The 2011 MLB All-Star Game is being broadcast in the UK on BBC 5 Live Sports Extra and ESPN America, with coverage beginning at 1 a.m in the early hours of Wednesday morning UK time.

Many of the headlines surrounding the game have focused on the players that will not be there. 

Sixteen players have withdrawn so far and there’s no denying that the event won’t be quite the same without the likes of Jose Reyes, Alex Rodriguez, Ryan Braun and Derek Jeter taking to the field and CC Sabathia, Justin Verlander, Felix Hernandez, Cole Hamels and Mariano Rivera taking to the mound.

But a quick peek at the starting lineups is enough to allay any fears that it’s an All-Star game in name alone.   

American League

Curtis Granderson, CF 
Asdrubal Cabrera, SS
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Jose Bautista, RF
Josh Hamilton, LF
Adrian Beltre, 3B
David Ortiz, DH 
Robinson Cano, 2B 
Alex Avila, C

National League

Rickie Weeks, 2B
Carlos Beltran, DH
Matt Kemp, CF
Prince Fielder, 1B
Brian McCann, C
Lance Berkman, RF
Matt Holliday, LF
Troy Tulowitzki, SS
Scott Rolen, 3B

They don’t look too shabby to me. Throw Jered Weaver and Roy Halladay out there as the starting pitchers and watching the teams take to the field should still be a great moment. 

In recent years the game has become like a Sven Goran Erikson era England friendly, with virtually everyone getting on the field at some point. That might be where the absentees are missed as the rosters clearly aren’t as deep as they could be, but if a slightly lesser light becomes an All-Star Game hero as a result, that’s no bad thing.

My completely unscientific prediction is that the Cubs’ young shortstop Starlin Castro will come off the bench and hit a dramatic triple to secure a second win in a row for the National League.

And before the Midsummer Classic gets underway, ESPN America is showing a re-run of the 2011 Home Run Derby at 19.00 on Tuesday evening for anyone that didn’t catch it live or who enjoyed it so much they want to see it again. Join in with the call: “back, back, back , back, back, back, back, back  …. gone!”