MLB All Star Game 2005 - Who Starts?

The 2005 MLB All Star Game is just around the corner, July 12 in Detroit. The voting is nearing it's end and speculation for who will be starting the prestigious game has started. Last year in Houston, at the 75th All Star Game, it was the home town legend Roger Clemens going against one of Oakland's young guns Mark Mulder. This year it's no surprise that Clemens is once again one of the top candidates to start the All Star Game. Mulder however is not, having been traded in the offseason to the NL, Mark has struggled in his new confines with an 8-5 record and a 4.75 ERA.

Challenging Clemens is the young lefty in Florida, Dontrelle Willis. "D-train" as he is called has had an amazing 3rd season with the Marlins in the NL East. Willis was the first NL pitcher to 10 wins and has been impressive, racking up a 12-2 record, 82 strikeouts and a 1.76 ERA. Against anyone else, Willis would easily be projected as the starter, however Clemens is arguably the best pitcher of the last 20 years and has pitched well despite how poor the Astros have been playing. Clemens has a 6-3 record, 97 strikeouts and a 1.51 ERA. He has been as dominant as Dontrelle, only being overshadowed by the lackluster Astros.

The AL starting spot is a bit more open to interpretation. With Mulder, last year's starter, gone to the National League it was easy to see there would be a new starter for the game. Last Year's AL Cy Young winner, Johan Santana has gotten off to a good start with a 7-3 record, 124 strikeouts and a 3.45 ERA, not as amazing as his numbers last year and there are other pitchers with better starts this season. My search took me to the team with the American League's best record, the Chicago Whitesox. Two of their pitchers are off to outstanding starts, and are in contention for the All Star Game starting job, Jon Garland & Mark Buehrle.

Garland is off to the best start of his career, he was the first AL pitcher to 10 wins and has been throwing great stuff, posting a 12-2 record, with 48 strikeouts and a 3.40 ERA to help lead the Whitesox to such a great start to the season. Buehrle has quietly had a very impressive season so far, with a 9-1 record, 73 strikeouts and a 2.48 ERA all under the press and attention Garland has been getting for the first place Whitesox. There are 2 other pitchers in the AL, both veterans, that might give the Chicago twosome a run for their money, Kenny Rogers and Roy Halladay.

Rogers may have reached the fountain of youth as he is having his best season in a few years for the Texas Rangers. Rogers, who turns 41 in November, has been a ray of light to the pitching needy Rangers. His 9-3 record, with 44 strikeouts and a 2.43 ERA has been a solid rock for the team to depend on. Halladay, a former teammate of Roger Clemens, is bouncing back from an injury plagued season last year and may be back in the top form that won him the Cy Young award in 2003. Roy has had a hot start with a 11-4 record, 91 strikeouts and a 2.51 ERA in the very competitive AL East and may possibly have the opportunity to start for the American League in Detroit.

Only time will tell who is chosen to lead their league to the field, but there is no doubt that the six pitching candidates mentioned in this article will be in Detroit on July 12. If these pitchers continue their great performances the rest of the season, perhaps they'll have the opportunity to add a Cy Young to their mantle as well. Roger Clemens is no stranger to the award, having won it 7 times in his career including last year.