MLB:
Reds third baseman Todd Frazier won the Home Run Derby in his home ballpark, defeating Dodgers rookie outfielder Joc Pederson 15-14 in the final. Frazier led the eight competitors with 14 home runs in the first round and finished with 39 overall in defeating Rangers first baseman Prince Fielder, Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson and Pederson. Pederson smacked 13 homers in the first round and 12 in the semifinals before finishing with 39.
Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Zack Greinke will start for the National League in tonight's All-Star Game at Cincinnati on Fox at 7:30 p.m., and Houston Astros lefty Dallas Keuchel will be the first one on the mound for the American League. The 31-year-old Greinke is 8-2 with a major league-best 1.39 ERA after tossing five straight scoreless starts over 35 2-3 inning. The 27-year-old Keuchel is 11-4 with a 2.23 ERA.
Leading off for the AL is Angels center fielder Mike Trout. Toronto third baseman Josh Donaldson bats second, followed by Albert Pujols, Seattle DH Nelson Cruz at cleanup, Kansas City right fielder Lorenzo Cain, Baltimore left fielder Adam Jones, KC catcher Salvador Perez, Houston second baseman Jose Altuve and KC shortstop Alcides Escobar.
Pittsburgh Andrew McCutchen leads off for the NL, followed by Cincinnati third baseman Todd Frazier, leading NL vote-getting Bryce Harper of the Nationals, Arizona first baseman Paul Goldschmidt bats cleanup, followed by Giants catcher Buster Posey, Cubs DH Anthony Rizzo, St. Louis shortstop Jhonny (JAH'-nee) Peralta seven, Dodgers left fielder Joc Pederson and Colorado second baseman D.J. LeMahieu.
By the way, this is the first time the AL starting lineup did not have at least one player from Boston or the New York Yankees.
At the midway mark of the season the division leaders are New York in the American League East with Kansas City on top in the AL Central and the Angels in the AL West. In the National League the top team in the East is Washington with St. Louis leading the Central and Los Angeles the West.
And In a final baseball note, the major league batting average at the All-Star break was .253, according to STATS. It was .252 at the break last year, the lowest since 1972, the year before the American League adopted the designated hitter. Runs per team per game have dropped slightly, from 4.14 at the break last year to 4.10.
NFL:
Dallas Cowboys All-Pro receiver Dez Bryant has posted a message on Twitter stating he will not attend the start of training camp on July 30 unless he has a new contract in place by Wednesday. Bryant has a one-year offer of $12.8 million under the franchise tag, but he is seeking a long-term deal after leading the NFL with 16 touchdowns receiving last season. Since he remains unsigned, Bryant can't be fined for missing training camp.
NBA:
The Memphis Grizzlies have signed All-Star center Marc Gasol to a multi-year contract. Although the Grizzlies didn't release terms of the deal, The Associated Press previously reported Gasol had agreed on a five-year maximum contract worth more than $100 million. He averaged 17.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.62 blocks this past season.
The NBA and Euroleague Basketball have announced that the Boston Celtics will play a preseason game on October 8th against Real Madrid as part of NBA Global Games Madrid 2015 presented by BBVA. Tickets go on sale on Friday. The two teams previously met in 1988.
Golf:
Major champions Mark O'Meara, David Graham and Laura Davies have joined the World Golf Hall of Fame. Inducted posthumously was A.W. Tillinghast, the architect of fabled courses Baltusrol and Winged Foot among more than 200 others. The ceremony was held in St. Andrews, Scotland, in an attempt to develop more interest around the world.
Tennis:
Seventh-seeded Steve Johnson beat Michael Berrer of Germany 6-7 (6), 6-1, 6-2 in the opening round of the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships yesterday. Johnson is one of five seeded Americans slated to play this week in Newport.
Hiking:
An ultramarathoner says he's completed the Appalachian Trail in record time. Colorado resident Scott Jurek reached the summit of Mount Katahdin on Sunday afternoon to complete the 2,189-mile run from Georgia to Maine in 46 days, eight hours. That bests the previous record held by Jennifer Pharr Davis by three hours.
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