2006 MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday

MLB players are still coming in and out of the 2006 MLB All-Star game. But America's favorite pastime will STILL see it's top players play on Tuesday.

No matter what.

Barely four days before the All-Star Game comes to PNC Park, changes were made yesterday to the American League roster, as expected, and the National League pitching staff, in a slightly surprising move.

Melancholy Manny Ramirez at long last got his wish, not to mention his manager's, and got out of the 77th annual contest.

As the saga moved into its fourth day, Major League Baseball released a tersely worded announcement on MLB.com saying it ''was informed [Friday] that outfielder Manny Ramirez of the Boston Red Sox will not attend this year's All-Star festivities.''

In one of the worst-kept secrets in the days since Boston manager Terry Francona went public Monday with his prescription of rest for Ramirez (though Francona first mentioned the possibility June 29), AL and Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen officially named one of his former players, Detroit's Magglio Ordonez, as a replacement.

For the record, Ramirez, the American League's leading vote-getter, claimed to have a sore right knee. It was a left hamstring that allowed him to sit out the 2003 and 2000 All-Star Games.

As for the host side's latest transaction, NL and Houston manager Phil Garner named Roy Oswalt to replace Mets pitcher Pedro Martinez, who was placed on the disabled list Thursday with a balky right hip.

Oswalt, who carries a 6-5 record, had just become the first major-league pitcher in four seasons to lose back-to-back complete games.

Meanwhile, Milwaukee's Chris Capuano, the second-place finisher in the Final Vote balloting behind Los Angeles' Nomar Garciaparra, seemed to make a case for his last-minute selection by running his record to 10-4 with a shutout against the Cubs Thursday, which also meant he would be fully rested by then.

Who will win Major League Baseball's MIDSUMMER CLASSIC? Will the boys from the American League (AL) beat the National League (NL)? Or will the National League destroy the American League and prove that they are the real ''major'' league? Bet on Bodog today.

Here are some more odds coming to baseball's MIDSUMMER CLASSIC, otherwise known as the 2006 MLB All-Star Game:

Team to score first in the game:

American League -165
National League +135

Total Hits, Runs, and Errors

Over 30 ½ H+R+E -120
Under 30 ½ H+R+E -110