MainStreet's Guide to the All-Star Game

Baseball’s 79th All-Star Game kicks off tonight (8 p.m. EST, FOX) (NWS) at Yankee Stadium, and it will pit the brightest stars from the National and American leagues against each other.

American League manager Terry Francona of the Boston Red Sox and National League skipper Clint Hurdle of the Colorado Rockies announced their starters on Monday (see below). Cleveland Indians left-hander Cliff Lee will make the start for the American League, squaring off against Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Ben Sheets. Lee is 12-2 with a 2.31 ERA in 18 starts this season; Sheets is 10-3 with a 2.85 ERA.

The AL has been the dominant team for the last decade, having won every All-Star game since 1997 (except in 2002, which ended in a 7-7 tie). They’ve outscored their rivals 66-42 in that span. Those numbers are reflected in the betting odds, which as of Monday heavily favored the American League. Since 2003, the winning league gets home field-advantage for the World Series.

The real star of tonight’s game, of course, is Yankee Stadium itself. The famed stadium will be torn down at season’s end to make way for a gleaming new home for the Bronx Bombers across the street.

Accordingly, tonight’s game will feature plenty of nostalgia about the 85-year-old venue. Memorable moments from the stadium’s past will flash by on the outfield screens and many of the stadium’s legends will be on hand to watch the game.

Want to know more? Read on. Here’s our breakdown for you of all the basic things you need to know going into tonight’s Midsummer Classic:

HISTORY ON DISPLAY
Yankee Stadium last hosted the All-Star Game in 1977, and later that same year the World Series, when Howard Cosell famously intoned “Ladies and gentlemen, the Bronx is burning,” after seeing several area buildings go ablaze. Tonight’s game will be the fourth—and final—time the Classic will be played inside the legendary House That Ruth Built (other years include 1939 and 1960). So savor the moment, another one like it won’t come until they tear down Wrigley Field.

BETTING
Given the American League’s dominance over the past decade, it comes as little surprise that the oddsmakers are again favoring the AL. Odds for tonight’s made the AL -140 favorites and put the NL at +120 (with an over/under of 10). But if you don’t fancy a straight bet, don’t worry, there’s plenty of room for some creative betting. Pick two starters and bet which won will have the most hits, runs and RBIs combined. Or wager on who will score first: the AL or the NL. Defense lovers can wager which players will strike out in the game, those who favor the long ball, can bet on who will record a homer. You get the idea. The cast of characters on which to bet (for Monopoly money, of course), is below:

THE LINEUP

National League Starters:
SS Hanley Ramirez, FLA
2B Chase Utley, PHI    
1B Lance Berkman, HOU    
DH Albert Pujols, STL    
3B Chipper Jones, ATL    
RF Matt Holliday, COL    
LF Ryan Braun, MIL     1B
CF Kosuke Fukudome, CHC    
C Geovany Soto, CHC    
RHP Ben Sheets, MIL

American League Starters:
RF Ichiro Suzuki, SEA
SS Derek Jeter, NYY
CF Josh Hamilton, TEX
3B Alex Rodriguez, NYY
LF Manny Ramirez, BOS
DH Milton Bradley, TEX
Kevin Youkilis, BOS
C Joe Mauer, MIN
2B Dustin Pedroia, BOS
LHP Cliff Lee, CLE

Good luck and have fun!