MLB All Star Game

The 2013 MLB All-Star Game is finally upon us, as the festivities have ended and the fight for home-field advantage in the World Series will soon commence. While everyone knows that the game will transpire, there's one question that everyone needs answered.

When and where can we watch the game?

Let’s be honest: Every hitter in the MLB All-Star Game is capable of a huge performance. No one made it to the Midsummer Classic without having already proven that time and again this season.

But every hitter is going to be facing some tremendous pitching in the game, and there’s a reason the American League and National League haven’t combined for more than eight runs in any of the last five All-Star Games.

With eight of the game's best sluggers gearing up to launch balls into the skies of New York for the Home Run Derby, I figured I'd take a stab at ranking the three sluggers who have the best shot at a title. 

To my amazement, I found there are actually odds posted on the contestants. At first, I wondered what kind of degenerate it would take to gamble on this event. Then I quickly realized it would take a degenerate like me. 

While technology has brought us all increased familiarity with athletes, baseball has remained somewhat localized. For instance, the casual fan in Philadelphia isn't likely to be all that familiar with the pitch arsenal of the Mariners' Hisashi Iwakuma. 

This helps make the All-Star game such a fun event. It also provides an opportunity for players to make an impression on a national level.

The MLB Futures game provides prospects with an excellent opportunity to showcase their skills against other top prospects in front of scouts from around the league. But it won't be long before these minor league All-Stars are playing in the big league version of the game. 

Players like Grady Sizemore, Alfonso Soriano and Jose Reyes have parlayed MVP performances in the Futures Game into multiple All-Star performances later on in their career. 

The 2013 Home Run Derby is just around the corner and each league has a number of talented guys with unbelievable power.

While some players seem poised for quick exits, there are other players who look to have real staying power in the competition.

We'll break down each league's participants, giving a sense of which players have the best chance of winning. 

National League

Bryce Harper

"Back, back, back, back, back...GONE!"

If the fans don't vote Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig into the 2013 All-Star Game it will be a great disservice to the July 16 exhibition. 

The 22-year-old dynamo wasn't named to the initial rosters for the game in New York. But he is included in the list of National League players that fans can vote in, per the MLB's Twitter. 

You can have the NBA three-point contest and entire NFL Pro Bowl weekend. I’ll take the Home Run Derby.

Of all the exhibition events in sports, there isn’t anything quite as entertaining as MLB All-Star weekend’s marquee contest. Forget the game. People dig the long ball.

Most of the 2013 MLB All-Stars were revealed on Saturday, but another phase of the selection process is just beginning. Thanks to the Final Vote, fans can choose additional players for the American and National League rosters.

These are the 10 talented candidates vying for your affection: