In his first All-Star game (and his first season in the AL), Matt Clement should enjoy better run support. AP
	Matt Clement, Then And Now Year Team ERA IP HR BB SO 2004 Cubs 3.68 181.0 23 77 190 2005* Red Sox 3.85 117.0 9 35 97 * Through All-Star break

DETROIT -- As happy as Matt Clement is to be at his first All-Star Game, he's upset about at least two things:

1) He wasn't selected on the original roster and had to wait for a pitcher he admires greatly, Roy Halladay, to drop out because of an injury.

2) He should have been here last year, too.

For the first time in his career, Clement sports a glossy win-loss record (10-2) to match his filthy stuff. But as he pointed out Monday while playing meet the press with his fellow new All-Stars, the Red Sox right-hander's performance is nearly the same as it was last season for the Cubs (see chart, right) when he went 9-13. The difference? He has a better team behind him. Clement has the support of an offense that ranks second in the major leagues only to the Yankees in runs scored; last year's Cubs ranked seventh in the NL.

"If you can throw quality starts on [the Red Sox], you're gonna be successful," Clement said.

When (if) Clement takes the mound tonight for the American League All-Stars, he'll be in a spot he has grown accustomed to in the first half: having the better team behind him.

Lopsided lineups

The National League hasn't won the All-Star Game since 1996 and, judging by the starting lineups alone (see chart, right), it doesn't look like the Senior Circuit is going to win this year, either. Barring a couple of breaks going the NL's way -- or another Bud Selig-declared tie -- the AL will walk away winners again.

	American League Lineup Player, Pos. OPS (career) OPS (season) Johnny Damon, CF .786 .858 Alex Rodriguez, 3B .957 .998 David Ortiz, DH .888 .982 Manny Ramirez, LF .1.005 .910 Miguel Tejada, SS .820 .977 Vladimir Guerrero, RF .979 .971 Mark Teixeira, 1B .886 .930 Jason Varitek, C .806 .892 Brian Roberts, 2B .743 1.007
	National League Lineup Player, Pos. OPS (career) OPS (season) Bobby Abreu, RF .931 .955 Carlos Beltran, CF .836 .754 Albert Pujols, DH 1.034 1.017 Derrek Lee, 1B .857 1.186 Jim Edmonds, CF .928 .942 Aramis Ramirez, 3B .803 .905 Mike Piazza, C .938 .748 Jeff Kent, 2B .859 .896 David Eckstein, SS .704 .727

The NL can bang with the AL from lineup slots one through six, but the bottom third of the order tilts strongly in favor of the Junior Circuit with the best-hitting catcher in baseball (Jason Varitek) batting seventh, the AL home-run leader (Mark Teixeira) batting eighth and the man with the second-highest OPS in the league (Brian Roberts, 1.007) hitting ninth. Thankfully for the NL, the AL's top OPS man, Travis Hafner (1.020), was snubbed.

The sooner NL manager Tony La Russa can get his big bats off the bench (Andruw Jones, Miguel Cabrera, Carlos Lee and Morgan Ensberg), the better chance the NL will have, although the AL can counter with Gary Sheffield, Paul Konerko and Alfonso Soriano.

As for the pitching, don't get caught up in the NL staff's glittery ERAs -- just ask Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez and Roger Clemens how much easier it is to pitch in the NL. Top to bottom, the AL staff can match the NL pitcher for pitcher, especially in the late innings with the righty-lefty-righty trio of Joe Nathan, B.J. Ryan and Mariano Rivera.