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Some pundits are using President Barack Obama's throwing out the first pitch at the 2009 All Stars Baseball game to find a new way to criticize him. Apparently, though it was not readily apparent to TV audience, Obama throws like a girl. The account by Examiner Larry Amon was typical. "Yesterday, at the major league all star game President Obama threw out the ceremonial first pitch. Now politically this doesn't matter much but for a president who has carefully crafted his image, especially as a sports enthusiast, it's worth noting that President Obama is not much of a baseball player....

MILWAUKEE (AP) — All-Star Orlando Hudson homered twice, Clayton Kershaw won his fifth consecutive road start and the Los Angeles Dodgers capped the best first half in the majors with a 7-4 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday. Manny Ramirez went 3 for 3 and scored twice to help the Dodgers finish a 6-3 road trip for their best start in 32 years at 56-32. Backup catcher Brad Ausmus also homered and James Loney drove in two runs with two singles. Hudson, who had been in a 3-for-41 slump, homered in the sixth and eighth. The Dodgers continued their...

Who are your picks, baseball fans? Voting at mlb.com ends TONIGHT at 11:59 (Eastern). MLB has just added a 33rd slot to the roster, which should include 20 position players and 13 pitchers (at least three of which should be relievers). Every team has to be represented, of course. My personal criteria balances current performance, last year's performance, and career performance. Here are my choices (starters in bold): NATIONAL LEAGUEC: Y. Molina (STL), B. McCann (ATL)1b: A. Pujols (STL), P. Fielder (MIL), A. Gonzalez (SD)2b: C. Utley (PHI), F. Sanchez (PIT), O. Hudson (LAD)SS: H. Ramirez (FLA), M. Tejada (HOU)3b:...

McCain was terrific last night. As a conservative, I could not have asked for much more. Obama looked rattled, defensive, and stuttered through his empty, vacuous answers. He came across as heavily outmatched. Then we stayed tuned to the FOX Allstars; Barnes, Kristol, Hume, Krauthammer, et. al to share in the crowing. And they all said Obama won it. Rush was having none of that. I watched the debate last night, as everybody did, and I'm thinking, "This is cool. McCain finally on message. McCain finally on offense." I thought Obama looked like he was stumbling around. I thought Obama...

With the 2008 All-Star rosters set to be announced Sunday and the requisite number of big-market stars currently leading the voting, it’s time to take a look at who would make the Midsummer Classic if the selections were based solely on first-half performance. For the record, I’m in support of letting the fans decide the starters. The All-Star Game, at its core, is an exhibition, and we the fans should get to see who we want. Besides, the fans are voting for people like Ken Griffey Jr., Derek Jeter and Ichiro Suzuki because they have established themselves as stars over...

Seeing as this All-Star Game is going to be a San Francisco thing anyway, they might as well have put Barry Bonds in the middle of it, in the city and amid the fans that adore him without reservation. Besides, most of the game will be played at night. No shadows. Bonds overtook Alfonso Soriano in the final days of balloting, a quarter million-vote rally that put him into the National League outfield with Ken Griffey Jr. and Carlos Beltran. So, presumably in the hours before he chases down Hank Aaron, before he forces an in-or-out answer from Bud Selig,...

Who are your picks for this year's All-Star Game in San Francisco? 32 players on a side, and each team must be represented. Voting at mlb.com ends Thursday night at midnight. I weigh three factors: this year, last year, and career. Here are my picks, with 18 position players and 14 pitchers (9 starters, 5 relievers) on each side: NATIONAL LEAGUE C: RUSSELL MARTIN (LAD), Bengie Molina (SF) 1B: ALBERT PUJOLS (STL), Prince Fielder (MIL), Dmitri Young (WSH) 2B: CHASE UTLEY (PHI), Orlando Hudson (ARI) SS: JOSE REYES (NYM), Edgar Renteria (ATL), Hanley Ramirez (FLA) 3B: MIGUEL CABRERA (FLA), David...

THE AMAZING RACE: ALL STARS

An explosives sniffing dog died this morning after falling from a ramp at the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston. The dog, Mikey, was part of a U.S. Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives unit involved in a security sweep of the convention center in preparation for the NBA All-Star game, said Franceska Perot, spokeswoman for ATF. Perot said about 1:30 a.m. the unit was taking a break and the dog, a Labrador, was being put into the back of a truck when he suddenly bolted and went over the edge of a ramp. The dog fell about 55...

OK, baseball fans, who are your picks for this year's All-Star Game in Detroit? 32 players on a side, and each team must be represented. I look at three criteria: 1) What a guy is doing this year; 2) What a guy did last year; and 3) What a guy has done throughout his career. (Factors 2 and 3 are the reason I put Pujols ahead Lee at 1B, even though Derrek Lee is the best player in baseball so far this year.) Here are my picks: NATIONAL LEAGUE: 18 position, 14 pitchers (8 S, 6 R) C: Paul LoDuca...

. THERE BAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaCK! Yes Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, Posters and Lurkers, Freepers of all kinds! Those Intrepid Castaways and all round Media Whores are back for another shot at glory! 18 former Survivors, 3 tribes, 1 host, in the Pearl Islands of Panama. The first episode will air Sunday, February 1st, after the Super Bowel. So make sure you save enough Super Bowel munchies and adult beverages for the season premiere of: SURVIVOR: ALL STARS

Greetings and Happy New Year Survivor Fans! In preparation for the upcoming All-Star-Survivor season, I’ve sent out this test of the Survivor ping list. Many of you haven’t posted on past Survivor threads and a couple that I have checked on haven’t posted on any thread for quite a few months. (Some even years!) So, in order to keep the ping list to a manageable level, (and not bother those that don’t want to be pinged) please reply either on this thread or Freepmail me if you want to be kept on the Survivor Ping List. Thanks and stay tuned....

Locals make it three in a row By JUNJI NODA Staff writerOSAKA -- It's probably about time someone came up with another nickname for Seibu Lions shortstop Kazuo Matsui.Matsui, who is known as "Little" Matsui in comparison to Yomiuri Giants slugger Hideki "Godzilla" Matsui, came through with some clutch hitting, going 4-for-5 with three RBIs to lead the Japan All-Stars to an 8-6 win over the MLB All-Stars in Game 3 of the seven-game series.The Japanese side has now won the first three games of the series after the major leaguers kicked off their tour with an 8-1 exhibition win...

Thirty players on each side, at least one player from each team, starters listed first: NATIONAL LEAGUE Catcher: Mike "Deep Dish" Piazza Damian "The Omen" Miller First Base: Todd "Stayin' at the" Helton Richie Sexson "The City" Second Base: Jose "In" Vidro Luis "They Call Him 'The Streak'" Castillo Shortstop: Jimmy Rollins Jose Hernandez Third Base: Mike Lowell Edgardo Alfonzo Outfield: Barry "U.S." Bonds Sammy Sosa Jim Edmonds Vladimir Guerrero Luis "Gummo" Gonzalez "The Life of" Brian Giles Larry "Sky" Walker Andruw "I Got a Baseball" Jones Pitcher: Tom Glavine Curt "Half" Schilling Randy Johnson Matt Morris Greg Maddux Roy...