All Star

Baltimore Orioles centerfielder Adam Jones got some Top Ten, David Letterman, TV action Monday night from Kansas City, the site of the 2012 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Here's Jones along with some of baseball's best trying their hands at comedy. What do you think? Be honest.

Adam Jones, CF Stats: .289 batting average, 20 HRs, 44 RBIs, 54 runs scored, 19 2Bs, 11 SBs Tidbit: After hitting 16 home runs and knocking in 34 runs through the first two months of the season, Jones only had three homers and seven RBIs in 26 games in June. In eight games this month, he is batting .188 with one home run and three RBIs. Matt Wieters, C Stats: .247 batting average, 12 HRs, 44 RBIs, 35 runs scored, 14 2Bs Tidbit: The switch-hitting Wieters batted .384 in 73 at-bats against left-handed pitchers in the first half and only .200 in 210 at-bats against right-handers, but 10 of his 12 home runs came from the left side.

Despite a struggling offense, holes within their starting rotation and losing 13 out of their past 19 games, the Orioles went into this week's all-star break still clinging to the second wild-card spot. If the season ended today, the Orioles would play the Angels in a one-game, winner-take-all wild-card playoff game. They'd have to face an Angels team that has thoroughly dominated them this season, taking seven of nine games in the now-completed season series. Now all of this would be great to hear from Orioles fans given expectations going into the season.

Jim Johnson's baseball dreams were born just off the banks of the Susquehanna River in the quaint upstate New York town of Endicott. The river flowed just past the left-field line of his high-school baseball field. With a population of about 13,000, it's the epitome of Small Town, USA. This is where Johnson - a self-described 'grinder' - spent his time between the baseball field and the local firehouse, where he was a volunteer firefighter. Had he not pursued baseball, he would have been a fireman.

Steve Ruiz recalls it clearly, shopping in a sporting goods store with his son, Jett, and another 13-year-old who played on Jett's baseball team. Jett rushed down the aisles, handling the bats and gloves. But his friend hung back. Ruiz approached the youngster. "Get whatever you need, Adam," Ruiz said. "Really?" Adam Jones' eyes grew wide. His choices that day were practical ones - a jockstrap and cup. Clutching his purchases, Jones turned to his benefactor. "I'm gonna pay you back, Mr. Ruiz," he said.

Orioles right-hander Jason Hammel finished third in the AL All-Star Game final vote fan balloting, which concluded Thursday afternoon. As expected, Rangers rookie right-hander Yu Darvish won the vote. White Sox right-hander Jake Peavy placed second. Hammel, who is 8-4 with a 3.43 ERA in 16 starts with 97 strikeouts and 86 hits in 99 2/3 innings this season, placed ahead of Royals closer Jonathan Broxton and Angels reliever Ernesto Frieri. He won't be joining Orioles all-star selections outfielder Adam Jones, catcher Matt Wieters and right-handed closer Jim Johnson for Tuesday's game at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter said he's hoping to get right fielder Nick Markakis (wrist surgery), catcher Taylor Teagarden (back) and outfielder Endy Chavez (hamstring) back after the All-Star break. All three could head to Double-A Bowie for rehab assignments by the weekend. Teagarden, who has been out since spring training, caught a Gulf Coast League game today and will join the Baysox on Thursday. Markakis and Chavez could head to Bowie by Friday. Teagarden's impending return is an interesting one. It appears he would join the team immediately once he's ready physically, signaling the end of Ronny Paulino's time with the Orioles.

Regional hero: Freese Ron Fritz Baltimore Sun Why not an almost local hero? David Freese isn't from Kansas City, but he plays for the Cardinals and grew up outside of St. Louis, about a four-hour drive to Kansas City. He led the Cardinals to the title last year and he has more than helped fill in for the departure of Albert Pujols in the offseason. Freese's numbers are way better than Bryce Harper's and Chipper Jones'. They are slightly better than Michael Bourn's and Aaron Hill's.

Major League Lacrosse With 3 goals, Berger named All-Star MVP Stephen Berger (Mount St. Joseph) helped the Old School All Stars defeat the Young Guns, 18-17, Saturday night in Palm Beach County, Fla. Berger scored three times, and the Chesapeake Bayhawks' Steven Brooks scored the eventual game-winning goal with just inside one minute remaining. Berger, a member of the Charlotte Hounds, opened scoring by beating Charlotte teammate and Young Guns goalie Adam Ghitelman from just inside of the 2-point arc. Former Bayhawk Kyle Hartzell (Salisbury)