MINNEAPOLIS -- Mike Matheny had quite the choice for the National Leagues All-Star starter. Courtney Lee Jersey . There was his own Adam Wainwright, the St. Louis Cardinals ace with a 12-4 record and a 1.83 ERA. And there was the Los Angeles Dodgers Clayton Kershaw, 11-2 with a 1.78 ERA and fresh off a 41-inning scoreless streak that ended last week. He chose Wainwright, who will start Tuesday night at Target Field against the Seattle Mariners Felix Hernandez. "Its going to be great catching them," said Milwaukees Jonathan Lucroy, the NL starter behind the plate. "A lot more fun than facing them." When baseballs elite met at Citi Field last year, NL batters managed just three hits in a 3-0 loss. A year earlier in Kansas City, the AL had just six hits in an 8-0 defeat. Never before had consecutive All-Star games ended in shutouts. "Guys are throwing harder. Guys have more pitches," said Philadelphia second baseman Chase Utley, making his sixth All-Star appearance and first since 2010. The big league batting average is at a 42-year low. Strikeouts are at an all-time high. Wainwright and Kershaw are on track to become the first pair of qualifying pitchers in one league with a sub-2.00 ERA since the Mets Dwight Gooden and the Cardinals John Tudor in 1985 -- the last time Minnesota hosted the All-Stars. "Aside from having the ability to win two World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals, I think this has to be one of the highlights of my baseball career to this point," Wainwright said. "One of the coolest things I can say I did is to start a big league All-Star game." Kershaw understood Mathenys decision. "If Im him, Im probably going to pick Adam, too. Its his guy and he had the best half," Kershaw said. Hernandez, the first Venezuela pitcher to start for the All-Stars, also has sterling credentials: an 11-2 record with a 2.12 ERA. He described his task pretty simply: "Just throw zeroes out there and get my team to win. Thats all I got to do," he said. Back in the great pitching era of the 1960s, the game was different. Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Bob Gibson and Juan Marichal expected to finish what they started. Now, flame-throwers come out of the bullpen in the middle of games. "Youre not getting three, four at-bats off of the starter unless youre in trouble and youre losing the game," said Baltimores Matt Wieters, elected as a starting catcher but sidelined following elbow surgery. "I think for a while it was trying to get the starter out of the game so you can get to that fifth, sixth, seventh-inning guy. And now those fifth, sixth, seventh-inning guys are throwing upper 90s with a good breaking ball." In addition to pitchers, the spotlight will be on New York Yankees captain Derek Jeter. The shortstop, who turned 40 last month, is playing his final season and was selected for his 14th All-Star game. Yankees closer Mariano Rivera got an emotional sendoff last year, the All-Stars giving him a solo bow. When Rivera entered in the eighth inning all other players left him the field to himself. Cal Ripken Jr. was given a tribute at the start of the 2001 game at Seattles Safeco Field when Alex Rodriguez told Ripken just before the first pitch to switch positions and move from third base to shortstop, where the Baltimore star spent most of his career. The 40-year-old Ripken then homered in the third inning. And two years ago, Atlantas Chipper Jones was feted with a standing ovation at Kauffman Stadium when he pinch hit in the sixth inning and singled. What will Jeters All-Star finale be like? "I dont go into things with expectations," he said. "Im looking forward to playing the game. Ive pretty much stopped it right there." The game is being played in Minneapolis for the third time, following the NLs 6-5 win at Metropolitan Stadium in 1965 and a dull 6-1 NL victory indoors at the Metrodome in 1985. Oakland, a big league-best 59-36 at the break, has seven All-Stars for the first time since 1975. It got another win on Monday night when Yoenis Cespedes beat Cincinnatis Todd Frazier 9-1 in the final round to become the first repeat champion of the Home Run Derby since Ken Griffey Jr. in 1998 and 99. The Athletics have some incentive for an AL victory in the All-Star game; since 2003, the winners league gets to start the World Series at home, and 23 of the last 28 titles were won by teams scheduled to host four of a possible seven games. "I dont think you can ever underestimate the home-field advantage in a post-season," said AL manager John Farrell, who led Boston to a six-game win over St. Louis last year. "To have that final game potentially in your home ballpark, that goes a long way to affecting the outcome." Custom New York Knicks Jerseys . That little deal worked out in a big way for the Mavericks. Nowitzki had 21 points Tuesday night to pass Oscar Robertson for 10th on the NBAs career scoring list, leading the Mavs to a 95-83 victory over the Utah Jazz. Tim Hardaway Jr. Jersey . -- Martin Kaymer never lost sight of opportunity even amid so much evidence of trouble in the closing stretch Sunday at The Players Championship. http://www.nbaknicksauthority.com/walt-frazier-knicks-jersey-c-14/ .Balotelli uploaded on Instagram a picture of the video-game character Super Mario, with whom the Italy international shares a nickname, with text around the image including jumps like a black man and grabs coins like a Jew.Lionel Messi almost single-handedly restored peace at Barcelona by scoring once and setting up two more goals in a 3-1 win over Atletico Madrid on Sunday, before speaking out about the chaotic week for the Catalan club.Messi passed for goals by Neymar and Luis Suarez before he scored his 25th goal in as many games this season.He then denied media reports by saying he never called for coach Luis Enrique to be replaced. He also shot down speculation that his father had spoken to Premier League powerhouses Chelsea and Manchester City.I never demanded anything in order that I stay because I dont have any intention of leaving, Messi said.While Messi helped Barcelona remain in the Spanish league title hunt, Southampton stunned Manchester United 1-0 in England.____SPAINMessi shredded Atleticos vaunted defence and passed for Neymar to score in the 12th minute and for Suarez to double the lead at Camp Nou in the 35th.He then made up for committing a penalty that led to Mario Mandzukic scoring from the spot in the 57th by scoring himself three minutes from time.After giving Barcelona control of second place, one point behind Real Madrid, Messi put to bed an entire set of rumours following a tumultuous week for the Catalan club that included the firing of its sports director and its president calling for early elections this summer.I have never asked that they replace a coach, and I never would, said Messi. This hurts. And it comes from people who want to hurt the club.Sevilla moved into fourth, two points behind Atletico, with a 2-0 win at Almeria.____ENGLANDA Southampton shirt had to be scrambled from the dressing room before the forgetful Dusan Tadic could enter the Old Trafford pitch.Within minutes, it was being ripped off again as the second-half substitute celebrated scoring the goal that gave Southampton its first win at Manchester United in 27 years.When I wanted to come on, the shirt and shin pads were not there (in the dugout), but I dont know what happened, Tadic said after clinching the victory. This isnt important. Its important we won.Ronald Koemans Southamptton side ended Uniteds 10-game unbeaten run in the Premier League and dislodged the hosts — managed by fellow Dutchman Louis van Gaal — from third place. Frank Ntilikina Jersey. .Arsenal is only a point behind fourth-place United after Alexis Sanchez scored two and created one in a 3-0 victory over Stoke.____FRANCELyon moved to the top of the French league after striker Alexandre Lacazette, one of eight homegrown players in its starting lineup, scored twice in a 3-0 win against Toulouse to take his seasons tally to 19 in 20 games.The win moved Lyon one point clear of second-place Marseille, and an impressive four clear of two-time defending champion Paris Saint-Germain, which continues to struggle despite having five players in its squad costing more than €40 million ($47 million), while the nucleus of Lyons side costs nothing.Lacazette scored twice inside the first 30 minutes and 21-year-old midfielder Nabil Fekir added the other goal just after the break to make it eight league goals in 16 games.Also, fifth-place Monaco is five points behind PSG after drawing 0-0 at home to sixth-place Bordeaux, and seventh-place Nantes drew 0-0 at home to Metz.A minutes silence was held before all matches this weekend in memory of the 17 people killed in a terrorist rampage in Paris this week.____ITALYSerie A leader Juventus won 3-1 at Napoli to move three points clear of Roma, which fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 against Lazio in the capital derby.Miguel Britos levelled for Napoli, cancelling out a stunning Paul Pogba volley, but Juventus restored its advantage five minutes later through Martin Caceres, who was making his first appearance in more than three months.Napoli had a late equalizer ruled out for a foul on Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon before Arturo Vidal sealed the match in stoppage time.Napoli remained fourth, a point behind Lazio after the latters derby disappointment.Francesco Totti scored both of Romas goals in the second period. 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