If you rely on the trends when wagering on baseball's All-Star Game every season you're probably siding with the National League this week, as they're riding a two-game win streak at the contest.
However, the oddsmakers at 5Dimes have the American League pegged as the -122 favorites to win the game, which will be played at the AL ballpark in Kansas City. The National League, who won 3-1 in Anaheim two years ago and 5-1 in Arizona last year, are set as the +112 underdogs at 5Dimes for the matchup.
Overall that now puts the National League at 42-38-2 all-time at the All-Star Game against their counterparts from the Junior Circuit. The American League went 12-0-1 at the game from 1997 to 2009, with the infamous tie coming in the 2002 contest in Milwaukee.
The OVER/UNDER for Tuesday's game at 5Dimes is set at 8.5 runs; the last time the All-Star Game produced nine or more runs was back in 2007 when the American League won by a 5-4 score.
Here are the elected starters for both the American League and National League squads for Tuesday's All-Star Game, with total appearances at the contest in brackets. Kemp will participate in the Home Run Derby but won't play in the All-Star Game; Ryan Braun of the Brewers will instead take his place in the starting lineup.
American League All-Star Starters
CA Mike Napoli, Rangers (1)
1B Prince Fielder, Tigers (4)
2B Robinson Cano, Yankees (4)
3B Adrian Beltre, Rangers (3)
SS Derek Jeter, Yankees (13)
OF Jose Bautista, Blue Jays (3)
OF Curtis Granderson, Yankees (3)
OF Josh Hamilton, Rangers (5)
DH David Ortiz, Red Sox (8)
National League All-Star Starters
CA Buster Posey, Giants (1)
1B Joey Votto, Reds (3)
2B Dan Uggla, Braves (3)
3B Pablo Sandoval, Giants (2)
SS Rafael Furcal, Cardinals (3)
OF Melky Cabrera, Giants (1)
OF Carlos Beltran, Cardinals (7)
OF Matt Kemp, Dodgers (2)
Monday's Home Run Derby has Toronto's Jose Bautista as the 13/4 favorite on the MLB props board at , but he was bounced in the first round of the event last year and will have to contend with a pair of former champions in the field this year.
New York's Robinson Cano won the Home Run Derby last year with 32, while Detroit's Prince Fielder was the champion back in 2009 (when he was still a member of the Brewers) with 23. Cano is at 5/1 at to win again this year, with Fielder at 11/2 odds.
The Dodgers' Matt Kemp, who joined Bautista in a first-round exit at the event last year, is at 5/1 on the Home Run Derby odds as well. The Angels' Mark Trumbo (5/1), the Cardinals' Carlos Beltran (11/2), the Rockies' Carlos Gonzalez (13/2), and the Pirates' Andrew McCutchen (7/1) round out the participants for Monday night.
2012 Home Run Derby - Odds to Win at :
Jose Bautista (TOR) 13/4
Mark Trumbo (LAA) 5/1
Matt Kemp (LAD) 5/1
Robinson Cano (NYY) 5/1
Carlos Beltran (STL) 11/2
Prince Fielder (DET) 11/2
Carlos Gonzalez (COL) 13/2
Andrew McCutchen (PIT) 7/1
