Howard's homers

We're watching the home run derby tonight. Man, they certainly drag out this thing.

Ryan Howard's first go-round yielded seven home runs - not a great showing, but enough to advance to the next round to face off against Nelson Cruz (11), Prince Fielder (11) and Albert Pujols (5).

Pujols won the final spot after a three-way bat-off against Carlos Pena and Joe Mauer. How convoluted does baseball have to make one meaningless exhibition contest?

Howard, looking to become just the second-ever repeat derby winner (Ken Griffey Jr. won three), never seemed to get locked in, and I can't decide whether he was purposely pacing himself or it just isn't his night. Christine liked how on his last out to left field, there were no little kids in the area (they must have read the scouting reports). They were soon racing after the ball.

We'll see how it unfolds.

Happy anniversary: With all the hoopla about the All-Star game, I hadn't considered that it's the 10th anniversary of the 1999 classic. The Boston Globe has a photo gallery of the event, marked by Pedro Martinez's dominance (five strikeouts, no hits or walks in two innings) and a touching pre-game ceremony with Ted Williams.

Unfortunately, the game set an annoying precedent for honoring the past in that now baseball always tries to replicate the experience, but it always just feels contrived.

Speaking of Pedro: He's on his way to Philly for a physical and then most likely to become a Phillie.

Future Red Sox stud starter: The Red Sox announced that Clay Buchholz will get a spot start on Friday. They say it's about giving All-Stars Josh Beckett and Tim Wakefield more rest, but I'm not so sure there's not something else in the works.

Oops: I have a confession to make about Christine's "Rookie" of the Year prediction. Details to come on a less eventful night.