possible Matt Holliday could find his way onto the National League roster as well. On Thursday, NL All-Star manager Tony LaRussa spoke with reporters via conference call, and he noted that Cardinals OF Matt Holliday could be added to the roster in the event of an injury, as reported by Troy Renck of The Denver Post via Twitter.

In conference call, La Russa talked about possibilityof Matt Holliday being added if there's injury. Holliday has 33 hits in last 64 at-bats

— Troy Renck, Rockies (@TroyRenck) July 5, 2012

Though Holliday would make it on the roster only under unfortunate circumstances, Cardinals fans can still actively help Freese earn a spot by voting on Twitter with #FreesePlease hashtag in your tweet to @MLB between 11 a.m. CT and the 3 p.m. deadline on Thursday. You can also visit the 2012 All-Star Game MLB.com Final Vote page.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis. For more coverage of the Cardinals, head over to Cardinals blog Viva El Birdos.

MLB All-Star Game 2012 Voting Results: David Freese Holds Lead Over Bryce Harper On Thursday

Voting for the 2012 MLB All-Star Game in Kansas City ends on Thursday, but fans still have an opportunity to cast their final votes online and via Twitter up until the 3 p.m. CT deadline. St. Louis Cardinals third baseman David Freese held the lead over Nationals star Bryce Harper as of Thursday morning, but the race is tight with less than eight hours remaining. More than 40 million total votes have already been counted, and from 11 a.m. CT to the 3 p.m deadline MLB will honor votes via Twitter.

Here are the relevant voting hashtags for Twitter and the NL voting standings as of 7:46 a.m. CT from MLB.com.

National League
1. David Freese (STL) - #FreesePlease
2. Bryce Harper (WSH) - #BryceIn12
3. Michael Bourn (ATL) - #VoteBourn
4. Aaron Hill (ARI) - #FinHillVote

To vote for Freese on Twitter, be sure to use the #FreesePlease hashtag in your tweet to @MLB between 11 a.m. CT and the 3 p.m. deadline. You can also visit the 2012 All-Star Game MLB.com Final Vote page.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis. For more coverage of the Cardinals, head over to Cardinals blog Viva El Birdos.

2012 MLB All-Star Game Final Vote: David Freese Leads NL Voting With Chipper Jones Out

With Chipper Jones in the 2012 MLB All-Star Game in place of the injured Matt Kemp, St. Louis Cardinals third baseman David Freese leads remaining NL Final Vote contestants ahead of polling's Thursday close. Freese, who's hitting .286/.334/.479 with 13 home runs and 48 RBI a year after his incredible World Series performance, isn't a conventional All-Star, but he remains ahead of Michael Bourn, Aaron Hill, and--perhaps most surprisingly--Bryce Harper now that Jones, who's retiring following the 2012 season, is out of the vote.

Freese, who hit .397/.465/.794 last season in a postseason performance few players have ever matched, is just a month's starts away from playing 100 games for the first time in his career--as nice as it's been to finally see the power he promised as a minor leaguer develop, the most impressive thing about Freese's performance so far has been his ability to stay in the lineup.

(So if he misses the All-Star Game, and is therefore fractions of a percent less likely to break both his ankles in some terrible accident--well, I won't begrudge the people who give their Final Votes to Bourn or Hill.)

MLB All-Star Game 2012 Voting Results Update: David Freese Trails Chipper Jones As Of Tuesday

At the 42-hour mark in the 98-hour 2012 All-Star Game MLB.com Final Vote window, St. Louis Cardinals third baseman David Freese is in second-place for National League voting behind Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones. The standings for the final roster spots released by the league do not include specific vote totals, so if you want Freese to make the roster be sure to cast your vote.

#FinalVote 1st round standings - AL: 1. Darvish 2. Peavy 3. Hammel 4. Frieri 5. Broxton. NL: 1. Chipper 2. Freese 3. Bryce 4. Hill 5. Bourn

— MLB (@MLB) July 3, 2012

Freese holds a .286/.336/.482 with 13 homers and 48 RBI over 298 plate appearances in 2012, and if you want to vote for Freese click here for the ballot.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis. For more coverage of the Cardinals, head over to Cardinals blog Viva El Birdos.

2012 MLB Home Run Derby: Carlos Beltran Joins National League Squad

Carlos Beltran has been an All-Star seven times in his career, but he's never participated in the Home Run Derby. That's going to change, though, as Beltran has accepted an invitation from National League Derby captain Matt Kemp, joining Carlos Gonzalez and Giancarlo Stanton.

The inclusion is deserved, as Beltran is second in the N.L. in homers with 20, putting him nearly on pace to break his career high of 41. Beltran, as both an All-Star and Derby participant, will return to Kansas City, where he started his career and starred for the Royals. Beltran received a warm welcome from the Kauffman Stadium crowd when the St. Louis Cardinals visited for a weekend series there during interleague play.

Kemp, for his part, is currently on the disabled list, but he is nonetheless slated to compete in the Home Run Derby.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis. For more coverage of the Cardinals, head over to Cardinals blog Viva El Birdos.

MLB All-Star Game Voting Results: Dusty Baker Rekindles Feud With Tony La Russa

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Johnny Cueto was not named to the 2012 All-Star team. Neither was Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips. Legendary manager Tony La Russa, leader of the defending World Series champions, will return to the dugout to coach the N.L. All-Stars, and thus was tasked with making nine "manager's selections." Dusty Baker, manager of the Reds, put two and two together in his head and determined that La Russa purposefully left the two Reds off the team to spite his old rivals.

2012 MLB All-Star Snubs: Buster Posey Blocks Two Superior Catchers

Since this is SB Nation St. Louis, most indignation re: 2012 MLB All-Star snubs at catcher is going to involve Buster Posey beating Yadier Molina in the fan vote despite having a clearly inferior season. Which is all true, but not all the truth--a certain Carlos Ruiz is off to a Norm Cash-ian fluke season at 33, hitting .358/.423/.585 through 71 games. He's not quite that transcendent, though his OBP is always great, but it's hard not to reward a catcher who's leading the majors in batting average at the All-Star break. Especially when he's named Chooch.

So I guess I'll have to be both indignant about Posey's win and inconsistent about Chooch's loss, at least if I'm going to maintain the proper fan attitude toward the All-Star Game--that is, ruthless partisanship. I hope Philadelphia Phillies fans, in the course of their own partisanship, will understand my lapse in reason when I suggest that Yadier Molina was robbed, and that Buster Posey should be ashamed of himself, and that's just all there is to say about the catching situation on the 2012 National League All-Star team.

2012 MLB All Star Game: Cardinals' David Freese Part Of NL Final Vote

St. Louis Cardinals third baseman David Freese is one of five players that's part of this year's Final Vote competition for the National League, as MLB announced on Sunday. While Freese didn't make the team, he's now one of five players that fans can vote for to take the 34th spot on the NL's roster.

Along with Freese, Washington's Bryce Harper, Arizona's Aaron Hill and pair of Atlanta players, Chipper Jones and Michael Bourn, are the options for fans looking to vote. Balloting will run through 4 p.m. ET on Thursday, with the winners being announced not long after that.

This season, Freese has hit .280/.331/.481 with 13 homers and 48 RBI over 290 plate appearances, a solid follow-up to nice breakout during the 2011 postseason. If you want to vote for Freese, or one of the other players, click here for the ballot.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis. For more coverage of the Cardinals, head over to Cardinals blog Viva El Birdos.

2012 MLB All-Star Starters: Buster Posey Edges Yadier Molina In Fan Vote

The Buster Posey partisans won out: Yadier Molina was denied the make-believe honor of being a 2012 MLB All-Star Game starter Sunday afternoon, when the San Francisco Giants' popular catcher edged him out of the fan vote a year after coming back from a gruesome injury. He's having a fine year--hitting .296/.363/.472, with 10 home runs and 40 RBI--but it's hard to argue with the Platinum-Gloved Molina, who's hitting .311/.362/.510 with 12 home runs and 44 RBI in addition to his usual stellar defense. (He was chosen as a reserve.) The St. Louis Cardinals weren't shut out of All-Star voting, though, which means somebody at Busch Stadium was doing something right.

RIght fielder Carlos Beltran, who leads the National League with 61 RBI and has 20 home runs to go with them, will start in the outfield, while another veteran acquisition, shortstop Rafael Furcal, gets a start on the infield. It's Beltran's seventh All-Star Game, and Furcal's third. Sophomore starter Lance Lynn rounds out the Cardinals' All-Star delegation; he'll take his 10 wins to the bullpen--where he almost began the 2012 season.

For more 2012 All-Star Game coverage with a decided pro-Molina bent, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis.

2012 MLB All Star Game: Four Cardinals Named To NL Team, Including Two Starters

The St. Louis Cardinals have put four players on the National League All Star Team for this year's upcoming All Star Game, as MLB announced on Sunday. Shortstop Rafael Furcal, right fielder Carlos Beltran, catcher Yadier Molina and pitcher Lance Lynn are all part of this year's team, with Furcal and Beltran landing starting roles.

Beltran, 35, will be making his seventh appearance in the All Star Game as he continues his late-career resurgence with the Cardinals. Over 313 plate appearances this year, Beltran has hit .310/.396/.576 with 20 homers, 61 RBI and seven stolen bases.

Furcal, 34, is taking advantage of a weak year for shortstops around the league to make his first ever start in an All Star Game. He's appeared in two other games as a reserve, though, making this his third career appearance. Over 337 PA's this year, he's hit .280/.346/.377 with five homers and nine steals.

While those two are starting, Molina snagged a bench role after losing out in the fan vote to San Francisco's Buster Posey. Hitting .311/.362/.510 with 12 homers and seven steals over 281 PA's this year, he'll be making his fourth career appearance.

Lynn is the only pitcher to make the team for St. Louis, as he's posted a 10-4 record with a 3.62 ERA, 98 strikeouts and 34 walks over 16 starts this season. It's his first career appearance after making his MLB debut last season.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis. For more coverage of this series, head over to Cardinals blog Viva El Birdos.

2012 MLB All-Star Game Selection Show: Time, TV Schedule And More

In the 2011 MLB All-Star Game, 1B Prince Fielder -- then of the Milwaukee Brewers -- launched a three-run homer in the bottom of the fourth (with OF Carlos Beltran and OF Matt Kemp on base). The blast proved pivotal in the 5-1 National League victory, and it also meant that three months later, the St. Louis Cardinals were able to enjoy home field advantage during their improbably 2011 World Series victory.

Now, with the calendar turning to July again, the process begins afresh. The Cardinals, currently third in the NL Central, hope to send at least two of their standouts to the annual talent display, but if nothing else, they hope a National League win can mean just as many good things in 2012 as it did in 2011.

On Sunday, the MLB will announce the 2012 MLB All-Star Game rosters. Here are the details of that announcement, which will be followed immediately by the White Sox, Yankees game:

Channel: TBS

Time: 12:00 p.m. CDT, Sunday, July 1

First Pitch: 1:00 p.m CDT

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis. For more coverage of this series, head over to Cardinals blog Viva El Birdos.

2012 MLB All-Star Game Voting Leaders: Yadier Molina, Carlos Beltran In Position To Start

If the 2012 MLB All-Star Game was held today, the St. Louis Cardinals would have two players in the starting lineup: catcher Yadier Molina and right fielder Carlos Beltran. The defending World Series champions have struggled since getting off to a 20-11 start, but St. Louis' influence is still found all over the first balloting update for the All-Star Game, which was released on Tuesday.

Here's a look at the balloting in the National League at catcher and in the outfield:

CATCHERS
Yadier Molina, Cardinals: 1,100,048
Buster Posey, Giants: 1,072,464
Brian McCann, Braves: 707,508
Carlos Ruiz, Phillies: 562,021
Jonathan Lucroy, Brewers: 457,590

OUTFIELDERS
Matt Kemp, Dodgers: 1,952,910
Carlos Beltran, Cardinals: 1,212,030
Ryan Braun, Brewers: 1,112,971
Andre Ethier, Dodgers: 827,262
Melky Cabrera, Giants: 714,642

The Cards also have three players currently in second place. Shortstop Rafael Furcal trails Troy Tulowitzki of the Rockies by 20,000 votes, Davis Freese tails the Mets' David Wright by 32,000 votes and Lance Berkman trails the Reds' Joey Votto by 68,000 votes.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis. For more coverage of this series, head over to Cardinals blog Viva El Birdos.