Halladay and Lincecum named All-Star starters - MLB

Roy Halladay and Tim Lincecum have been chosen to start tomorrow
night’s All-Star game and both managers revealed their lineups this
morning:

   AMERICAN LEAGUE                 NATIONAL LEAGUE
1. Ichiro Suzuki, RF            1. Hanley Ramirez, SS
2. Derek Jeter, SS              2. Chase Utley, 2B
3. Joe Mauer, C                 3. Albert Pujols, 1B
4. Mark Teixeira, 1B            4. Ryan Braun, RF
5. Jason Bay, LF                5. Raul Ibanez, LF
6. Josh Hamilton, CF            6. David Wright, 3B
7. Evan Longoria, 3B            7. Shane Victorino, CF
8. Aaron Hill, 2B               8. Yadier Molina, C
9. Roy Halladay, SP             9. Tim Lincecum, SP

Lincecum is the reigning Cy Young winner and ranks second in ERA
this year, so he’s the easy pick to start for the NL. Halladay isn’t
quite as much of a slam dunk for the AL, because Zack Greinke was the
league’s best pitcher during the first half, but Halladay wasn’t far
behind and has been one of the league’s elite pitchers for a decade
now. All in all, it’s a great pairing.

Shane Victorino goes from being added via the “Final Vote” process
to starting in place of the injured Carlos Beltran, because with Raul
Ibanez and Ryan Braun in the corners the NL outfield needed someone
actually capable of chasing down fly balls in the gaps. It’s
interesting to note how much more power the NL has in the first three
spots in the lineup.

Ichiro Suzuki, Derek Jeter, and Joe Mauer have combined for 31
homers in 1,044 plate appearances, and that’s with Mauer already
setting a career-high in long balls. Hanley Ramirez, Chase Utley, and
Albert Pujols have combined for 66 homers in 1,111 plate appearances.
On the other hand, Aaron Hill has 20 homers and ranks second in the
league in total bases, yet is batting eighth for the AL.

CARSON CITY, Nev. — The Nevada Senate adjourned Thursday without voting on a financing bill for a proposed $1.5 billion Las Vegas Strip stadium for the Oakland Athletics, extending the special legislative session into the next week amid negotiations over whether to contribute $380 million in public funding to the project.

The measure can still be amended by lawmakers, and if it passes the Senate it would still need approval from the Assembly before going to the desk of Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo, who has expressed support for it. Both the state Senate and Assembly are adjourned until Monday.

In a hearing that began Wednesday and stretched into the early morning hours Thursday, lawmakers peppered tourism officials and a representative from a firm partnering with the ball club with questions about the feasibility and benefits of financing such a deal.

Public funds for the stadium would mainly come from $180 million in transferable tax credits and $120 million in county bonds. Backers have pledged that the creation of a special tax district around the proposed stadium would generate enough money to pay off those bonds and interest. The plan would not directly raise taxes.

The A’s would not owe property taxes for the publicly owned stadium. Clark County, which includes Las Vegas, would also contribute $25 million in credit toward infrastructure costs.

A’s representatives and some tourism officials say a deal would further grow Las Vegas’ developing sports scene and act as an economic engine, but a growing chorus of economists and some lawmakers warn that the project would bring minimal benefits for the hefty public price tag.