Baseball's All-Star Game rosters: filler and fodder

All-Star Game filler and fodder

The All-Star Game will be played July 13, and there are a grand total of 68 spots (plus injury replacements) to fill this year. The fun part is trying to figure out who gets to represent baseball's worst teams. Cellar-dwelling Baltimore can't even see fourth place from where it is sitting, but someone wearing an Orioles uniform will, at the very least, take the field for introductions in Anaheim. So, go ahead, Jason Berken, tip your hat - it's not your fault.

Some of the likely selections from the National League's also-rans are not hard to figure. The Pittsburgh Pirates, for instance, couldn't ask for a better showcase for young outfielder Andrew McCutchen, and third baseman Ryan Zimmerman would be a worthy choice from the Washington Nationals. The Chicago Cubs' Carlos Silva seems to be a bit of a mirage, but Alfonso Soriano and Marlon Byrd are respectable candidates.

What about the Astros? Houston's top three starting pitchers (Roy Oswalt, Brett Myers, Wandy Rodriguez) are a combined 15-26. First baseman Lance Berkman is buried beneath Joey Votto, Adrian Gonzalez, Troy Glaus, James Loney, and Ryan Howard for roster space behind Albert Pujols. Could Houston's all-star be Michael Bourn, the former Phillie who is the NL's leading base-stealer?

Arizona, meanwhile, can offer a pair of legitimate power hitters, Mark Reynolds and Justin Upton. The two of them, however, have combined for 206 strikeouts in 637 at-bats, and Reynolds is batting a frigid .212.

Hitting well, getting hit

Arizona's most impressive hitter right now might be starting pitcher Dan Haren, who was used as a pinch-hitter Wednesday vs. the Cardinals. He drew a walk off Jeff Suppan and later scored.

Haren is hitting a mighty .435 and - with six doubles and a homer - slugging .630. On the other hand, he has given up 131 hits, 59 earned runs, and 19 homers, all league worsts entering Wednesday. His record is 7-6.

Of note

Los Angeles Dodgers leftfielder Manny Ramirez is scheduled to have an MRI on his injured right hamstring Thursday. . . . Former Phillie Vicente Padilla got his 100th career victory Wednesday for the Dodgers. He has lost 87. . . . The Atlanta Braves were chosen to host Major League Baseball's Civil Rights Games in 2011-12. . . . Former Penn Quakers quarterback Mark DeRosa, now an all-purpose guy with the San Francisco Giants, will undergo wrist surgery Thursday. His season is said to be over.

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Contact staff writer David Cohen at dcohen@phillynews.com.

This article contains information from Associated Press.