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We turn the page on the first-half of the season - probably with a shudder - and start on the second-half today. Here's to it being brighter and more successful. Certainly, with the best pitcher in the National League over the first half going for us today [and if Timcecum gets the start in the All-Star Game, it's going to be the biggest traveshamockery since Clemens beat Johnson for the Cy Young], it has the potential to start, at least, on the right foot.
Yes, it's Dan Haren, now making his third consecutive All-Star game, going for Arizona today. As noted previously, he was simply phenomenal in June: six starts, each seven innings or more, never more than two runs in any of them, and an ERA for the month of 1.64. Here's to him continuing that in Coors: if he does, it'll be eight such games in a row, the longest streak in the majors since Matt Morris in 2001.
And with that, I'll get this up, since I got completely distracted by the announcement that Haren and Upton are on the All-Star rosters, and Reynolds is on the final man ballot - and the subsequent voting thereof. So, without further ado, on to the line-up:
Line-up
- Felipe Lopez 2B
- Alex Romero LF
- Stephen Drew SS
- Mark Reynolds 3B
- Miguel Montero C
- Chris Young CF
- Gerardo Parra RF
- Chad Tracy 1B
- Dan Haren P
All-star he may be, but no spot for Upton in today's Diamondbacks' line-up - that should keep his hat-size in check! Both Young and Lopez return to the line-up, with Drew dropping back into the three-hole as usual. I like this line-up: not least because it doesn't have Tony Clark or Augie Ojeda in it. I smell runs, and a series victory. Let's do it!