- The Story: Jered Weaver has been named to the AL All-Star team… almost. The Monkey Says: Jered will take CC Sabathia’s place on the roster because Sabathia will pitch Sunday, but it won’t be official until Sabathia throws a pitch that day. However, Weaver will then be immediately replaced because he too is pitching on Sunday. This all seems really stupid, but at least Weaver got his due.
- The Story: Torii Hunter is relieved he didn’t get invited to participate in the Home Run Derby. The Monkey Says: Torii said he would have done it even though he and Mike Scioscia were both concerned that it would mess up his swing. I was concerned he would be in the derby only because it would have meant I would have had to watch that insanely boring event.
- The Story: The city of Anaheim and the Angels are making final preparations for the All-Star Game. The Monkey Says: Can the final plans please include telling the people over at Disney to quit trying to get their grubby fingerprints all over the event? There’s no room for Mickey Mouse in baseball.
- The Story: There are warnings of potential riots in Oakland when the Angels visit the A’s later this week. The Monkey Says: There is a racially charged trial involving a cop killing an unarmed man and depending on how the verdict goes, there could be trouble in Oakland, so the Angels are merely being warned to prepare some extra security.
- The Story: Brian Fuentes is in high demand for All-Star festivities. The Monkey Says: Apparently we are supposed to find it humorous that all the Home Run Derby participants have been ringing Fuentes’ phone off the hook to get him to pitch for them in the Derby. I don’t find anything funny about the fact that all the top sluggers in the game think to call Fuentes first when it comes to finding a pitcher they know they can hit a bunch of homers off of.