Four Reasons Why the NL Will Win the All-Star Game

D.A.

Senior Analyst Written on July 07, 2009

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I'm a fan of American League teams, but this year I don't think that they will be able to pull it off.

The American League has now won 11 straight games that didn't end in a tie (let's repress the Milwaukee tie debacle, Mr. Selig).

Here are the four reasons that the National League All-Star team will emerge victorious in the 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star game.

Do you agree or disagree?

4. The Machine

NEW YORK - JUNE 22: Albert Pujols #5 of the St. Louis Cardinals looks on during batting practice before playing the New York Mets on June 22, 2009 at Citi Field in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/G

Yes, Albert Pujols deserves his own slide.

The numbers don't lie.

Against American League pitching in his career (122 games), Pujols is batting .355 with 36 home runs, 115 RBI, and a 1.099 OPS.

More specifically:
Pujols v. Beckett: 4-of-13, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 K, 5 BB
Pujols v. Wakfield: 0-for-5, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 1 K, 1 BB
Pujols v. Verlander: 3-for-6, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 1 K, 3 BB
Pujols v. Jackson: 3-for-5, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 K, 2 BB
Pujols v. Rivera: 0-for-1, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 K, 0 BB
Pujols v. Nathan: 0-for-2, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 1 K, 0 BB
Pujols v. Halladay: 0-for-4, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 K, 0 BB
Pujols v. Greinke: 3-for-6, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 1 K, 2 BB
Pujols v. Fuentes: 2-for-7, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 K, 2 BB
Pujols v. Papelbon, Buehrle, Beckett, Bailey, Hernandez: N/A

Don't forget Pujols is playing in St. Louis and will have the entire crowd on his side.

3. The Pitching

OAKLAND, CA - JUNE 23: Tim Lincecum #55 of the San Francisco Giants pumps his fist against the Oakland Athletics during a Major League Baseball game on June 23, 2009 at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

The NL pitching top-to-bottom is just better than the AL pitching.

The worst NL pitcher is Jason Marquis, who has been dominating recently. The worst AL pitcher is Tim Wakefield, who has stunk recently.

Tim Lincecum, Dan Haren, Matt Cain, Josh Johnson, Chad Billingsley, and Johan Santana vs. Zack Greinke, Roy Halladay, Felix Hernandez, Edwin Jackson, Justin Verlander, Josh Beckett, and Mark Buehrle

I would take group National League over group American League any day.

2. The Streak Has Gotta End Some Time

The AL has won 11 straight games. The streak's gotta end some time. The American League has already tied the longest streak of consecutive victories.

We all do it. We get scared when our team's on a streak and we know it's inevitably going to come to an end. This is yet another one of those streaks.

1. Managers

WASHINGTON - APRIL 16: Manager Charlie Manuel of the Philadelphia Phillies watches batting practice before the game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on April 16, 2009 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

No offense to Don Wakamatsu and Joe Maddon, they've been great coaches. I don't get the selection of Trey Hillman additionally.

But the NL has a dream-team of managers.
Joe Torre (four rings), Tony La Russa (two rings), and Charlie Manuel (one ring).

I'd take the set of managers any day.

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written on July 07, 2009 Opinion

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