Today's Fantasy Rx

Let's open with the box score and then move to news and notes:

2003 All-Star Futures Game, World vs. U.S.
Held at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, IL on July 13, 2003.

Line Score
EXHIBITION  FINAL

                    1  2  3  4  5  6  7     R  H  E
                    -  -  -  -  -  -  -     -  -  -
WORLD               1  0  0  0  1  0  0     2  5  1
U.S.                1  0  1  0  0  1  X     3  6  0  (FINAL)


BATTERIES: WORLD - RICH HARDEN, EDGAR GONZALEZ (2ND), 
                   SEUNG SONG (3RD), CHIN-HUI TSAO (4TH)
                   AND GUILLERMO QUIROZ; DENNY BAUTISTA
                   (5TH), TRAVIS BLACKEY (6TH), JORGE DE
                   LA ROSA (6th) AND JUSTIN HUBER(4TH).

            U.S. - NEAL COTTS, JOHN VAN BENSCHOTEN (2ND),
                   GAVIN FLOYD (3RD), ZACH GREINKE (4TH),
                   CLINT NAGEOTTE (5TH), J.D. DURBIN (5TH)
                   AND JOE MAUER; JOHN MAINE (6TH), PRESTON
                   LARRISON (6TH), CLINT NARVESON (7TH),
                   ROYCE RING (7TH), AND JEFF MATHIS (6TH).


              WP - PRESTON LARRISON
              LP - TRAVIS BLACKEY
            SAVE - ROYCE RING

HOME RUNS: WORLD - ALEXIS RIOS (5TH INNING OFF CLINT
                   NARVESON 0 ON, 0 OUT).

            U.S. - GRADY SIZEMORE (3RD INNING OFF SEUNG SONG
                   0 ON, 0 OUT); STEVE SMITHERMAN (6TH INNING
                   OFF TRAVIS BLACKLEY 0 ON, 0 OUT).


     TIME: 2:14     ATT: N/A


Box Score
WORLD(2) VS. U.S.(3) - FINAL

WORLD              ab  r  h rbi bb so lob  avg
R Nivar 2b          2  1  1  0  0  1  0   .500
 R Cano 2b          2  0  0  0  0  1  2   .500
Al Gomez rf         2  0  0  0  0  2  1   .000
 F Pie rf           1  0  0  0  0  1  1   .000
R Reyes 1b          3  0  0  0  0  1  2   .000
P LaForest dh       2  0  0  0  1  1  1   .000
F Gutierrez lf      3  0  2  1  0  0  0   .667
G Quiroz c          2  0  0  0  0  1  2   .000
 J Huber c          1  0  0  0  0  0  1   .000
Al Rios cf          3  1  1  1  0  2  0   .333
A Marte 3b          1  0  0  0  1  0  0   .000
 E Encarnacion 3b   1  0  0  0  0  0  0   .000
Jos Castillo ss     2  0  0  0  0  1  1   .000
 a -S Thorman ph    1  0  1  0  0  0  0  1.000

Totals             26  2  5  2  2 11 11   .192

a - S Thorman hit for Jos Castillo in the 7th.

BATTING: 2B - R Nivar(1, N Cotts).  HR - Al 
Rios(1, 5th inning Off C Nageotte, 0 out, 0 on).
RBI - F Gutierrez, Al Rios.Runners left in Scoring
position, 2 out - G Quiroz, J Huber, R Cano.
LDP - R Reyes.  Team LOB - 11.

BASERUNNING: SB - R Nivar(3rd base off N Cotts/J Mauer).

FIELDING: PB - J Huber.  E - Jos Castillo (throw).
DP: 2 (J Stephens-H Seop Choi, Jo Lopez-J Morneau).


U.S.               ab  r  h rbi bb so lob  avg
D Krynzel cf        2  1  0  0  1  0  1   .000
G Sizemore lf       3  1  2  2  0  0  0   .667
C Tracy 3b          2  0  0  0  0  1  1   .000
 K Youkilis 3b      0  0  0  0  1  0  0   .000
A LaRoche 1b        2  0  1  0  0  1  1   .500
 Ry Howard 1b       1  0  0  0  0  1  1   .000
D Kelton dh         2  0  0  0  1  2  2   .000
S Smitherman rf     3  1  2  1  0  1  2   .667
J Mauer c           2  0  0  0  0  0  2   .000
 J Mathis c         1  0  0  0  0  0  0   .000
C Burke 2b          2  0  0  0  0  1  0   .000
 J Barfield 2b      1  0  0  0  0  0  0   .000
J Hardy ss          2  0  1  0  0  0  0   .500
 K Greene ss        1  0  0  0  0  1  0   .000

Totals             24  3  6  3  3  7 10   .250

BATTING: 2B - S Smitherman(1, S Song).  HR - G 
Sizemore(1, 3rd inning off S Song, 0 on, 0 out), S
Smitherman(1, 6th inning off T Blackley, 0 on, 0 out).
RBI - G Sizemore 2, S Smitherman.  Runners left in
scoring position, 2 out - J Mauer 2, S Smitherman,
D Krynzel, D Kelton. Team LOB - 10.

BASERUNNING: SB - D Krynzel(2nd base off R Harden/G Quiroz),
K Youkilis(2nd base off De Bautista/J Huber).
CS - J Hardy(2nd base by C-H Tsao/J Huber).

FIELDING:
Outfield assist - D Krynzel (Al.Gomez at 1st base).
DP: (D Krynzel-A LaRoche).


----------------------------------------------------
    WORLD           - 100 010 0   --   2
    U.S.            - 101 001 X   --   3
----------------------------------------------------

WORLD               ip       h   r  er  bb  so  hr    era
R Harden            1        1   1   1   2   3   0   9.00
Edg. Gonzalez       1        0   0   0   0   0   0   0.00
S Song              1        3   1   1   0   1   1   9.00
C-H Tsao            1        1   0   0   0   1   0   0.00
De Bautista         1        0   0   0   1   2   0   0.00
T Blackley (L)     1/3       1   1   1   0   0   1  27.00
J de la Rosa       2/3       0   0   0   0   0   1   0.00

U.S.                ip       h   r  er  bb  so  hr    era
N Cotts             1        2   1   1   1   2   0   9.00
J Van Benschoten    1        0   0   0   0   1   0   0.00
G Floyd             1        0   0   0   0   0   2   0.00
Z Greinke           1        0   0   0   0   0   2   0.00
C Nageotte         2/3       1   1   1   1   2   1  13.50
J Durbin           1/3       0   0   0   0   0   1   0.00
J Maine            2/3       0   0   0   0   0   0   0.00
P Larrison (W)     1/3       1   0   0   0   0   0   0.00
C Narveson (H)     2/3       0   0   0   0   0   1   0.00
R Ring (S)         1/3       1   0   0   0   0   0   0.00

T Blackley pitched to 2 batters in the 6th.
C Nageotte pitched to 3 batters in the 5th.
J Maine pitched to 2 batters in the 6th.
C Narveson pitched to 2 batters in the 7th.

WP - G Floyd, P Larrison.  Pitches-strikes: R Harden 25-14; 
Edg Gonzalez 16-11; S Song 21-15; C-H Tsao 15-8; De
Bautista 22-10; T Blackley 7-4; J de la Rosa 11-7; N Cotts
38-27; J Van Benschoten 9-7; G Floyd 13-8; Z Greinke 12-9;
C Nageotte 14-9; J Durbin 6-5; J Maine 5-3; P Larrison 7-5;
C Narveson 8-4; R Ring 8-5. Ground balls-fly balls: R Harden
1-0; Edg Gonzalez 3-1; S Song 3-2; C-H Tsao 1-1; De Bautista
0-1; T Blackley 1-1; J de la Rosa 0-1; N Cotts 0-3; J Van
Benschoten 1-1; G Floyd 1-0; Z Greinke 0-1; C Nageotte 1-0;
J Durbin 0-0; J Maine 0-2; P Larrison 2-0; C Narveson 0-1;
R Ring 2-0.  Batters faced: R Harden 6, Edg Gonzalez 4, S
Song 6, C-H Tsao 3, De Bautista 4, T Blackley 2, J de la
Rosa 2, N Cotts 6, J Van Benschoten 3, G Floyd 3, Z Greinke
3, C Nageotte 4, J Durbin 1, J Maine 2, P Larrison 2, C
Narveson 2, R Ring 2.
 
UMPIRES: HP-Randall "Scott" Kennedy.  1B-Cameron Kellner.
2B-John McMasters.  Todd Tichenor.

T--2:14. Att-N/A.
Weather: 80 degrees, sunny. Wind: 7 mph, in from right field.

World Team Notes

World starters Ramon Nivar and Rene Reyes both wear #7 jerseys.

The bottom of the first opened with Dave Krynzel walking on five pitches, and he then stole second base on the first pitch to Grady Sizemore. Sizemore laced the next pitch into short centerfield, and while Krynzel, one of the fastest players in the minors, never broke stride on his way to the plate, centerfielder Alexis Rios nearly threw him out by gunning the ball home on a line from about 200 feet.

Rich Harden allowed Sizemore to single Krynzel home and walked Krynzel and Kelton, however he also struck out Tracy, LaRoche, and Steve Smitherman; all three batters swung and missed the last two strikes thrown by Harden. He displayed a ridiculously easy motion that appeared effortless, and I see no reason why he won't give the A's a fourth ace within weeks.

Seung Song looked ready to pitch in the 3rd inning a couple minutes before the umpire allowed play to proceed. A few Sox employees shooting t-shirts into the crowd caused the apparent delay. Sizemore homered off the first pitch thrown by Song.

Justin Huber entered both the 2002 and 2003 Futures' Games at catcher in the fourth inning, and then remained at the position for the rest of the game. He's 0-3 over the last two years. When he appeared at the plate for his only at-bat, the sound system cued Men at Work's "Land Down Under" for the Australian backstop.

Both Chin-Hui Tsao and Denny Bautista impressed us, and while you should avoid Tsao in Colorado, Bautista could join Florida's rotation at any time given their willingness to promote prospects from lower in the system.

Jorge de la Rosa pitched to two batters in the sixth inning of each game, retiring all four men who faced him.

Manager Tony Oliva allowed every position player to bat at least once. The Giants' Merkin Valdez, Yankees' right-hander Chien-Ming Wang, and Expos' reliever Shawn Hill all remained in the bullpen, Franklin Gutierrez was the most impressive offensive player on the World team. Gutierrez hit the ball solidly at least 200 feet in all of his at-bats, netting two singles on line drives and barely missing a homer off the otherwise untouchable Zach Greinke. Alexis Rios' weak plate discipline worries me, however his defense should give him an edge for one of Toronto's corner outfield slots, leaving Josh Phelps, Jayson Werth, Gabe Gross, John-Ford Griffin, and every other corner prospect in the Toronto system to compete for time at left field and designated hitter.

U.S. Team Notes

U.S. starters Grady Sizemore, Chad Tracy, and Adam LaRoche all wear #17 on their jerseys.

Adam LaRoche possesses a long, looping swing, however he looks like Juan Pierre when compared to Steve Smitherman. While Smitherman's game-winning homer demonstrated his impressive power, I don't know how many all-or-nothing hitters the Reds want on their team at one time.

Houston's Chris Burke led off the bottom of the fourth, and while he worked the count to 3-2, Chin-Hui Tsao threw a curveball that buckled Burke's knees for strike three.

Kevin Youkilis drew a four-pitch walk off Denny Bautista with one out in the bottom of the fifth inning. Perhaps the most shocking moment of the evening occurred when he stole second on a 2-2 count. After Bautista struck out Ryan Howard, Youkilis then advanced to third on a Bautista wild pitch. Youkilis certainly doesn't possess much speed, but he certainly appears sufficiently athletic to start at third base for the Red Sox.

Manager Carlton Fisk insured all his players both batted and played an inning or two in the field. Fisk also used every pitcher except the Dodgers' Edwin Jackson.

Grady Sizemore obviously looked the strongest of the U.S. position prospects, however Dave Krynzel also displayed plate discipline, speed, and good range. He should provide a needed boost to the Brewers' offense sometime next season.

No one truly stood out in this contest like Jose Reyes dominated last year's game, but John Van Benschoten, Gavin Floyd, and Zach Greinke all faced the minimum three batters in their respective innings. Van Benschoten K'd Alexis Rios on three pitches, although Andy Marte nearly homered off him. Both Ramon Nivar and Alexis Gomez struck out swinging against Floyd. However the pitching star of the game was Greinke. He needed three pitches to strike out Pete LaForest and only two to induce a flyout from Franklin Gutierrez before racking two quick strikes against Guillermo Quiroz. Greinke then bounced his next pitch three feet short of the plate, ran the count full, and struck out Quiroz looking. The Royals' future ace appears on track to reach the majors no later than 2005, and we could see him sometime next season if he maintains his current rate of ascent towards the majors.

Other Notes

During pre-game practice, the scoreboard repeatedly played ads for the Futures Game instead of continuously displaying the starting lineups. Overall, the video and sound crew were abominable and would get booed out of a grammar school dance. They played "It's a Small World" when little leaguers carried out a flag representing each country with a prospect in the game. We saw "Make some noise" more times than we could count, and they played the introduction to both the "charge" chant and "We Will Rock You" at least a dozen times each during the six-and-a-half inning game. We didn't object to the computerized boat races on the scoreboard later in the contest. Boat races - I like boat races. Unfortunately, aside from occasionally smile-worthy music cues like the music to the "Super Mario Bros." video game during the Celebrity Softball Game, the songs chosen during most players' at-bats ranged from unintelligible to completely offensive.

Playing "Land Down Under" for Huber seemed mostly acceptable, and Josh Barfield heard the music from the beef ads when he batted. However nearly every player from Latin America received a serenade of nearly identical mediocre salsa music. The sound guys even cued a "Heh-heh-cool" from Beavis & Butthead after Youkilis advanced to third on the wild pitch. Although the Miller Park scoreboard couldn't spell player names correctly and failed to update player changes during much of last year's game, at least we otherwise enjoyed the audio/visual experience in Milwaukee. U.S. Cellular needs to make dramatic changes, perhaps even something radical like bringing back the sound guy that cued the Whitesnake song when Chuck Finley pitched in Chicago in the spring of 2002.

Michael McDermott sang the national anthem, and unlike last year's performer, at least he remembered the words. However, he warbled through the words in an occasionally unintelligible style reminiscent of a poor man's Kurt Cobain, and he also varied the rhythm to an extent that singing along was nearly impossible.

The grass, particularly the centerfield sod, looked terrible, like center court at Wimbledon at the end of the fortnight. Of course, the event schedulers who supervise The Cell allow concerts, and they wheeled out a bandstand and several carts of speakers for Live to perform between games. They opened with the appealing "Heaven" before moving to the harder "Sanctity of Dreams". The music might have been enjoyable if it had been a few decibels softer. The dozen or so team mascots on the field gathered in front of second base, forming an impromptu mosh pit of rainbow foam on the infield grass, and the Pirate Parrot in particular demonstrated promising dance moves.

I'll discuss the Celebrity Softball Game tomorrow.

Today's Fantasy Rx: Like every All-Star Monday, the Home Run Derby is tonight at 7PM(CDT) on ESPN; watch someone win a new house.