Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano was eliminated in the first round of the 2013 Home Run Derby after hitting only four home runs. That's four more than he managed to hit last year in Kansas City, but was not enough to advance to the next round as one of the Top 4 hitters. Cano's total of four was the lowest in the first round.

The leading hitter heading into the second round was Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, who blew away the field with 17 home runs. Also advancing to the next round were Orioles first baseman Chris Davis, Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper, and Rockies outfielder Michael Cuddyer. Both captains, Cano and David Wright, failed to make it out of the first round. Davis and Harper hit eight each in Round One and Cuddyer hit seven. Pedro Alvarez (6), Prince Fielder, who tied Wright's total of five, were also eliminated in Round One.

More from Pinstriped Bible:

• MLB trade rumors: Joba Chamberlain's trade value hurt by possibility of release
• MLB Trade Rumors: Yankees could do nothing, says Bob Klapisch
• MLB Trade Rumors: Yankees need a bat and Padres are sellers, but Marlins are not
• 2013 MLB All-Star Game: Surprising Yankees All-Stars in history
• Yankees Weekly Report Card: 7/7/13 - 7/13/13

I think Piazza just got "The Grudge"'d. Or something.

UPDATE: BONUS PHOTOBOMB!

Many major league players look forward to the All Star break to show off their talents on the big stage: the best from the National League vs the best from the American League. Other players look forward to the All Star break to recover from injuries, or to start their rehab assignments.

Melky Cabrera, TOR

Cabrera is out since the end of June with tendinitis in the knee, but has moved his rehab to AA New Hampshire. Melky is scheduled to return after the All Star break, so key an eye on updates over at Bluebird Banter, SB Nation's Blue Jays fan site.

Brandon Morrow, TOR

Morrow last threw last Tuesday, so it appears he still isn't even close to coming back from, right forearm soreness. He was expected to throw a side session on July 12th, but there has been no updates on how that session went, so it appears he may not have thrown it. Not good. He has been out since late May, and will need several rehab starts before returning, so he could be out till mid-late August.

Brandon Beachy, ATL

Beachy is currently on a rehab assignment, and has made two starts for AAA Gwinnett. In his first start, he gave up 2 runs on 3 hits and a walk in 3 innings. In his second start on Sunday, he looked better giving up a run on 4 hits, 2 walks and 4 strikeouts. He will probably make another rehab start on Friday and return to the Braves rotation toward the middle of next week.

Jason Heyward, ATL

Heyward suffered a strained right hamstring running the bases last Thursday night, and did not play over the weekend. He should be back after the All Star break, having rested the hamstring for a week. Heyward's teammate Justin Upton is dealing with a strained left calf and missed two games over the weekend. He, like Heyward, should return after the break. Time off heals these wounds.

Chris Carpenter, STL

I thought Carp would be out for the whole season, but the veteran starter made his first rehab start last night for AA Springfield. He lasted just 2.2 innings, giving up 3 runs, 2 earned runs, on 6 hits, 2 walks and 5 strikeouts. The Cardinals may look to use him to give Shelby Miller some rest down the stretch.

Matt Kemp, LAD

Kemp is out with left shoulder irritation, yes, the same shoulder that was operated on last offseason. Kemp was told to not swing a bat for a week, but he is scheduled to swing a bat this week and should return when eligible on July 21st. He has been a huge disappointment to fantasy owners this season, and I am of the mind that his shoulder was never really fully healthy this season. I see the old Kemp returning in 2014.

Yasiel Puig, LAD

Puig is dealing with a sore hip, an injury he suffered running into the outfield wall in Colorado earlier this month. He sat out on Saturday, but returned in the middle of Sunday's game, so he appears to be fine to return after the All Star break.

Matt Holliday, STL

Holliday left with some right hamstring tightness last Thursday, and sat out the weekend series vs the Cubs. I imagine the four day break, along with sitting out the weekend series, will be enough rest for him to return to the Cardinals lineup on Friday. Then again, the Cardinals have Allen Craig who could play left field to allow Holliday to get an extra day of rest after the break.

Jeff Locke, PIT

Locke was scratched from his last start due to lower back stiffness, and also missed the All Star game as a result. He has been one of the bigger surprises of the 2013 season, going 8-2 in 18 starts with an amazing 2.15 ERA. The Pirates will need him at 100% to make the playoffs for the first time in two decades. He is scheduled to be back in the rotation next Sunday, so the All Star break happened at the right time for Locke and the Buccos.

Ben Revere, PHI

In probably the weirdest injury, Ben Revere broke his right foot on a foul ball over the weekend, and will be out until late August, early September. Even then, I am not sure how much he will use his speed on the base paths coming off the broken foot.

Clay Buchholz, BOS

Buchholz is dealing with right shoulder inflammation and was scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Sunday, but is still experiencing discomfort and will not make his scheduled rehab start this week. At this point, I don't think we see Buchholz till early to mid August, which could impact the Red Sox priority list at the trade deadline.

Derek Jeter, NYY

Jeter returned for one game last week, but suffered a Grade 1 quad strain running out a ground ball and is considered day to day at this point. The All Star break came at the right time for Jeter as well, but I can see the Yankees taking it slow with Jeter after the break.

Alex Rodriguez, NYY

Rodriguez has a lot more going on right now than his rehab assignment, but that will be discussed at a later date. ARod moved his rehab to AA last night, going 2-4 with a HR and 2 RBI vs Reading. Arod stated after the game that he on pace to return on July 21st, so if you believe he can help your roster, go out and grab him.

Curtis Granderson, NYY

The Grandyman is recovering from a broken knuckle after being hit with a pitch, and is scheduled to return in late July or early August. He is currently swinging a bat, so that is a good first step. There is no timetable for his rehab assignment, but it should be within the next week or so.

If you have any questions, make sure you post them in the comments section below.

More from Fake Teams:

• Futures Game Reaction and Analysis
• Streamer Report: All Star Break Update
• Coming Soon to A Stadium Near You: Wilmer Flores, IF, New York Mets
• 2013 Midseason Position Rankings: Catcher
• Midseason Awards and Second Half Predictions
• Minor League Level Review (AAA): Springer Keeps Homering, Martinez and Workman Promoted
• Around the League: N.L.
• Waiver Wire: 10 Under 10%

Yesterday on Pinstriped Bible

• 2013 Home Run Derby Open Thread
• MLB Trade Rumors: Yankees could do nothing, says Bob Klapisch
• Yankees Weekly Report Card: 7/7/13 - 7/13/13
• MLB Trade Rumors: Yankees need a bat and Padres are sellers, but Marlins are not
• 2013 MLB Home Run Derby: Odds, tv schedule, & predictions
• Yankees Roundtable Discussion: Reviewing the first half and what the second half could bring
• 2013 MLB All-Star Game: Surprising Yankees All-Stars in history
• MLB trade rumors: Joba Chamberlain's trade value hurt by possibility of release
• Baby Bomber Recap 7/14/13: Alex Rodriguez doubles and drives in two runs for Tampa

Around the Internet

• Plea Bargain - It's About the Money | Brien Jackson: The Bill Madden story about Alex Rodriguez possibly taking a plea bargain in the Biogenesis case makes absolutely no sense for a number of reasons.
• Biogenesis Scandal - SB Nation | Spencer Schneier:Alex Rodriguez's camp denies rumors that he is attempting to agree to a settlement deal over his involvement in the Biogenesis scandal.
• Getting Close - ESPN New York | Matt Ehalt: Curtis Granderson feels like he can make it back from the disabled list before the end of the month.
• Much to Be Desired - ESPN New York | Andrew Marchand: The Yankees bullpen is the only thing that has been championship-caliber.
• From Humble Origins - CBS Sports | Scott Miller: A look back at Mariano Rivera's career from his humble beginnings in Panama to the greatest closer of all time.
• Sizing Up the First Half - ESPN New York | Matt Ehalt: Joe Girardi and CC Sabathia look back on the first half and talk about what they need to do going forward.
• Hot Bat - It's About the Money | MJ Radolf:Robinson Cano is way too streaky of a hitter to ever be a contender for a batting title.

Quick Hits

Questions of the Day

• How can the All-Star Game be improved?
• How many games back can the Yankees be before they should become sellers?
• What is the weirdest place you ever fell asleep?
• Where do you go to get your favorite food?

Coming Up Today

• Baby Bomber Recap 7/15/13: Shortstop picks up the win for Tampa in 19-inning marathon @ 9 am
• Curtis Granderson can still help the Yankees in 2013 and 2014 @ 10 am
• 2013 MLB All-Star Game: Odds, TV schedule, lineups, & predictions @ 11 am
• Yankees Bullpen: How to improve on a strength @ 2 pm
• 2013 MLB All-Star Game: Mariano Rivera looks for the career shutout @ 3 pm
• All-Star Game may count, but that does not mean the game matters @ 4 pm
• 2013 MLB All-Star Game @ 7:30 pm (Game Thread @ 7:00 pm)

Wasn't it fun to see those guys hit those home runs? You bet it was. On to some links.

JAYS LINKS

Ferguson: Should the Jays look to Romero or Garza?
I want to say neither

AA’s Trade Deadlines Have Been Successful - Jays Journal - A Toronto Blue Jays Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More
My suspicion is that this one is a bit more uneventful, but you never know

Minor League Shuffling: All-Star Break Edition - Blue Jays from Away
A look at some of the player movement throughout the farm system

Fan Fuel: Students watch Kawasaki in Japan - Sportsnet.ca
Fan Fuel's Wes Armstrong, a Canadian teacher living in Japan, asks his students what they think of the exploits of Toronto Blue Jays fan sensation Munenori Kawasaki.

The Blue Jay Hunter: 8 Storylines from the Blue Jays First Half
I would argue that the emergence of Esmil Rogers belongs on this list but it's a good summary of what's transpired so far.

AL EAST LINKS

David Ortiz on his favorite curse word, the surprising Red Sox and retiring in Boston | The Strike Zone - SI.com
It's a shame Big Papi wasn't in the Derby last night

Mariano Rivera closing extraordinary Yankees career with grace, style - CBSSports.com
"From humble beginnings to Hall of Fame career to a graceful farewell tour, Mariano Rivera proves to be one of the greatest Yankees of all."

Orioles GIFs of the Week - Camden Chat
"It's possible that we have broken the record for the most GIFs on Camden Chat "before the All-Star break". There were years when PEDs were common and they were cranking out GIFs on amphetamines, but Chris Davis and I don't acknowledge those numbers.'

MLB Trade Rumors: Yankees could do nothing, says Bob Klapisch - Pinstriped Bible
"Yankees fans might have to prepare for a July where the Yankees don't make any major deals"

Much to Love about Lobo's First-Half - DRaysBay
"There is no such thing as an automatic out, but for the first three years of his career, Jose Lobaton was fairly close to it."

THE REST OF THE BASEBALL UNIVERSE LINKS

X-factors and records to watch for when second-half begins - MLB - Joe Lemire - SI.com
"As baseball breaks for an especially late All-Star Game -- every team has played at least 91 games, 10 more than the true midpoint -- here are some x-factors that could impact the second "

What you don't know about Bonilla -- and Saberhagen -- Mets deals - CBSSports.com
The article is worth a look for the picture alone.

Figuring out the Inside the Park Home Run Derby - Baseball Nation
There are some really great ideas here

2013 Trade Value: #50 – #46 | FanGraphs Baseball
The bottom of Fangraph's yearly series on the players with the highest trade value in the league

2013 Trade Value: #45 – #41 | FanGraphs Baseball
I'm somewhat surprised but pleased to see Edwin on this list

NON-BASEBALL LINK OF THE DAY

Crickets Act Differently When Others Are Watching
"Crickets play to an audience, changing their behavior when they know others are watching, a new study says."

Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders: All-Star break

SWB is off today.

Double-A Trenton Thunder:W 6-5 vs. Reading Fightin' Phils

LF Ramon Flores 2-4, BB, CS
3B Alex Rodriguez 2-4, HR, 2 RBI, K - first rehab homer
CF Slade Heathcott 1-5, RBI, 2 K
DH Jose Pirela 1-4, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, K
1B Andrew Clark 2-5, K - batting .294 with Trenton
SS Carmen Angelini 1-4, E6(2nd) - batting .217 since his promotion
2B Reegie Corona 0-4, K
RF Cody Grice 1-3, RBI, BB, SB
C Jeff Farnham 0-4, PB

Nik Turley 6 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, BB, 6 K, 2 HB - eight groundouts, two flyouts
Rigoberto Arrebato 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Danny Burawa 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB
Tom Kahnle 1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, BB, K, 2 WP

After falling behind 3-0 in the first inning, the Thunder used a three-run ninth inning to get past Reading, even though things got dicey in the bottom of the frame after the Fightin' Phils put a run on the board to draw within one. Fred Lewis starts for Trenton today at 6:05 pm.

High-A Tampa Yankees:W 3-2 (19 innings) vs. Bradenton Marauders

CF Mason Williams 3-8, 2B, BB - 17th double of the season
DH Ben Gamel 2-9, RBI, 4 K
3B Peter O'Brien 3-8, 2B, K, E5(5th) - batting .295 since his promotion
C Gary Sanchez 1-8, BB, pickoff - played a little 1B in the very late innings
RF Yeral Sanchez 1-8, 3B, K, OF assist
2B Rob Refsnyder 2-8, RBI, SB
1B Saxon Butler 3-6, 2 2B, RBI, 2 K
LF Taylor Dugas 1-6, BB
SS Ali Castillo 2-7, BB, K, SB

Dietrich Enns 6 IP, 2 H, 1 R/0 ER, BB, 5 K, HB - five groundouts, five flyouts
Alex Smith 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB
Branden Pinder 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, BB, K, HB
Taylor Garrison 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
Eric Wooten 3.1 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, BB, 5 K - three groundouts, one flyout
Charley Short 2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, BB, 4 K
Manny Barreda 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, BB, 2 K
SS Dan Fiorito 2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K - winning pitcher!

It took 19 innings and 20 hits but the Yankees prevailed as Gamel drove in the winning run and shortstop Fiorito picked up a win after two scoreless innings. Tampa is off today.

Low-A Charleston RiverDogs:L 5-8 vs. Augusta GreenJackets

RF Danny Oh 0-5, K
SS Cito Culver 1-4, 2B, RBI, BB, K, E6(12) - 17th double of the season
1B Greg Bird 0-4, BB, K
2B Angelo Gumbs 0-4, BB, 2 K, SB, E4(3)
3B Dante Bichette Jr. 2-3, HR, RBI, BB, E5(14) - seventh homer of the season
CF Jake Cave 1-3, BB, 2 K
DH Reymond Nunez 1-3, BB, K
LF Kelvin De Leon 1-4, RBI, K
C Wes Wilson 2-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI, E2 - throwing error

Luis Niebla 4 IP, 6 H, 5 R/2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 2 HB, WP - six groundouts, two flyouts
John Brebbia 3 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
Zach Arneson 0.1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 WP
James Pazos 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

Four defensive errors on the part of the RiverDogs didn't help matters at all, but the bullpen couldn't hold the score where it was and the RiverDogs lost their 39th game of the season. Charleston is off today.

Short Season-A Staten Island Yankees:W 7-4 vs. Auburn Doubledays

2B Derek Toadvine 0-4, BB, E4 - throwing error, third of the season
LF Michael O'Neill 2-5, 2B - batting .295 this season
3B Eric Jagielo 2-4, K, HBP - batting .350 this season
RF Yeicok Calderon 0-4, RBI, K
CF Brandon Thomas 1-4, HBP
DH Kale Sumner 2-3, HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB - second homer, batting .309 this season
SS Jose Rosario 1-4, K, E6 - throwing error, fifth of the season
1B Bubba Jones 3-5, 2B, HR, 3 RBI - first homer of the season
C Isaias Tejeda 0-3, BB

Rookie Davis 5 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K - six groundouts, five flyouts
Charles Haslup 1 IP, 2 H, 3 R/0 ER, BB, 2 K, E1
Andy Beresford 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R/0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Stefan Lopez 1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, K

Sloppy defense cost the Yankees pitchers some runs but a three-run eighth inning gave them some breathing room. Despite three errors they picked up 11 hits and won their 15th game of the season. Staten Island is off today.

Notes from the Gulf Coast League:

Game One:

GCL Yankees 1:

SS Abiatal Avelino 1-3, 2B, CS, E6 - throwing error, fourth of the season
2B Gosuke Katoh 0-1, RBI, BB, 2 SB
LF Ronnier Mustelier 0-3, K, OF assist
RF Austin Aune 1-3
CF Jordan Barnes 1-3, K

Mark Montgomery 2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
Chaz Hebert 4 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K

GCL Yankees 2:

SS Thairo Estrada 1-3, 2B, K - batting .368 this season
C Luis Torrens 0-3, K
3B Renzo Martini 1-3, 2B, K - seventh double of the season
RF Jorge Alcantara 1-3, 2 K

Felipe Gonzalez 4.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, BB, 4 K

Game Two:

GCL Yankees 1:

SS Tyler Wade 1-1, 2B, 3 BB - batting .366 this season
1B Jimmy Falla 1-4, 2 RBI, K
2B Ty Afenir 1-3, BB, K

Daury Aquino 2.1 IP, 2 H, 4 R/2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
Hector Bello 2.1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

GCL Yankees 2:

2B Bryan Cuevas 1-2, 2B, 2 BB, K
SS Thairo Estrada 0-4, K
DH Luis Torrens 1-2, 3 RBI, BB
3B Renzo Martini 1-3, RBI

Rony Bautista 4 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 4 K, 3 WP
Ethan Carnes 1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 3 BB

Game 1 (1933) at Comiskey Park, Chicago: AL 4, NL 2

Yes, Babe Ruth, fat, stiff, and heading rapidly for obsolescence, hit a home run in the first All-Star game. National League manager John J. McGraw, who came out of retirement (alcoholism, prostate cancer, general malaise) to manage the squad, had three pitchers to choose from: Wild Bill Hallahan (Cardinals), Carl Hubbell (Giants), and Lon Warneke (Cubs). Both Warneke and Hubbell brought sub-2.00 ERAs into the game and were well-rested. McGraw went with Hallahan. The Giants were then leading the Cardinals by 5.5 games in the NL pennant race. McGraw was still a Giants shareholder, and I find it entirely plausible that he selected Hallahan so as to avoid putting undue stress on his team's ace. Or maybe he just chose poorly. The key lesson here is that when the opposing lineup has seven Hall of Fame types in it, the opposing manager should eschew utilizing anyone with "Wild" in their name.

Game 2 (1934) at the Polo Grounds, New York: AL 9, NL 7

Carl Hubbell, who was tabbed to start by his own manager, Bill Terry, struck out Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons, and Joe Cronin in succession, each and every one of them a future Hall of Famer. The screwball is an unjustly maligned and neglected pitch, and the fact that Hubbell spent the rest of his life with his left hand facing palm outward is of no importance.

Game 3 (1935) at Municipal Stadium, Cleveland: AL 4, NL 1

After the AL squad, managed by Tigers catcher Mickey Cochrane, left starter Lefty Gomez in for six innings and then followed with Indians righty Mel Harder for the final three, Commissioner Landis limited pitchers' All-Star appearances to three innings. That didn't stop the AL from treating the exhibition as an actual game, as we shall see.

Game 4 (1936) at Braves Field, Boston: NL 4, AL 3

The National League won its first-ever All-Star game on the fourth try. The Cubs' Augie Galan, who was basically the Bernie Williams of the 1930s, hit a home run. Joe DiMaggio, who anticipated Yasiel Puig-mania but with slightly more cause, became the first rookie to start. He went 0-for-5 and made an error.

Game 5 (1937) at Griffith Stadium, Washington, D.C.: AL 8, NL 3

In the first of many historic injuries inflicted by the All-Star Game, Indians outfielder Earl Averill hit a comebacker of the foot of NL starter and Cardinals right-hander Dizzy Dean. Told that his big toe was fractured, Dean said, ""Fractured, hell, the damn thing's broken!" Dean tried to come back too quickly, altered his mechanics, and shredded his arm. Then again, he had also pitched about 5000 innings over the previous five years, so who knows? Lou Gehrig homered for the second game in row.

Game 6 (1938) at Crosley Field, Cincinnati: NL 4, AL 1

NL manager Bill Terry didn't treat the game like an exhibition. Except for pitching changes, his starting lineup played the entire game. This was in reaction to Yankees manager Joe McCarthy, who had been handling the AL squad that way since he more or less permanently took over the squad in 1937.

Game 7 (1939) at Yankee Stadium, New York: AL 3, NL 1

The winning pitcher of the '39 All-Star game was Tigers right-hander Tommy Bridges. Known for his terrific curve ball, Bridges pitched 2.1 innings in relief, striking out three. A three-time 20-game winner who had the sixth-lowest ERA among AL pitchers during the 1930s (126 ERA+ career). With 194 career wins, he was almost exactly the David Cone of his time -- and has largely been forgotten. He had a tragic denouement, with too much drink, too little work.

Game 8 (1940) at Sportsman's Park, St. Louis: NL 4, AL 0

The NL pitched a three-hit shutout, though 10 future Hall of Famers appeared on the AL side of the box score. Braves outfielder Max West, who was not bound for the Hall, and in fact would go down as one of the most disappointing prospects of the era, hit a three-run homer off of Red Ruffing, one of the 10. Which just goes to show that when the going gets tough, the tough get going. Or something.

Game 9 (1941) at Briggs Stadium, Detroit: AL 7, NL 5

This is one of those All-Star games that even an All-Star Game doubter can love, if only because it ended with a young Ted Williams hitting a walk-off three-run homer off of right-hander Claude Passeau of the Cubs. Passeau pitched a one-hitter against the Tigers in Game Three of the 1945 World Series, but you see film of Teddy Ballgame skipping around the bases far more often than you hear about that.

Game 11 (1943) at Shibe Park, Philadelphia: AL 5, NL 3

The first night game in All-Star history. Cardinals right-hander Mort Cooper lost his second straight All-Star Game. With many of the game's stars in the military, the starting lineups were dominated by less prominent players such as Elbie Fletcher and Chet Laabs. Joe DiMaggio's older brother Vince, an unjustly derided player in his own time, entered as a substitute and went 3-for-3 with a triple and a home run. Six Yankees made the All-Star team, but manager Joe McCarthy didn't use any of them, wanting to show that he could win without his personal collection of stars.

Game 12 (1944) at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh: NL 7, AL 1

Given the quality of players available by 1944, the two leagues donated the net receipts of $101,000 to the armed forces and gave up for the duration of the war. Wartime travel restrictions officially took the blame, but even without that it just wasn't worth bothering.

Game 13 (1946) at Fenway Park, Boston: AL 12, NL 0

This is the one when Ted Williams hit two home runs, the second off of Rip Sewell's eephus pitch. Sewell always contended that Williams was out of the batter's box when he hit it, and he might have been right. Note also that that as the buildings in the vicinity of Fenway Park fly by in the background of Williams' home run, they bear a passing resemblance to bombed out, liberated Berlin -- which was a suggested location for the cancelled 1945 game.

Game 14 (1947) at Wrigley Field, Chicago: AL 2, NL 1

Phillies manager Ben Chapman supposedly made himself infamous for his vicious race-baiting of rookie Jackie Robinson in the spring of 1947, but the National League made him a coach on manager Eddie Dyer's staff. With Red Sox manager Joe Cronin, one of the architects of that team's long resistance to integration, running the AL squad, the bigots were well represented in Chicago.

Game 15 (1948) at Sportsman's Park, St. Louis: AL 5, NL 2

Inaugurating a tradition, Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio skipped the game due to injuries. The AL starting outfield was Tommy Henrich, Pat Mullin, and Hoot Evers. Evers was a pretty good player for an owl, but not what the fans tuned in to see. Actually, more fans probably tuned in to hear the game in 1948, one of the last years you could say that.

Game 16 (1949) at Ebbets Field, Brooklyn: AL 11, NL 7

Putting the game in Brooklyn meant the rosters were finally going to be integrated. Jackie Robinson finally made an All-Star team, as did Roy Campanella, Don Newcombe, and Larry Doby. Robinson went 1-for-4 with a walk and three runs scored, which for him wasn't actually a very good day at the office. There were six errors made in the game, five by the NL. Future Hall of Famers with a case of butterfingers included George Kell, Johnny Mize, Pee Wee Reese, and Campanella.

Game 17 (1950) at Comiskey Park, Chicago: NL 4, AL 3

The first All-Star Game to go to extra frames was terminated by Cardinals second baseman Red Schoendienst, who hit a home run off the Tigers' Ted Gray to lead off the top of the 14^th inning. The Reds' Ewell "The Whip" Blackwell induced Joe DiMaggio to hit into a game-ending double-play in the bottom of the frame. Gray had no business being in Chicago, but he had 10 wins at the break so he made the team. Ted Williams fractured his elbow making a play on a Ralph Kiner fly ball; Williams said he was never the same hitter after that, which is to say he was only capable of hitting .340-.380 instead of .400.

More from SB Nation:

• Yoenis Cespedes wins the 2013 Home Run Derby

• Your Chris Berman "BACK BACK BACK" megamix

• Who are these guys? Meet the 39 first-time All-Stars

• MLB trade rumors: Tigers want Tim Lincecum

• Longread: Brooklyn’s field of broken dreams

You know, of course, that home field advantage in the World Series is on the line for the winner. The American League has not fared very well in the last couple All-Star games and will be looking for a little redemption. According to Bovada.lv betting lines as of very early this morning, the NL is currently the favorite and the O/U is set at 8. Mets captain David Wright is currently the favorite for MVP at 10/1 and Robinson Cano's odds for MVP currently stand at 16/1. Odds are subject to change, as they likely will.

Try your hand at some predictions for tonight's contest in the comments below.

Will the American League or National League win?

Who will be the All-Star Game MVP?

Which team will score first?

Which team will hit the first home run? Which player will hit it?

Which starting pitcher gets pulled from the game first?

More from Pinstriped Bible:

• MLB trade rumors: Joba Chamberlain's trade value hurt by possibility of release
• MLB Trade Rumors: Yankees could do nothing, says Bob Klapisch
• MLB Trade Rumors: Yankees need a bat and Padres are sellers, but Marlins are not
• 2013 MLB All-Star Game: Surprising Yankees All-Stars in history
• 2013 Home Run Derby: Robinson Cano eliminated with four homers in first round

The All-Star Game goes tonight at 8pm with four Blue Jays taking part. The starting pitcher for the American League is Max Scherzer who I previewed a few weeks ago here. Mets' fans rookie prodigy Matt Harvey goes for the National League, who have won the past three years with the AL winning the 12 years before that (plus a tie). If you don't know who Matt Harvey is, neither do a lot of New York Mets fans:

Harvey throws the four main pitches relying heavily on his high 90's fastball. His three solid off-speed offerings all record whiffs on about a third of hitter's swings.

Cool GIF incoming! (Click the GIF if it doesn't show up here)

via images.ftw.usatoday.com

The full rosters for the game are below:

American League

Starters
C: Joe Mauer, Twins
1B: Chris Davis, Orioles
2B: Robinson Cano, Yankees
SS: J.J. Hardy, Orioles
3B: Miguel Cabrera, Tigers
OF: Mike Trout, Angels
OF: Adam Jones, Orioles
OF: Jose Bautista, Blue Jays
DH: David Ortiz, Red Sox

Reserves
C: Jason Castro, Astros
C: Salvador Perez, Royals
1B: Prince Fielder, Tigers
2B: Jason Kipnis, Indians
2B: Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox
2B: Ben Zobrist, Rays
SS: Jhonny Peralta: Tigers
3B: Manny Machado, Orioles
OF: Nelson Cruz, Rangers
OF: Alex Gordon, Royals
OF: Torii Hunter, Tigers
DH: Edwin Encarnacion, Blue Jays

Pitchers
RHP: Clay Buchholz*, Red Sox
LHP: Brett Cecil, Blue Jays
RHP: Bartolo Colon *, A's
RHP: Jesse Crain*, White Sox
RHP: Yu Darvish*, Rangers
RHP: Steve Delabar,Blue Jays
RHP: Felix Hernandez, Mariners
RHP: Hisashi Iwakuma *, Mariners
RHP: Justin Masterson, Indians
RHP: Matt Moore, Rays
RHP: Joe Nathan, Rangers
LHP: Glen Perkins, Twins
RHP: Mariano Rivera, Yankees
LHP: Chris Sale, White Sox
RHP: Max Scherzer, Tigers
RHP: Chris Tillman, Orioles
RHP: Justin Verlander *, Tigers

I could go on a rant about Chris Tillman being in this game, but I'm not sure anyone cares.

National League

Starters
C: Yadier Molina, Cardinals
1B: Joey Votto, Reds
2B: Brandon Phillips, Reds
SS: Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies
3B: David Wright, Mets
OF: Carlos Beltran, Cardinals
OF: Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies
OF: Bryce Harper, Nationals

Robinson Cano was hit in the side of the knee by Matt Harvey in the first inning of the All-Star Game. He was in obvious pain and took plenty of time going to first base, but looked to be staying in the game. Miguel Cabrera then struck out in the next at-bat and Cano left the game accompanied by a trainer. He was pinch run for by Dustin Pedroia. It's hard to know just how serious it is or if it was just for precautionary measures, but it did not look good for the American League team or the Yankees.

Cano getting hit in the knee at the All-Star Game is even more "2013 Yankees" than Travis Hafner getting taken out by a pitching machine. It would be nice if the team's luck could change at some point this season, but it doesn't look good.

At this point Mariano Rivera is the Yankees' sole representative at the All-Star Game and won't likely be seen until the ninth inning. Yankees fans have another eight innings before they can root on a member of their team now. Thanks, Harvey!

UPDATE:

Told Cano got hit more in the quadriceps than the knee - and that he should be fine.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 17, 2013

I think we can all exhale now. Maybe.

X-rays negative on Cano

— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) July 17, 2013

Yay!

More from Pinstriped Bible:

• 2013 MLB All-Star Game: Open Thread
• Yankees Bullpen: How to improve on a strength
• All-Star Game may count, but that does not mean the game matters
• 2013 MLB All-Star Game: Mariano Rivera looks for a complete game
• Biogenesis suspensions unlikely in 2013, per Michael Weiner
• MLB Trade Rumors: Hughes market not what the Yankees hoped
• Yankees rumors: Dalier Hinojosa drawing interest after being granted free agency
• Curtis Granderson can still help the Yankees in 2013 and 2014
• 2013 MLB All-Star Game: Cano seeks to reprise Jeter's 2000 All-Star Game MVP performance
• 2013 MLB All-Star Game: Odds, TV schedule, lineups, & predictions
• MLB Trade Rumors: Heavy interest in Michael Young could still make him available
• Baby Bomber Recap 7/15/13: Shortstop picks up the win for Tampa in 19-inning marathon

The American League ended their losing streak against the National League in the All-Star Game as the AL All-Stars topped the Senior Circuit 3-0 on Tuesday night at Citi Field. Yankees closer Mariano Rivera pitched a perfect eighth inning and received the game's MVP award.

Right off the bat, the first inning was rather eventful as Robinson Cano was drilled in the leg by a pitch from Matt Harvey that forced him from the game. Fortunately, X-Rays came back negative and Cano said that it was really more of his quad than his knee. He's expected to be fine. The Yankees really cannot afford to lose their best hitter, particularly in an exhibition game, so that is certainly a bullet dodged.

Jose Bautista drove in the first run for the AL on a sacrifice fly that scored Miguel Cabrera from third base in the fourth inning. Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy drove in his teammate Adam Jones on a force out in the fifth off Cliff Lee, and Jason Kipnis doubled in Salvador Perez for the final AL run of the game in the eighth inning against Craig Kimbrel.

Rivera came on to pitch the eighth inning, as expected without a big lead for the American League, to the sounds of Enter Sandman and thunderous applause. If you didn't get goosebumps, we weren't watching the same scene. In typical Mo fashion, he sat down his opponents in order and walked off the field to more applause from every All-Star and fan alike. It was an incredible moment. If you missed it, you can watch it here.

There has already been a lot of hand-wringing over Leyland not letting Mo pitch the ninth inning, but I can understand why he didn't. If he uses Rivera for a partial inning, people complain that he didn't do Mo justice in giving him three outs. If he plans to let Rivera pitch the ninth and Nathan blows the game, he's crucified for not getting Mo into his last All-Star game. The moment was amazing and memorable, Rivera got the MVP award, and that's satisfying enough for me, personally. It would have been nice to see Rivera close it out like we have seen him do so many times in his career; but Mo deserved, more than anything else, his farewell moment. He got that tonight.

More from Pinstriped Bible:

• MLB All-Star Game: Robinson Cano leaves game after hit by pitch
• 2013 MLB All-Star Game: Mariano Rivera looks for a complete game
• Biogenesis suspensions unlikely in 2013, per Michael Weiner
• MLB Trade Rumors: Hughes market not what the Yankees hoped
• MLB Trade Rumors: Heavy interest in Michael Young could still make him available

All-Star festivities are coming to the close and baseball is only two days away! Before the second half of the season begins, who were the most valuable players? Jose Fernandez can't legally drink in the States but he's already endured a long and dangerous defection from Cuba and been crowned an MLB All-Star. Michael Weiner talked to reporters yesterday and unveiled some interesting notes about the ongoing Biogenesis investigation.

Previously on Beyond the Box Score

Light list today, but with no (real) games being played and Bud Selig's nearly official blackout on non-All-Star related news, there's not a lot to talk about. You folks got a huge link dump on Monday.

• MLBPA head Michael Weiner believes that any possible suspensions coming out of the Biogenesis case will not be served until next year if the union appeals. He also agrees with Bud Selig that he is not bound by the 50/100/lifetime ban formula negotiated in the last contract, because none of these players have failed a drug test.
• In sadder Michael Weiner news, he admitted that his brain tumor, that was diagnosed last August, is getting worse. Weiner addressed the writers from a wheelchair and is unable to move his right side. He got a 40 second standing ovation from the press. The MLBPA is expected to appoint a deputy to Weiner in the next two weeks and will elect a permanent replacement in December. It will not be former head Don Fehr, who is currently the head of the NHLPA, or former union COO Gene Orza.
• Bob Nightengale says that Weiner's comments mean that baseball is in store for a "nuclear winter" and not a "cruel summer." Cute.
• Bud Selig went on David Letterman on Monday night to talk PED and suspensions, mostly. While Selig didn't name any names or give any dates, he did say that he knew which players he planned to suspend.
• In case you didn't hear, Yoenis Cespedes won the Home Run Derby. David Schoenfield says that Cespedes is just one reason why the Athleticsare must-watch baseball. I just wish that people in the Bay Area and across the country felt similarly.
• Confidence is a big part of Cespedes's winning makeup.
• Gregg Doyel says that if you were upset by the interview in Spanish with Cespedes after the Home Run Derby (and many people took to Twitter to complain), get over it because they're here to stay.
• Clayton Kershaw isn't happy that Bruce Bochy said that Matt Harveywould start the All-Star Game even if it wasn't held at Citi Field. This is why I've stopped caring about the All-Star Game. We're not honoring anyone by including them anymore. We're just insulting those we don't, apparently.
• Robinson Cano's father says that he expects his son to re-sign with the Yankees this off-season.
• Alex Rodriguezhomered in a minor league game. Rodriguez said he's "about six days" away from returning to the Yankees.
• Despite hitting three home runs in thirty at-bats, the Rangershave no plans to call Manny Ramirez up to the majors yet.
• Matt Carpenter talks about moving to second base and becoming an All-Star. I'd love that guy if he wasn't a Cardinal.
• Dwight Gooden was at the All-Star Game talking about his new book, sobriety, family, the '86 Mets and most importantly, Tuffy Rhodes.
• The Cincinnati Redswill be the home team at a game at AT&T Park on July 23.
• Clay Buchholtz was sore after a bullpen session, setting his rehab schedule back indefinitely.
• The Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating the financing of Marlins Park. Unfortunately, the politicians are the target of the investigation rather than Jeffrey Loria.
• Jordan Conn gives the life story about the best thing about Miami, Cuban hurler Jose Fernandez.
• The White Sox poor first half likely means that big changes are coming to the South Side.
• Matthew Pouliot thinks Buster Olney doesn't make much sense. LEAVE BUSTER ALONE!
• You've probably seen this already, but in case you haven't, Jimmy Fallon sent Matt Harvey out to ask New Yorkers what they think of Matt Harvey. Needless to say, most of them didn't recognize him. Even those who said they were big fans.
• That leads into the final link, in which Jayson Stark has a long essay in which he asks "Who is the face of baseball?" He thinks the lack of stars who are marketable outside the sport is hurting baseball's popularity. A big issue is the culture of baseball says that no player should call undue attention to himelf.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Maybe they'll leave you alone.

Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders: All-Star break

SWB is off today.

Double-A Trenton Thunder:L 3-6 vs. Reading Fightin' Phils

LF Ramon Flores 2-4, RBI, BB, K, OF assist - batting .293/.341/.341 over his last 10 games
3B Alex Rodriguez 0-3, RBI
CF Slade Heathcott 2-5, 2B, RBI, OF assist - 16th double of the season
2B Jose Pirela 0-4, BB
1B Andrew Clark 0-4, BB, E3 - fielding error, third of the season
SS Carmen Angelini 0-4, K, E6 - missed catch, third error of the season
RF Cody Grice 2-4, K - batting .250 with Trenton
C Jose Gil 2-4
DH Shane Brown 2-3, BB, K

Fred Lewis 3.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R/0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, E1 - six groundouts, two flyouts
Jeremy Bleich 2.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Mikey O'Brien 0.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R/2 ER, 2 BB
Aaron Dott 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K

Defensive sloppiness led to a four-run inning for the Fightin' Phils, but only two of the runs were earned. The Thunder out-hit the Phils 11-8 but could only push one additional run across in the ninth inning in which their rally fell short. Sean Black gets the start for Trenton today at 12:05 pm.

High-A Tampa Yankees: Off

Tampa travels to Jupiter tonight at 6:35 pm.

Low-A Charleston RiverDogs: Off

The RiverDogs travel to Greensboro to take on the Grasshoppers tonight at 7:00 pm.

Short Season-A Staten Island Yankees: Off

Staten Island takes on Batavia at home tonight at 7:00 pm.

Notes from the Gulf Coast League:

GCL Yankees 1:

SS Abiatal Avelino 0-4, BB
2B Gosuke Katoh 0-2, BB, K
LF Ronnier Mustelier 3-4, 2B, RBI, K, SB, E7 - batting .313 in his rehab appearances
RF Austin Aune 0-3, BB, K
DH Tyler Wade 0-4, 2 K

Pat Venditte 1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, K
Luis Severino 5 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K - nine groundouts, one flyout

GCL Yankees 2:

2B Bryan Cuevas 3-5, RBI, CS
SS Thairo Estrada 1-5, 3 K - batting .333 this season
C Luis Torrens 1-3, RBI, 2 BB, K, PB(8)
1B Renzo Martini 0-3, RBI

Joseph Maher 4 IP, 2 H, 2 R/1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, WP - six groundouts, zero flyouts
Dayton Dawe 2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, K
Alex Polanco 1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, K

A few weeks ago, I received an email from a publicist offering me a cap commemorating Mariano Rivera's impending retirement from baseball. The email contained images of several different styles; the one I chose looked like this:

There's one thing they wanted to know in addition to my address -- my cap size. I wear baseball caps every day, but I rarely wear fitted caps, so ... cap size? I had to consult the web to find out how to measure my head for the right cap size. I thought I had it figured out, so I emailed that size to the publicist.

When the cap arrived, it looked like this:

That's a little different than the publicity photo; it has the Yankees logo instead of "42". There was one other problem... I'd given them the wrong cap size. It's way too big.

So it's unlikely I'll ever wear this cap, but it's a nice souvenir to have of a man whose career has been perhaps the most impeccable of any player of his generation. Not only is he the best relief pitcher who ever lived -- and any writer who doesn't put his name on a Hall of Fame ballot five years from next January should have his vote revoked; Rivera ought to be a unanimous selection -- but he has lived his life with class and style.

The way he entered Tuesday's All-Star Game speaks to the respect he engenders among everyone in baseball, as did the standing ovation he got from players in both dugouts before he threw yet another flawless inning -- in his career, he threw nine innings in All-Star Games, allowing five hits and no runs.

It made me think about the reception Ted Williams got at the 1999 All-Star Game:

(Williams ceremony starts at about 36:00 into the video)

That was the game at which the All-Century Team was introduced. Williams, then nearly 81 years old, was the last one to come on to the field at Fenway Park, being driven in on a cart to throw the ceremonial first pitch. Before he did, though, he was surrounded by the players in that year's game, who you could tell were just as awed as everyone else watching, giving their love and admiration to this icon of baseball. Then, Williams, being frail, was assisted by Tony Gwynn, who Williams himself had helped with hitting, in throwing out that first pitch to Hall of Famer Carlton Fisk.

You can't help but get emotional watching that, and Williams was a somewhat controversial figure at times during his playing career.

Not only is Mariano Rivera uncontroversial, he is universally loved. There are few professional athletes in any sport -- few public figures in any field today, I might add -- who engender the respect and love that Rivera does. 30 or 40 years from now, can you imagine the scene at an All-Star Game when Rivera is asked to throw out a ceremonial pitch? I'd love to see that, myself, and hope I'm still around to do so.

I'm glad that 18 years ago, I went to this White Sox/Yankees game, when the Yankees were still using Rivera as a starter. It was just his fifth major-league start, and the best start among the 10 he made before the Yankees permanently converted him to relief. Even then, you could sense there could be greatness in that 25-year-old pitcher (11 strikeouts and just two singles in eight innings).

In this era of cynicism, greed and players doing things they're not supposed to, it's good that we have at least one man who represents class and honor, as well as outstanding performance. I've got a cap to remember him by, even though it's unlikely I'll ever wear it because it's too big. If you want to buy one for yourself, here's where to get started.

The Yankees have had no shortage of terrific performances on the mound in their long history. They are fortunate to have 11 no-hitters on the record, including three perfect games. Four of the eleven no-nos occurred during the 1990s, an unusual period of consistent no-hit success. It took the New York Mets 50 years to get one no-hitter, and two Yankees threw perfect games 15 months apart. It was a combination of tremendous pitching and even better luck.

Tomorrow is the 14th anniversary of the last no-hitter, David Cone's perfecto against the Montreal Expos on "Yogi Berra Day" at Yankee Stadium. Only 11 teams in baseball have gone longer without a no-hitter than the Yankees, who are in the midst of their third-longest no-hit drought in their history. Second-longest is the 15-year stretch between Sad Sam Jones's no-strikeout no-no against the A's on September 4, 1923 and the first Yankee Stadium no-hitter, by Monte Pearson on August 27, 1938 against the Indians. It will be sad if the Yankees even approach their longest drought, a nigh-27-year wait between Don Larsen's World Series perfecto against the Dodgers on October 8, 1956 and Dave Righetti's July 4th no-hitter against the Red Sox in '83.

There have been 17 decent no-hit attempts for the Yankees of at least six innings since Cone's perfect game, some more memorable than others:

Mike Mussina is the only Yankee since Cone to take a no-hitter into the ninth inning, and he was nearly perfect that day. I've written at length about that game before since it remains an indelible memory to me. Mussina's Game Score of 98 was actually better than any perfect game in Yankees history since he notched 13 strikeouts that night at Fenway Park. In a strange twist of fate, he faced off against Cone in a Red Sox uniform that day, who shut the Yankees out through eight innings. The Yanks scratched out an unearned run on an Enrique Wilson RBI double against Cone with one out in the ninth. Mussina took his perfect game into the ninth, inducing a groundout from Troy O'Leary, fanning Lou Merloni, and getting ahead of Carl Everett, 1-2. He was one strike away, as close to a perfect game as possible, even closer than Yu Darvish was on April 2nd of this year. Unfortunately, it just wasn't meant to be. Everett lined Mussina's 108th pitch to left for a base hit that Chuck Knoblauch had no hope of catching, even in the short Fenway Park left field.. "Moose" wore a wry smile, having lost the second perfect game of his career in the ninth inning. It hurt.

Three years ago, ace CC Sabathia offered the second-longest no-bit since Cone's gem. It was just his second start of the season in defense of the 2009 World Series championship, and coaches became nervous about Sabathia's pitch count as it rose while CC continued his no-hitter. The game was not in question; the Yankees held an 8-0 lead when CC took the mound in the eighth inning at Tropicana Field. Two walks were his only two baserunners allowed. Willy Aybar grounded out to begin the eighth, and Pat Burrell lifted a routine fly to center, bringing Sabathia's old Indians battery mate Kelly Shoppach to the plate. He took a strike, then lined a clean base hit to left in front of Brett Gardner. The no-hitter was gone, and manager Joe Girardi quickly lifted CC from the game. Girardi later said that due to pitch count concerns, he would probably have pulled Sabathia after facing Shoppach anyway, but I would have to see that to believe it. Regardless, it was another splendid pitching performance without a no-hitter.

Ted Lilly was a fine young lefty, but no one expected him to take a no-hitter into the eighth inning on April 27, 2002 against the team that set the American League record for victories in the previous season. Even without iconic DH Edgar Martinez that day, the Mariners boasted All-Stars Mike Cameron, John Olerud, and Bret Boone in the lineup. Yet Lilly retired them almost effortlessly, with a pair of hit by pitches and a walk the only miscues on the day with one out in the eighth inning. Lilly faced Mussina's problem though--the Yankees simply could not give him any run support. Freddy Garcia was in his prime, and he shut them out on four hits and a walk through eight innings. Lilly took the Safeco Field mound and struck out Carlos Guillen on three pitches to begin the eighth. With five outs to go, he walked catcher Dan Wilson and uncorked a wild pitch, allowing pinch-runner Luis Ugueto to reach second base. Infielder Desi Relaford lined a single to right field, ending Lilly's no-hitter and worse, giving the Mariners a 1-0 lead. Lilly completed the eighth and had a complete game one-hitter, but it went for naught. Kaz Sasaki closed the Yankees out in the ninth, and Lilly was tagged with an incredibly tough loss.

A year later, Roger Clemens faced the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Yankee Stadium on June 18th in his first start since his 300th win and 4,000th strikeout. It had taken Clemens a few starts to reach that plateau, but with the pressure now off, he dominated the cellar-dwelling Devil Rays, no-hitting them through seven innings. But yet AGAIN, the Yankees offense did not provide any support for the man on the mound tossing a gem. It was Victor Zambrano at his peak--a man who could walk five but also only allow a pair of hits. Thus, the Yankees were also scoreless through seven. Clemens got Travis Lee to bounce out to second base, but Marlon Anderson singled to left field, and the no-hitter was gone. Clemens stranded the runner, and the game remained scoreless through 11 and a half innings until Alfonso Soriano delivered a walk-off RBI single against Lance Carter.

Some more notes on some of the other missed no-hitters:

• Chien-Ming Wang retired 22 Mariners in a row, carrying a perfect game into the eighth inning until Ben Broussard spoiled the party with a solo homer.
• Phil Hughes has had some tough luck with no-hit bids. In his second career start, he no-hit the Rangers through 6 1/3 innings, only to be forced from the game due to a hamstring injury. Mike Myers finished the seventh inning with no hits, but lost it on a Hank Blalock double to lead off the eighth. Three years later, Hughes no-hit the A's through seven, but future teammate Eric Chavez hit a hard comebacker that Hughes couldn't handle and briefly lost. It was a long enough pause for Chavez to reach first base.
• Andy Pettitte's 6 2/3 no-hit innings on August 31, 2009 was the longest no-hit bid of his career.
• Before there was Rafael De Paula, there was Jorge De Paula, who made his first MLB start (fourth career game) in the second game of a September doubleheader against the Orioles in '03. The 24-year-old retired 16 O's in a row to begin the game and struck out Luis Matos to lead off the seventh. Eight outs from becoming the first pitcher to throw a no-hitter in his first start since the Browns' Bobo Hollman in 1953, Larry Bigbie singled to center to break it up. Joe Torre removed him from the game with a 2-0 lead, but De Paula didn't even get his first career win since Gabe White and Jeff Nelson blew it the next inning.
• Mussina gave the perfecto another try in the first game of the 2004 ALCS, retiring 19 Red Sox in a row before Mark Bellhorn broke it up. The Yankees led 8-0 at the time, but both Mussina and the bullpen faltered. The Red Sox brought it to a one-run game with seven runs in the next two innings, though the Yankees won anyway 10-7.
• Four years prior, Clemens pitched one of the most dominant games in MLB history, striking out 15 Mariners in a one-hit shutout in ALCS Game 4. The one hit he allowed was kind of a fluky double by Al Martin that ticked off Tino Martinez's glove.

More from Pinstriped Bible:

• Yankees Prospects Interview: Saxon Butler
• Baby Bomber Recap 7/16/13: Ronnier Mustelier picks up three hits in rehab appearance
• 2013 MLB All-Star Game: Mariano Rivera named MVP as American League tops National League 3-0
• MLB All-Star Game: Robinson Cano leaves game after hit by pitch
• Yankees Bullpen: How to improve on a strength

The New York Yankees aren't having much luck garnering trade interest in right-hander Phil Hughes thus far, reports Heyman of CBS Sports.

The deadline market is seemingly ripe for selling off starting pitching, but the Yankees have yet to be offered the "right kind of return" for Hughes, according to Heyman's sources. The Yanks are in pursuit of a hitter or two to help their severely depleted offense, but the interest in acquiring Hughes to help make that happen just doesn't appear to be there at the moment.

The Ballad of the All-Star Game Streaker

The story of a recent high school grad who was willed on by social media to run across the field during the MLB All-Star Game, through the eyes of his Twitter, his girlfriend, and his very, very angry mom.

New York started aggressively shopping the right-hander earlier this month -- along with Joba Chamberlain -- but they may have overplayed their initial hand. It was rumored last week that the Yankees' asking price for Hughes was/is "incredibly high," so the current lack of interest could be an attempt to get the Bombers to lower their expectations.

Heyman speculates that the quiet Hughes market has less to do with his price and more to do with teams finding solutions elsewhere or falling out of contention. He posits that the pitcher-friendly parks of the NL West -- Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego -- would have been perfect fits for Hughes, but the Dodgers are no longer looking for starters and the Giants and Padres are likely out of the postseason picture this year. However, there are definitely several teams still in the market for a starter, -- see: Matt Garza rumors -- so Heyman's hypothesis likely doesn't carry much water outside of Pacific Standard Time.

Hughes, 27, is off to a middling start with the Yankees this season, which has been the norm since he returned to the rotation in 2010. The pending free agent owns a 4.57 earned-run average and better than three strikeouts per walk over 102⅓ innings in 18 starts thus far. While he isn't likely to be the savior for a contending club, he could be a solid addition to the back end of a rotation for the second half.

More from SB Nation:

• American League wins, 3-0 | Mo Rivera named MVP

• Mariano Rivera bids farewell to the All-Star Game

• The ballad of the kid who ran on the field at the All-Star Game

• Yoenis Cespedes wins the 2013 Home Run Derby

• Longread: Brooklyn’s field of broken dreams

Yankees catching prospect Gary Sanchez made Fangraphs' 2013 mid-season top 50 prospects list. He was ranked at #34 overall and as the third best catcher in the minors, behind Travis D'Arnaud (#24) of the Mets and Austin Hedges (#26) of the Padres. The 20-year-old has hit .267/.330/.459 with 13 home runs in 334 plate appearances at High-A Tampa this season.

Marc Hulet states that his offense has stalled a bit at High-A, but he still has the potential and plenty of time to be an above-average player. It seemed that Sanchez was having a good enough season to get promoted to Double-A, especially after JR Murphy was sent up to Triple-A and Peter O'Brien was brought up from Low-A, but that hasn't happened yet. The Yankees now have two top catching prospects sharing playing time at the same level, which is unusual. The organization might still want to see more from Sanchez with his defense before finally moving him up.

Gary Sanchez has been consistently ranked as one of the top prospects of the in the system, often switching places with Mason Williams between #1 and #2, depending on the evaluator. The top prospect out of the Dominican Republic could represent the Yankees' best chance at finding an everyday catcher that can hit.

More from Pinstriped Bible:

• CC Sabathia and staring at the face of mediocrity
• Lamenting the near misses in the Yankees' 14-year no-hit drought
• Yankees Prospects Interview: Saxon Butler
• 2013 MLB All-Star Game: Mariano Rivera named MVP as American League tops National League 3-0
• Biogenesis suspensions unlikely in 2013, per Michael Weiner

Second baseman Matt Antonelli has retired from baseball, a source has confirmed to MLBDailyDish's Chris Cotillo. The 28-year old will head head to Wake Forest University in the fall to finish getting his degree, and will become a student assistant coach for the school's baseball team.

Padres to Yankees: We're not giving you Headley

The Yankees asked about the third baseman, but were told that he is not available.

After being drafted 17th overall by the San Diego Padres in the 2006 draft, the Massachusetts native performed well in his first two years in team's minor league system.

Baseball America ranked him as the 50th best prospect in the game prior to the 2008 season, in which he made his major league debut.

In 21 games that season, Antonelli hit .193 with 1 HR and 3 RBI, and returned to Triple-A for the 2009 season. He missed most of the 2010 season due to injury, and signed with the Washington Nationals for 2011.

Since then, he has bounced around the Nationals, Orioles, Yankees and Indians' organizations, and spent the last three seasons at Triple-A.

After three games with Triple-A Columbus this season, the Indians released Antonelli on April 30th. He retires having hit .254 with 44 HR and 214 RBI in eight minor league seasons with the Padres (2006-2010), Nationals (2011), Orioles (2012), Yankees (2012), and Indians (2012) organizations.

More from MLB Daily Dish:

• Padres trade rumors: San Diego looking to sell
• Yankees trade rumors: Hughes, Joba being shopped aggressively
• Giants trade rumors: Tigers, others interested in Tim Lincecum
• Eighty percent chance Garza is traded before start
• Join the MLBDD community and write a fanpost!

Yesterday on Pinstriped Bible

• Off Night Open Thread: Yankees World Series odds, Triple-A All-Stars, Rivera's MVP
• Yankees trade target: Mike Olt
• Alex Rodriguez expected to be in Yankees lineup on Monday
• Yankees trade rumors: Pursuing Justin Morneau, JR Murphy being shopped
• Yankees' Gary Sanchez makes Fangraphs' mid-season prospect list
• CC Sabathia and staring at the face of mediocrity
• Lamenting the near misses in the Yankees' 14-year no-hit drought
• Yankees Prospects Interview: Saxon Butler
• Baby Bomber Recap 7/16/13: Ronnier Mustelier picks up three hits in rehab appearance

Around the Internet

• LoHud | Chad Jennings:Robinson Cano discusses the Yankees' first half, the injuries, and Mariano rivera.
• The Post Game | David H. Katz: Michael Kay recently said that Alex Rodriguez is a distraction from the All-Star Game and has put the Yankees in a bad spot because of the ongoing Biogenesis scandal.
• Grantland | Jonah Keri: The Yankees are the contender most likely to fall off in the second half if they can't replae the likes of Travis Hafner, Lyle Overbay, Jayson Nix, and Vernon Wells.
• Yahoo! Sports | Jeff Passan: A behind the scenes look at Mariano Rivera's moment in the All-Star Game and how his teammates treated him.
• New York Post | Joel Sherman:Curtis Granderson's injuries this season could benefit the Yankees next season because he might re-sign with them because his value is down as a free agent.
• LoHud | Chad Jennings: Injury updates on Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Curtis Granderson, Francisco Cervelli, David Phelps, Jayson Nix, Ronnier Mustelier, Mark Montgomery, Vidal Nuno, and Brennan Boesch.
• The Star-Ledger | Andy McCullough: Alex Rodriguez had a security detail with him for a Double-A rehab game made up of a ragtag group of people that included an ex-professional wrestler.
• ESPN New York | Wallace Matthews: See how everyone did in the Yankees' midseason report card.
• Fox Sports | Ken Rosenthal: There are plenty of teams who could pursue Robinson Cano, but he'll likely be back with the Yankees.
• Baseball Nation | Rob Neyer: Jim Leyland's perceived blunder of pitching Mariano Rivera in the ninth inning was not really that big of an issue for Mo, the game, and the fans.

Quick Hits

Questions of the Day

• Is the All-Star break too long?
• Do you think Mariano Rivera will change his mind about retiring?
• If you could play one musical instrument, what would it be?
• What color is the case on your phone?

Coming Up Today

• Baby Bomber Recap 7/17/13: Peter O'Brien homers in Tampa loss @ 9 am
• Yankees trade rumors: Chase Headley a target in search for bats; deal unlikely @ 10 am
• Yankees second half splits @ 11 am
• Mason Williams is turning his 2013 season around @ 12 pm
• Who was the Yankees' first half MVP? @ 2 pm
• Yankees Trade Chip: Dellin Betances @ 3 pm
• Yankees Prospect Interview: Brett Gerritse @ 4 pm