Sale gets start in home state

MIAMI — When

steps onto the mound at Marlins Park on today, he’ll be thinking about his friends, family and former college coach, all of whom will be sitting in the stands when Sale starts the AllStar Game.

But there’s one thing Sale will not allow himself to think about: How the opposing National League starting lineup has a combined 158 home runs this season.

“If you let that creep into your mind,” Sale said, “it’s gonna be a long night.”

The 28-year-old lefty for the Boston Red Sox is no stranger to All-Star Games. This will be his sixth.

But he admitted this one will be different. Sale is from Lakeland, and he played college baseball at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers.

“To be able to experience this with my family and to have a few friends come down as well, it’s awesome,” Sale said.

In his eighth season in the majors and first with the Red Sox, Sale has been one of baseball’s most reliable pitchers. He leads the majors with 178 strikeouts and ranks fourth with a 2.75 ERA.

“I respect the way he goes about each and every start, and how he gives everything he’s got,” Red Sox closer said Monday. “There’s an energy that he brings, and it’s definitely something that’s felt by the team.”

Sale is hoping that he can bring that same energy as his friends and family watch in person tonight.

“Hopefully I’ll be sitting in a rocking chair when I’m 80 years old, telling my grandkids and great grandkids [about this],” he said.

sat in his chair. Chaos ensued.

A few hours before Monday’s Home Run Derby, Judge sat behind a table for the AL’s media availability and was immediately swarmed by a horde of reporters.

Voice recorders pointed at his face and cameras flashed as he fielded questions nonstop for nearly an hour.

The 25-year old Judge fidgeted in his chair.

“I’m still a rookie,” he said. “This is all brandnew to me.”