Matt Cain Named NL Starter for 2012 MLB All-Star Game

Matt Cain of the San Francisco Giants will be the first National League pitcher on the mound for the MLB All-Star Game.

According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports:

"

matt cain gets nl start, as @NYDNHarper said. dickey deserves it, but so does mr. perfecto

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) July 9, 2012"

This also comes as major bummer news for New York Mets fans and pitcher R.A. Dickey. Dickey enters the Midsummer Classic with a 12-1 record, 2.40 ERA, 123 strikeouts in 120 innings pitched and just 32 earned runs allowed.

As for Cain, he too was worthy of consideration with a 9-3 record, 2.62 ERA, 118 strikeouts in 120.1 innings and only 35 earned runs.

Ironically, both pitchers have started 17 games, and the Mets and Giants both sit with a record of 46-40. If anything, we can certainly anticipate Cain and Dickey dueling throughout the second half of the season for the NL Cy Young Award.

Last season, Dickey threw 134 strikeouts and had a 3.28 ERA. Clearly the man has upped his game and has been rolling through 2012. Cain, on the other hand, has significantly stepped up to the next level after throwing 179 strikeouts a year ago.

Both pitchers were deserving of the start, and it's expected that each will dominate the mound at the All-Star Game. Keep an eye on both Cain and Dickey for the remainder of the season, as there should be an impressive battle en route to crowning the NL Cy Young winner.

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