55

20

10

RA

NG

ER

S M

AG

AZ

INE

54

20

10

RA

NG

ER

S M

AG

AZ

INE

THE BALL SHOT OFF HIS BAT LIKE A CANNON, DARTING TOWARD AN OPEN GAP IN RIGHT CENTER FIELD. THE CROWD, ALREADY ON ITS FEET, GASPED AT THE POTENTIAL EXCITEMENT OF YET ANOTHER COME-FROM-BEHIND WIN FOR THE AMERICAN LEAGUE. CLINGING TO A 3-1 LEAD, THE NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAYERS WINCED, BRACING FOR PERHAPS ANOTHER HEARTBREAK.

Rangers 2B Ian Kinsler just stood there, won-dering whether he’d be the hero or simply the 27th out.

“It was set up for Rangers heroics,” Rangers OF Josh Hamilton, a starter for the American League, told reporters after the July 13 game. “I felt good about that with Kins up, especially with [Broxton] throwing heat. Kins likes heat.”

With heat-throwing Los Angeles Dodgers clos-er Jonathan Broxton on the mound and Toronto catcher John Buck standing on first base, Kinsler represented the tying run. And on the first pitch, the career .398 hitter at Angel Stadium got the fastball he desired.

He gave it a hack, and the ball appeared to have some legs. But speedy Arizona centerfielder Chris Young tracked it down near the warning track, preserving the game for the National League, and guaranteeing home field advantage for the Na-tional League’s representative in the 2010 World Series.

“I knew I was going to get a fastball eventually,” Kinsler said. “I was looking for one in the middle of the plate. He gave it to me, I just got it off the end of the bat a little bit.”

Despite a disappointing finish, Kinsler and his

ANAHEIM ALL-STAR ALMANAC BY ALEX ALTMAN

Rangers teammates had impressive showings in the game. Hamilton and DH Vladimir Guerrero both start-ed, batting 4th and 5th, respectively, while Kinsler, SS Elvis Andrus and LHP Cliff Lee came off the bench. The only Rangers selection who did not see playing time was closer Neftali Feliz.

Hamilton finished 1-for-3 with a single off Philadel-phia ace Roy Halladay in the 6th, Kinsler drew a walk, and Lee retired the side in just six pitches in the 4th in-ning. Lee’s impressive performance included a three-pitch strikeout against St. Louis superstar Albert Pujols.

Guerrero finished 0-for-2 with a strikeout. But the night wasn’t all bad for the slugger, who received one of the game’s lengthiest ovations from the Angels fans in front of whom Guerrero starred for six years.

“I’m really happy,” said Guerrero, who made his 9th All-Star team and first since 2007. “They gave me my old place (locker in the clubhouse) where I used to be, and that’s pretty cool. It’s a good thing it’s in Anaheim. I’m glad to be back here. It feels good to be back in the All-Star Game.”

The Rangers’ six All-Stars represented a club re-cord, breaking the franchise’s previous high mark of five set in 2004. The figure also tied Boston for the sec-ond most All-Stars in the majors, trailing only the New York Yankees’ eight.

“We got like the whole team going, man,” Hamilton told reporters when the rosters were announced. “It’s pretty exciting. It says a lot about the organization. It says a lot about the team. And it’s not just one or two

guys, we’ve got a lot of guys playing good baseball.”Hamilton and Guerrero were voted in as starters while Andrus, Feliz, and

Lee were chosen in players/managers/coaches balloting. Kinsler was tabbed to replace Boston’s Dustin Pedroia, who was on the disabled list and unable to play.

Feliz, a rookie, and Andrus, a 2nd year player, were both first-time All-Stars. The Rangers closer was just the third Rangers rookie ever on the All-Star squad, joining Jim Sundberg in 1974 and Jeff Zimmerman in 1999. Although he made just one appearance for the Rangers prior to the game after being acquired from Seattle on July 9, Lee donned a Texas uniform in the mid-summer classic.

The Rangers almost had seven All-Stars, but 3B Michael Young fell short in his bid to become the final member of the team. Young, who was seeking his 7th straight All-Star game appearance, was one of five American League players vying for the 34th and Final Spot on the team, which was determined by online fan vote. Yankees OF Nick Swisher ended up winning the vote, leaving Young off the team.

Young said he would have preferred to play in the game, where he’s had a flair for the dramatic in recent years, but didn’t mind taking advantage of a rare opportunity to relax during the season.

“I’d rather go to the game, for sure,” Young said after learning he lost the vote. “I haven’t had a break in a long time. I have three days to basically re-charge for the second half and that’s what I’m going to do.”

THE RANGERS’ SIX ALL-STARS REPRESENTED A CLUB RECORD, BREAKING THE FRANCHISE’S PREVIOUS HIGH MARK OF FIVE SET IN 2004. THE FIGURE ALSO TIED BOSTON FOR THE SECOND MOST ALL-STARS IN THE MAJORS, TRAILING ONLY THE NEW YORK YANKEES’ EIGHT.

27 33 32 30 5 1

IAN KINSLER AND ELVIS ANDRUS ENJOY A MOMENT DURING WORKOUT DAY AT ANGELS STADIUM OF ANAHEIM ON JULY 12, 2010.

Rangers All-Stars Vladimir Guerrero,

Cliff Lee, Josh Hamilton, Neftali Feliz, Ian Kinsler,

and Elvis Andrus prior to the game (TOP) and in action for the American

League (BELOW). Feliz did not play in the game.