Tampa Bay Rays All-Star report

Carl Crawford was the first Ray in the game, singling to open the fifth. He stayed in the game in left.

Jason Bartlett went to shortstop for the bottom of the sixth.

Ben Zobrist caught a pop fly in shallow right field in the bottom of the ninth inning to end the game.

Crawford, who went 1-for-3 and robbed Colorado's Brad Hawpe of a home run by snagging the ball as it cleared the top of the leftfield fence in the seventh inning, was named MVP.

Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria did not play.

All-Star Game Red Carpet Parade photos

All-Star players and coaches, plus honored guests such as US Airways pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, paraded through downtown St. Louis on their way to Busch Stadium for Tuesday night's Midsummer Classic. Rays third baseman Evan Longoria, elected a starter but scratched from the game because of a finger infection, rode in the parade with team orthopedist Dr. Koco Eaton. Here are a few photos.

[Patty Cox | Times]

Rays manager Joe Maddon, with his wife Jaye, tosses a ball toward a fan.

3B Evan Longoria says missing All-Star Game "unfortunate," Rays are "priority one"

Rays 3B Evan Longoria said the decision to sit out the All-Star Game was made in consultation with manager Joe Maddon as a result of doing what was best for the AL All-Star team and for the Rays.

Longoria said it was "unfortunate" he was sidelined by a right ring finger infection, but was confident - putting the odds at "95 percent" - he would be ready when the Rays resume play Friday in Kansas City.

"Obviously, me and Joe went back and forth on what to do,'' Longoria said. "Being here and being with the American League club it would be a disservice to them to go out there and try to play and win a game when I'm not up to full health. Me and Joe talked about it last night and ... I was okay with it. I think we need a good team here. Obviously, priority one is the Rays and being healthy for Friday's game.''

 Longoria will leave Wednesday morning for Los Angeles to attend the ESPY awards then rejoin the team for Friday's game in Kansas City, getting to skip Thursday's workout. Longoria said he " shouldn't miss any regular season games" because of the infection and didn't need any further treatment, just time for the antibiotics to work and the cut to heal following Monday's attempt to drain it.

He said his fingertip was sore for two days but he didn't tell the trainers and it progressed from there: "I've got a couple of swollen spots on my arm which kind of alarmed me that something else was going on so I had it checked out and obviously just pump antibiotics in and let the infection go away.''

Tampa Bay Rays 1B Carlos Pena hits five HRs in derby, reaches swing-off before ouster

UPDATE, 9:53: Pena is out as hometown hero Albert Pujols hit two to win the "swing-off" and advance to the second round.

UPDATE: Pena hit one homer and made four outs in his alloted five swings. Mauer didn't hit any, though one ball hit high on the CF wall and he is out.

UPDATE, 9:40: Pena is in a five-swing swingoff for a spot in the next roun, tied with Joe Mauer and Albert Pujols.

UPDATE: Carlos Pena hit five homers in the derby before making his 10th out, which was good enough for thrid place at the time.

UPDATE: Pena has five homers and eight outs.

UPDATE: Pena has four homers to left-center, and four outs.

UPDATE: So far, three outs, no homers.

- - -Pena is about to step up. Scott McNulty, the Rays batting practice pitcher is throwing to him.

Thus far, Texas' Nelson Cruz and Milwaukee's Prince Fielder have 11 each, San Diego's Adrian Gonzalez has two and Brandon Inge had none.

Tampa Bay Rays 1B Carlos Pena is hitting fifth in tonight's home run derby.

All Star lineups, with Longoria 7th and other things

AL president Jackie Autry (former Angels owner) gives glowing intro of Joe Maddon (former Angels coach) and ends by pointing out he got married and is now "forbidden fruit."

Maddon has some fun, too. Revealing his lineup by saying Ichiro, and then using first names for rest of players - Derek, Joe, etc.

For AL
Suzuki, rf
Jeter, ss
Mauer, c
Teixeira, 1b
Bay, lf
Hamilton, cf
Longoria, 3b
Hill, 2b
Halladay, p

Maddon considered Longoria fifth but opted to do it other way.

Roy Halladay will start for AL, Tim Lincecum for NL.

NL lineup:
Ramirez, ss
Utley, 2b
Pujols, 1b
Braun, rf
Ibanez, lf
Wright, 3b
Victorino, cf
Molina, c
Lincecum, p

Tampa Bay Rays Evan Longoria has finger infection; says 'we'll see' about playing in All-Star Game

UPDATE: Longoria just got back from the doctor, where he had his finger drained, and said he will workout tonight with hopes of playing. "We'll see," he said. "I'm hoping to play. I'm not bailing on anything. I'll work out tonight and see how it is."

UPDATE: Manager Joe Maddon said he didn't know anything about Longoria's injury until this morning but remains hopeful he will be able to start. "We're hoping he will play,'' Maddon said. "When we talked to the doctor (both team doctors, Koco Eaton and Mike Reilly, are here) he was kind of optimistic that he'll be able to play.''   

NEWS: It doesn't sound serious and isn't expected to keep him from playing In the All-Star Game, but Rays 3B Evan Longoria has an infection on the ring finger of his right hand.

He is likely to get it checked out today here in St. Louis. Assuming it is okay, Longoria will bat seventh in  Maddon's AL lineup.

Tampa Bay Rays All-Stars to get pre-game sendoff Saturday

In kind of a neat idea, the Rays' All-Stars players and coaches will be presented their All-Star jerseys by the Majestic uniform company on the field before Saturday's game as a "sendoff" celebration.

Majestic started the program last year, with a spokesman saying the concept is "just like a high school pep rally,'' allowing the fans to salute the players and coaches, and for them to them to reciprocate by thanking the fans.

The Rays have 12 uniformed personnel heading to St. Louis: players Jason Bartlett, Carl Crawford, Evan Longoria and Ben Zobrist; manager Joe Maddon; coaches Tom Foley, Steve Henderson, George Hendrick, Jim Hickey, Dave Martinez and Bobby Ramos; and bullpen catcher Scott Cursi.

In an amazing coincidence, Majestic has arranged for a "limited supply" of All-Star jerseys to be available at the Trop gift shop starting tonight.

2 p.m. UPDATE: Tampa Bay Rays Carlos Pena still 4th in All-Star vote

Tamoa Bay Rays 1B Carlos Pena remains fourth in the 2 p.m. update, with Detroit's Brandon Inge holding a slight lead over Texas' Ian Kinsler in a tight battle for the top spot. Voting ends at 4 p.m.

NOON UPDATE: Tampa Bay Rays 1B Carlos Pena still fourth as All-Star voting winds down

UPDATE, 12:30: 1B Carlos Pena remains fourth in the noon update, with Detroit's Brandon Inge and Texas' Ian Kinsler in a tight battle for the top spot.

NEWS: The t-shirts, billboards and laptop computers in the stadium aren't doing it as Tampa Bay Rays 1B Carlos Pena remains fourth in the voting for the final spot on the AL All-Star team.

As of the 8 a.m. update, Pena trailed Detroit's Brandon Inge, Texas' Ian Kinsler and Los Angeles Chone Figgins (of Brandon). Voting on mlb.com ends at 4 p.m. today. There will be additional updates at noon and 2 p.m. today.

Rays All-Stars thrilled with honor

The Rays chosen for the All-Star Game were predictably thrilled:

INF/OF Ben Zobrist, on how far he's come to be an All-Star:
"I just think back to a couple years ago, and how humbled I was by that situation, getting sent down to Triple-A and getting injured later on that year, and getting injured the beginning of 2008, too. It was definitely difficult, but now after making some strides at the end of last year and I feel like I'm making some strides this year, it was far beyond what I thought was going to happen coming into the year. I'm very blessed."

And on getting to play in St. Louis:
"It's going to be extremely special because St. Louis was my first baseball town in the big leagues that I'd ever been to a game. Well, I had been to Kansas City, but that I had really remembered going to games as a kid and ejoying times with friends there and watching guys in the big leagues at that time. Growing up when you're kind of in your formitive baseball years, so it'll be very special to play in probably the only All-Star I would have ever had the chance to play in St, Louis, will be this one. I was just telling my dad on the phone that If i never get to play in any other All-Star game, this would have been the one I would have wanted to play in."

SS Jason Bartlett, on his first selection:
"It's an exciting feeling. It's always been a dream. I texted my brother last night, 'who would have thought that I would go from playing wiffle ball in the front yard to being a major-league All-Star?" It really didn't hit me until I laid in bed last night. I realized that not too many people get this opportunity.

LF Carl Crawford, on being voted in by the players for his third:
"I get excited about it every time. It never gets old.  ... Players vote, and they know what's what. It always feels better when the players vote you in."

3B Evan Longoria on being voted the AL starter:
“I think it shows a lot about the steps that the team has taken, as far as the fans’ eye. And it’s definitely a huge honor, obviously with the caliber of third basemen there are in the American League, to be the leading vote getter is just a tremendous honor.”