Halladay, Weaver to start game

Philadelphia's Roy Halladay will start for the National League in tonight's All-Star game against the Los Angeles Angels' Jered Weaver.

The NL batting order has Milwaukee's Rickie Weeks leading off and playing second base, followed by designated hitter Carlos Beltran of the Mets, Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp, Milwaukee first baseman Prince Fielder, Atlanta catcher Brian McCann, St. Louis right fielder Lance Berkman, Cardinals left fielder Matt Holliday, Colorado shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and Cincinnati third baseman Scott Rolen.

The AL has Yankees center fielder Curtis Granderson leading off, followed by Cleveland shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, Boston first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, Toronto right fielder Jose Bautista, Texas left fielder Josh Hamilton, Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre, Boston designated hitter David Ortiz, Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano and Detroit catcher Alex Avila.

Halladay, 11-3 with a 2.45 ERA, started the 2009 All-Star game while with Toronto and will be the fourth pitcher to make an All-Star start for both leagues, following Vida Blue, Roger Clemens and Randy Johnson. Halladay is the first Philadelphia pitcher to start since Curt Schilling in 1999.

Weaver, 11-4 with a 1.86 ERA, is the fifth Angels pitcher to start, following Ken McBride (1963), Dean Chance (1964), Nolan Ryan (1979) and Mark Langston (1993).

Injured stars Reyes, Victorino show up

Much is being made of the big names absent from this year's All-Star game, yet some who are hurt came anyway to show their support for the game and its fans.

Take New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes, who says he has been hurt three of the four times he has made the All-Star team, but has come to the game each time. Or Philadelphia outfielder Shane Victorino. He withdrew because of injury but felt a special obligation to show up because he was the final player chosen for the NL team in an online vote by fans.

But some of the biggest names are no-shows, most notably Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees, who was well enough to go 5-for-5 and get his 3,000th hit with a dramatic home run Saturday, but decided not to make the cross-country trip to the desert.

"I think it's too bad that Jeter in particular is not here, because of what he accomplished over the weekend," Phillies chairman Bill Giles, the honorary NL president, said at a Monday news conference, "and I think it is a bit of a problem and baseball should study it."

David Ortiz said people should cut Jeter some slack.

"He always said yes to the All-Star game," the Boston slugger said of his Yankees rival. "I think he has the right to, whenever he needs a break you know, to pull himself together, especially coming off an injury. I think people need to respect that."

Jackson urges stars to speak out on law

The Rev. Jesse Jackson urged players to speak out against the Arizona immigration law, saying they should follow the example set by Jackie Robinson when he broke the sport's color barrier more than a half-century ago.

Jackson tells The Associated Press that it's too late for the players to withdraw. He says they should play and speak out.

Boston's David Ortiz was among the few players willing to talk Monday about the law. He is from the Dominican Republic and says he would never agree with treating immigrants the wrong way.

Ortiz says he won't get involved with any protests surrounding tonight's game.

A-Rod has knee surgery

Yankees All-Star third baseman Alex Rodriguez had surgery Monday to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee.

The Yankees said Rodriguez was operated on in Miami by Lee Kaplan.

Rodriguez is expected to be out four to six weeks. Kaplan will oversee the early stages of Rodriguez's rehabilitation in Miami.

Rodriguez, who turns 36 later this month, is hitting .295 with 13 home runs and 52 RBIs this season. But the three-time MVP with 626 career home runs has not connected since June 11 and has gone 85 at-bats without a homer, his longest single-season drought.