(Sung to the tune of “Spongebob Squarepants)

Ohhhhhh, who’s hitting more home runs than big ol’ Princey? Ca-sey Mc-Gehee
Who is even hitting with R-I-S-P? Ca-sey Mc-Gehee
His clutch hitting be something you’d miss. Ca-sey Mc-Gehee
So do for me this one little wish, Ready?
Vote for Ca-sey
Vote for Ca-sey
Vote for Ca-sey
Vote for Ca-seeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey

Even though this may backfire since many former Brewer all-stars have hit the skids (see Hardy, Capuano, Turnbow, Hart), I still feel that Casey McGehee needs recognition for what he’s doing. Keep it up, Casey! Milwaukee definitely knows how to say your last name.

- Ryan Braun, Corey Hart and Ben Sheets, the NL’s ace, all saw action in Tuesday’s All-Star game: Sheets walked two and gave up a hit in two scoreless innings, Braun went 0-3 with two strikeouts and Hart went 0-3 at the plate, but nearly extended the lengthy contest beyond 15 innings missing an outfield assist by nanoseconds to yield the winning run.

- The 2008 All-Star Game highlights post-steroids era talent at its finest: Only one player partaking in this year’s mid-summer classic (Miguel Tejada) was linked to performance enhancers in the Mitchell Report. Paul Molitor has a pretty money quote about how an asterisk-dotted lineup would seem “”like when Amy Winehouse won the Grammys after getting arrested.” Minus Cubs OF Kosuke Fukudome, who took the most heinous swing I’ve ever seen a human take to stike out tonight, everyone deserved to be there… a trend I hope continues.

- Brew Crew Pub gives out grades for Brewers position players: It’s a pretty thorough list that takes a lot into account. I think they were a bit too hard on Bill Hall and a bit to easy on Mike Cameron, but maybe that’s just me.

- Team Wisconsin’s “Scottage Cheese”, who frequently comments on our site, hands out mid season grades on all factions of the Brewers. He also predicts the Brewers to take the wild card at season’s end.

- Josh Hamilton was a Cub for less than a minute: They took him in the Rule 5 Draft and immediately spun him to Cincinnati. I’m sure glad he’s not a Cub these days.

- Baseball Prospectus writes of the ever-growing importance of the Rule 5 Draft (that has berthed such contemporary greats as the previously-mentioned Josh Hamilton and Dan Uggla) and talks of the possibility of numerous Pirates walking the plank before the trade deadline elapses. The post also mentions an unlikely scenario of the Brewers “flipping” CC Sabathia to San Francisco for a Matt Cain-type. Doubtful, but original!

- Viva El Birdos wouldn’t mind seeing (Wisconsin resident and UW-Oshkosh Alumnus) Jarrod Washburn wearing a Cardinals uniform: Washburn is not a flashy choice, and definitely not worth his bloated salary, but – when adjusting for the DH – Birdos compares him to a Jeff Suppan or Kyle Lohse type hurler. It’ll be interesting to see what type of move, if any, the Cards make as the deadline looms.

- Former Brewer Jose Capellan, fresh off his one 2007 appearance with the Rockies last season, has signed a minor league contract with the Royals: Chris Cody, who the Brewers got from the Tigers in return for Capellan two seasons ago, has a 2.70 ERA and .90 WHIP in 33.1 innings at High-A Brevard County this year and has a chance to one day not stink it up at the big league level; advantage Melvin.

- In other former Brewer news, the Yankees interest in once All-Star first baseman Richie Sexson has been confirmed.

- Brewers Fanatics has 10 Prospects to Watch.

- Big League Stew talks brews with Brewers Ben Sheets and Corey Hart: The beer shower is less than news. It’s amazing how stories can be written about this when countless similar articles about Brett Favre still need to be written.

- Baseball Digest Daily founder Joe Hamrahi attended Sunday’s Futures Game: He took in the sights and sounds as a member of the working media. The sounds, the ball off Mat Gamel’s bat, of which Hamrahi says “the sound of contact was different from any other player I watched today.” The sights (among others), ESPN’s Erin Andrews… which needs no explanation.

- Brewers Nation is now the front page blog at SportsBubbler.com and will now be known as “Bernie’s Crew”: Congrats guys! This should up the page views considerably. The new site can be found HERE so update those links, Brewer fans.

- There’s new grass on the Miller Park infield: In related news, you’ll never get back the time you spent reading that last sentence.

- Braun did well in the home run derby. He had a nice run, making it to the second round and hitting a total of 14 home runs (seven in each round). Braun and every other competitor (including the winner, Justin Morneau) was overshadowed by Josh Hamilton’s ridiculous first round though. Hamilton hit 28 in the first round including several near or over 500 feet. It was incredible.

- As Tyler’s post hit on earlier, Sheets has been named the NL starter in the All-Star game. He’s the first Brewer to ever start the All-Star game as a pitcher. Do us proud, Benny.

- Astro’s first baseman Lance Berkman agrees with the selection of Sheets to start the game calling him “all but unhittable.”

- Hart, Braun and Sheets make a nice group to represent the Crew in the All-Star game. Their teammates are genuinely proud of the guys and Hart calls the team “more a brotherhood than a team.”

- Braun will hit seventh in the game tomorrow.

- Look at that NL All-Star lineup. Who stands out? Fukudome has no place in that batting order. What a joke…

- Jon Heyman at CNNSI says Brewers owner Mark Attanasio is the top “non-playing hero of the first half.” He got out of his car and climbed over a fence to make it to a game on time recently. Who hasn’t wanted to do that at some point? I love this guy.

- Jack Z is #4 on that same list. If Mark wants to remain a “non-playing hero,” he’s probably going to have to give Jack some cold-hard jack so he’s not lured away by a GM job.

- And in the notes of that article it mentions Taylor Green and Lorenzo Cain as possiblities for the “player to be named later” in the Sabathia trade. That would be interesting as reports seem to indicate it is between Green and Brantley with Cain not involved.

- Buster Olney says the Brewers second-half schedule could help them get into the playoffs. They play teams with records at or above .500 in just 23 of their remaining 67 games, “by far the fewest in the division.”

- The Brew Town Beat says the Brewers should acquire some bullpen help and takes a look at some options. Personally, I’d love to see Chad Bradford on the team. I’ve been a fan of his ever since reading about his background in “Moneyball.”

- The Brew Crew Pub hands out report cards to the Brewers’ pitching staff.

- The Cubs have reportedly contacted the Padres about acquiring Khalil Greene. The article has apparently been pulled off the San Diego newspaper’s site now though. There may be nothing to this rumor.

- Harden has become a two-pitch pitcher, throwing only fastballs and changeups and dropping his sliders and splitters. Time will tell how much this effects him, but there’s no question that his fastballs and changeups are great pitches. Maybe he feels he has a better chance of staying healthy by not throwing sliders and splitters.

- Anheuser-Busch was bought by Belgium company InBev, but changes are not expected at Busch Stadium any time soon.

As many expected, Ben Sheets has been named the National League’s starting pitcher for Tuesday’s All-Star Game, an honor previously never held by a Brewers pitcher. He will oppose AL starter, Cleveland’s Cliff Lee.

Sheets is 10-3 on the year, well on his way to topping his career high win total of 12. Three of those 10 wins came in complete game efforts, and one saw him exiting just one out before completion. His 2.85 ERA ranks 11th among pitchers with significant innings pitched, and he’s managed to start 18 games already, pretty much dodging the injury bug that hasn’t allowed him more than 24 starts annually since 2004.

This announcement only solidifies an already strong Milwaukee All-Star class. Ryan Braun more than made up for a sizable deficit in the final week of All-Star voting and was catapulted by the fans to the top All-Star outfielder slot, and second to Chase Utley for tops in the overall NL fan vote. Corey Hart was selected by fans to represent the National League as its final member in the Last Chance ballot.

Braun will also represent the Brewers and NL tonight in the Home Run Derby. The event begins at 7 p.m. Central.

It’s official! Ryan Braun has made the All-Star team as a starter as picked by the fans. Ryan Braun and Fukudome were in a dead heat for third place when both of them surpassed Ken Griffey Jr. for the starting position. Braun is the first starter voted to that position since Ben Oglive in 1980! Braun’s strong offensive production and Rookie of the Year status catapulted him into the All-Star category, but it’s been his silently solid defense that has made people forget how error prone he was at third.

According to FSN, Braun found out he was voted into the starters role before a game and gave Trenni a high five. Braun has also been a great team player and deserves all the accolades he’s received thus far.

Ben Sheets also made the All-Star game again for the second time in a row, fourth time overall. Sheets has been a great stopper this year and has a stellar 10-2 record with a 2.77 ERA.

Finally, my preseason prediction that Corey Hart would become an All-Star could become reality if the fans vote him in with the Final Vote. He has some strong competition, going up against David Wright, Carlos Lee, Pat Burrell, and Aaron Rowand. Let’s hope the Brewers can still sign him to a long term deal when it’s all said and done.

Here’s the whole roster…

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Starting Line Up

Pos Player

C	Joe Mauer, MIN	L/R
1B	Kevin Youkilis, BOS	R/R
2B	Dustin Pedroia, BOS	L/L
SS	Derek Jeter, NYY	R/R
3B	Alex Rodriguez, NYY	R/R
OF	Josh Hamilton, TEX	L/L
OF	Manny Ramirez, BOS	R/R
OF	Ichiro Suzuki, SEA	L/R
DH	David Ortiz, BOSº	L/L

Pos	Player	B/T
P	Justin Duchscherer, OAK	R/R
P	Roy Halladay, TOR	R/R
P	Scott Kazmir, TB	L/L
P	Cliff Lee, CLE	L/L
P	Joe Nathan, MIN	R/R
P	Jonathan Papelbon, BOS	R/R
P	Mariano Rivera, NYY	R/R
P	Francisco Rodriguez, LAA	R/R
P	Ervin Santana, LAA	R/R
P	Joe Saunders, LAA	L/L
P	George Sherrill, BAL	L/L
P	Joakim Soria, KC	R/R

Pos	Player	B/T
C	Dioner Navarro, TB	S/R
C	Jason Varitek, BOS	S/R
1B	Justin Morneau, MIN	L/R
2B	Ian Kinsler, TEX	R/R
SS	Michael Young, TEX	S/R
3B	Joe Crede, CWS	R/R
3B	Carlos Guillen, DET	S/R
OF	J.D. Drew, BOS	L/R
OF	Carlos Quentin, CWS	R/R
OF	Grady Sizemore, CLE	L/L
DH	Milton Bradley, TEX

Pos	Player	B/T
C	Geovany Soto, CHC	S/R
1B	Lance Berkman, HOU	S/L
2B	Chase Utley, PHI	L/R
SS	Hanley Ramirez, FLA	R/R
3B	Chipper Jones, ATL	S/R
OF	Ryan Braun, MIL	R/R
OF	Kosuke Fukudome, CHC	L/R
OF	Alfonso Soriano, CHC	R/R

Pos	Player	B/T
P	Aaron Cook, COL	R/R
P	Ryan Dempster, CHC	R/R
P	Dan Haren, ARI	R/R
P	Brad Lidge, PHI	R/R
P	Tim Lincecum, SF	L/R
P	Ben Sheets, MIL	R/R
P	Edinson Volquez, CIN	R/R
P	Billy Wagner, NYM	L/L
P	Brandon Webb, ARI	R/R
P	Brian Wilson, SF	R/R
P	Kerry Wood, CHC	L/L
P	Carlos Zambrano, CHC	S/R

Pos	Player	B/T
C	Russell Martin, LA	R/R
1B	Brian McCann, ATL	L/R
1B	Adrian Gonzalez, SD	L/L
1B	Albert Pujols, STL	R/R
2B	Dan Uggla, FLA	R/R
3B	Aramis Ramirez, CHC	R/R
SS	Cristian Guzman, WAS	S/R
SS	Miguel Tejada, HOU	R/R
OF	Matt Holliday, COL	R/R
OF	Ryan Ludwick, STL	R/L
OF	Nate McLouth, PIT	L/R

*from MLB.com

As far as the “fan vote” goes, there aren’t too many glaring problems I have this year. Usually I call BS on most of the starters and the mainstream media gets to call the common fan a “moron”. This year is pretty good for the National League. I still think Holliday should start, but it’s a minor complaint. The American League has a couple more issues. David Ortiz should not have been voted in. I know he’s one of the biggest names in the game. I know he’s the kids favorite. But let someone else have the spotlight, especially when he CAN’T MAKE IT and doesn’t deserve it based on his production this year. I guess it’s just your interpretation of the term “All-Star”. Michael Young should be starting and so should Ian Kinsler. Those are my only beefs.