The All Star voting has begun and is actually concluding fairly soon. Will the teams look like they did last year or will they be really different?

Whether it was nerves, rust or age or a combination of the three John Smoltz had a rough debut inning for the Boston Red Sox.

Whether it was nerves, rust or age or a combination of the three John Smoltz had a rough debut inning for the Boston Red Sox.

Jason Bay had four hits, including his 19th homer and a two-run single that helped break open the game in the eighth inning, and Jacoby Ellsbury’s had the first two-triple game of his career and a pair of singles in the Boston Red Sox’s 11-3 victory against the overmatched Washington Nationals on Tuesday night.

Jason Bay had four hits, including his 19th homer and a two-run single that helped break open the game in the eighth inning, and Jacoby Ellsbury’s had the first two-triple game of his career and a pair of singles in the Boston Red Sox’s 11-3 victory against the overmatched Washington Nationals on Tuesday night.

The word “unceremoniously” seems to apply to this situation : Tom Glavine’s second go-round with Atlanta ended in abrupt, businesslike fashion, which is perhaps appropriate for a player who, as the Braves’ player representative during the acrimonious negotiations that led to the 1994 strike, knows better than most the business side of the game. Unless some other team takes a chance on him, it appears that Glavine’s next stop is Cooperstown

Two BCB favorites reached the 2,000 hit mark yesterday… well, maybe. We know Jason Kendall did

UPDATE: Mike Wood over at the BSO sent me an update saying that the album is available at Barnes & Noble, Fenway Park souvenir stands, and over at Symphony Hall. Also, you can get it straight from the horse’s mouth at www.bostonpops.org .

The Blue Jays are in a strong battle for first in the AL East. It’s an exciting time for this team right now, with the team sitting at the top of the standings. They are, in fact, statistically the best team in the AL, with a 22-12 record and a lot of possibilities for continuing forward.

While most of the nation’s baseball-filled eyes will be looking at the New York - Boston series this weekend, most of the people in the middle of the country will be watching a very different rivalry: the one between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals