All-Star Night

After last night's MLB All Star extravaganza, it's time for the future MLBers to shine in their Minor League Mid-Summer Classics...and tonight we have two going down, replete with talent from the local MiLB team around New England.

The AAA All-Star Game takes place in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania and has the honor of a national telecast thanks to the fine folks at MLB Network. Check your local listings, sit back and enjoy. The game begins at 7:00pm EST and will feature Pawtucket Red Sox outfielder Bubba Bell. The International League notables include home run and RBI leader Dan Johnson (Durham Bulls) and New York Yankees top prospect Jesus Montero (Scranton Wilkes-Barre). The Pacific Coast League boasts the likes of outfielder Alex Gordon (Omaha) and former New Hampshire Fisher Cat, catcher J.P. Arencibia (Las Vegas). Carlos Diamond of the Iowa Cubs will start on the hill for the Pacific Coast League while Charlotte Knights ace Carlos Torres will get the ball first for the International League.

About an hour and half drive from Lehigh Valley is Harrisburg, host of the Eastern League All-Star Game. Unfortunately there is no national television coverage and I am still in search of any possible online televised coverage...but in the meantime, we should still have audio play-by-play through MiLB.com. This event features 12 stars from the regional teams. New Hampshire Fisher Cats pitcher Kyle Drabek will have the honors of starting the game for the Eastern Division. Other local Eastern Division starters include New Hampshire outfielders Darin Mastroianni and Eric Thames (DHing), New Britain outfielder Ben Revere and Portland infielders Nate Spears and Ray Chang. Harrisburg pitcher Tom Millone will oppose Drabek on the hill for the Western Division. New Britain Rock Cats manager Jeff Smith is at the helm for the Eastern Division.

Here are the full starting lineups for both teams:

EAST LINEUP
Darin Mastroianni LF (New Hampshire)
Ben Revere CF (New Britain)
Austin Romine C (Trenton)
Brandon Laird 3B (Trenton)
Kirk Niewenhuis RF (Binghamton)
Eric Thames DH (New Hampshire)
Matt Rizzotti 1B (Reading)
Ray Chang, SS (Portland)
Nate Spears 2B (Portland)
Kyle Drabek P (New Hampshire)

WEST LINEUP
Andy Dirks CF (Erie)
Josh Harrison 2B (Altoona)
Hector Gimenez C (Altoona)
Matt Hague 1B (Altoona)
John Drennen LF (Akron)
Tyler Henson RF (Bowie)
Thomas Neal DH (Richmond)
Lonnie Chisenhall 3B (Akron)
Danny Espinosa SS (Harrisburg)
Tom Milone P (Harrisburg)