Baseball/Softball Media Center

2009 All-Star Game to Feature 10 Mizuno Brand Ambassadors

The 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game takes place tonight at 8:00pm EST at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. As with All-Star games of the past, it features the best players in the American League against the best players in the National League. Major League Baseball rewards the winning team with home field advantage for the World Series in October. The National League has a slight overall series lead against the American League, with a 41-36-2 record all-time, however the American League has won 11 of the past 12 games, with the teams tying in 2002.

A total of 10 Mizuno Brand Ambassadors were selected as All-Stars for the 2009 game. Fans vote for the starters for both leagues, and the reserves are selected by the coaches and players. For more information on the 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, visit www.mlb.com.

Here is a rundown of the Mizuno Brand Ambassadors playing in the 2009 All-Star Game:

Chad Billingsley, Starting Pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, has nine wins heading into the All-Star break. Billingsley is fifth in the NL in strikeouts with 119, and sixth in innings pitched at 125.1. This is Billingsley’s first career All-Star Game.

Jonathan Broxton, the Closer for the first-place Dodgers, has 20 saves at the break, converting all but two save chances. He has been more than impressive in his strikeout to walk ratio, with 65 Ks and just 17 walks. Broxton, who is appearing in his first All-Star Game is unavailable to play, due to injury.

San Francisco Giants Starting Pitcher Matt Cain, appearing in his first All-Star Game is also unavailable to play due to injury. Cain is second in the league in wins with 10, and third in the league in ERA at 2.38.

Zach Duke, Starting Pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, has three complete games on the season, tied for the lead in the NL. With eight wins and 3.29 ERA during the first half of 2009, Duke earned his first trip to the All-Star Game.

St. Louis Cardinals Closer Ryan Franklin has converted 21 of 22 save opportunities for his NL Central Division leading club. Franklin has an outstanding 0.79 ERA this season, allowing just a .165 opponent batting average. This is Franklin’s first All-Star Game.

Zack Greinke, the ace Starting Pitcher for the Kansas City Royals, has a 10-5 record with a 2.12 ERA so far in 2009, the best in the American League. Greinke leads all of baseball with five complete games. He is appearing in his first All-Star Game.

Cleveland Indians Catcher Victor Martinez, appearing in his third career All-Star Game, smacked 14 homeruns and 59 RBI during the first half of the 2009 season. Martinez is 1-for-2 with a HR and 2 RBI in his All-Star career, having been on the 2004 and 2007 AL Roster.

Brian McCann, Catcher for the Atlanta Braves, is making his fourth consecutive trip to the All-Star Game. McCann has hit .298 so far in 2009, with eight homeruns and 37 RBI. He has two career at-bats in the All-Star Game, still looking for his first career All-Star hit.

Seattle Mariners Right Fielder Ichiro Suzuki was voted in as a starter for the American League, and will lead off the game for the AL. On pace for another 200+ hit season with 128 hits already at the break, Suzuki has a .362 batting average, good for 2nd in the AL. This is Suzuki’s ninth consecutive All-Star Game, where he is 7-for-21 with a HR and 4 RBI. Suzuki was named the All-Star Game MVP in 2007.

Miguel Tejada, Shortstop for the Houston Astros, is fifth in the NL in batting average (.329) in 2009. Tejada is leading the NL in hits (116) and doubles (30) heading into the All-Star break. Appearing in his 6th All-Star Game, Tejada is 4-for-10 with a HR.

“Congratulations to all Mizuno Brand Ambassador All-Stars!”