Baseball expands rosters to 33

2009 All-Stars

ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK — Baseball is expanding All-Star rosters yet again.

Each league will have 33 players for the July 14 game at St. Louis, with an extra pitcher added to bring the total to 13. The commissioner’s office said Wednesday the extra spot will be a manager’s choice.

There are eight fan-elected starters, eight player-elected pitchers and eight player-elected reserves, with eight players selected by each manager. In addition, a fan Internet vote is held for the final spot in each league.

Rosters were expanded from 30 to 32 after 2002’s 7-7, 11-inning tie in Milwaukee, when both leagues ran out of pitchers. In last year’s 4-3, 15-inning AL victory at Yankee Stadium, every player was used other than San Francisco pitcher Tim Lincecum, who was ill.

Rosters will be announced Sunday.

Also on Wednesday, Dana DeMuth was picked as the umpire crew chief for the All-Star game.

DeMuth, who will call balls and strikes, also worked the All-Star game in 2001 at Seattle (home plate) and 1990 at Chicago’s Wrigley Field (left field).

His crew includes Brian Gorman (first base), Jeff Kellogg (second base), Angel Hernandez (third base), Tim Timmons (left field) and Paul Nauert (right field).

The official scorers will be David O’Brien of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Baseball Writers’ Association of America president), Joe Ostermeier of the Belleville News-Democrat (BBWAA St. Louis chapter chairman) and Gary Mueller, a longtime official scorer in St. Louis.