MLB All-Star Game: Why Bryce Harper deserves to be there

The All-Star Game doesn’t really count for anything anymore.

The experiment of playing for home-field advantage in the World Series is gone.

The idea of league pride disappeared with daily interleague play, along with the constant shuffling of players switching teams and leagues.

Gone are the days when Bob Gibson and Nolan Ryan refused to talk to hitters in their own All-Star clubhouse for fear they might get to like them and not drill them with a pitch when necessary.

Still, with so much tradition seeping out of the game, we still love the Midsummer Classic, although considering that we’ll be so far beyond the season’s halfway mark by July 17, we should change the nickname to the 5/8th Classic.

It looks like again this will be our only chance on a national stage to see Mike Trout, now seven full seasons into his major league career with seven All-Star nods to match.

All-Star Game: Rosters, reserves and fun facts aplenty

This might be the last time seeing local favorites Bryce Harper and Manny Machado representing the Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles at the All-Star Game. Who knows, with the way trade talks with the Los Angeles Dodgers and others are starting to heat up for Machado, he might not even be an Oriole by next week.

There will be those who argue that Harper doesn’t deserve to be an All-Star for the sixth time, citing his .218 batting average and whopping 91 strikeouts. Yet he still has 21 homers and 50 RBI.

Besides, let’s remind everyone again, it is only an exhibition game. It’s for sheer enjoyment. The game will be played in his ballpark. And it might be his last time in the spotlight for the Nats considering their enduring first-half struggles.

Harper, who plans to participate in the Home Run Derby, has no reason to apologize for playing in an exhibition game in his hometown.

Really, if we had our druthers, the All-Star Game should be expanded by one honorary spot for each team. A year ago in Miami, Ichiro Suzuki should have been in the All-Star Game. This year, Albert Pujols of the Los Angeles Angels and Adrian Beltre of the Texas Rangers would be ideal. They’re the most recent members of the 3,000-hit club, they’re headed to Cooperstown, and who wouldn’t want to see them take their hacks in the All-Star Game?

Maybe seeing Pujols at the All-Star Game for the first time since departing St. Louis would ease the pain of being cheated out of a Max Scherzer-Justin Verlander matchup. The two former Detroit Tigers teammates and future Hall of Fame classmates looked as if they were all lined up to start against each other. It changed when the Houston Astros juggled their rotation with Verlander now starting next Sunday, the last day before the break, keeping him from pitching in the game.

Well, at least we’ll be able watch the genius of Scherzer (11-5, 2.33 ERA, league-leading 177 strikeouts). He’s the first person in baseball history to receive a $210 million contract, and be grossly underpaid.

The game, again, will be filled with feel-good and comeback stories that captivate our attention.

Only in Hollywood could anyone imagine that Matt Kemp would be returning to his first All-Star Game in six years, after he was the longest of shots to make the Dodgers’ opening-day roster, let alone be their first-half MVP.

No All-Star shares Miles Mikolas’ itinerary. He was optioned nine times, traded twice, released once and spent the last three years in Japan before signing a two-year,

$15.5 million deal with the Cardinals.

Who would ever have believed that Mikolas (9-3 record and 2.63 ERA) would be the pitcher coming from Japan to be in his first All-Star Game, and not Shohei Ohtani?

Still, even though we would have loved to see Ohtani pitch, hit and participate in the Home Run Derby, we’ll get to see Milwaukee Brewers reliever Josh Hader strike out every batter he faces. We’ll enjoy New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom’s reaction watching his teammates finally score runs for him.

And in a game that only continues to skew younger, a pair of 21-year-old second basemen will demand our attention. Atlanta Braves star Ozzie Albies powered his way here with a startlingly potent first half.

Meanwhile, Gleyber Torres didn’t make his major league debut until April 22. Talk about instant respect: His 15 homers and .905 on-base plus slugging (OPS) inspired his AL peers to vote him onto the roster.

There, of course, will be the debate who was most robbed. Was it Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Blake Snell, Dodgers infielder Max Muncy, Brewers first baseman Jesus Aguilar, Mariners starter James Paxton, Mariners shortstop Jean Segura or Astros starter Charlie Morton? Save your breath. There are always plenty of injuries and replacements. They should all be All-Stars by game time.

The first All-Star Game in our nation’s capital since 1969 might not provide the same indelible memories as the last time at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium. It was a time when 17 future Hall of Famers adorned the field, with Willie McCovey homering twice for the National League in the victory and Washington Senators slugger Frank Howard delighting the hometown crowd with a homer.

Considering baseball’s putrid offensive numbers these days, just seeing three consecutive hits might be our spine-tingling moment.

Times have changed. The All-Star Game doesn’t have nearly the same significance, but for all of the players and fans who are there, it’s still a thrill that will never be forgotten.

And that will never change.

Diamondbacks have MLB's biggest home field disadvantage

PHOENIX — The guy screamed into the microphone before the start of the Arizona Diamondbacks-Los Angeles Dodgers game last week, trying to get the subdued crowd riled up.

Finally, he stood in front of the crowd, and dramatically tore off his D-backs jersey, revealing the slogan on his chest.

“BEAT LA!’’

Home Run Derby lineup set: Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge top ...

AP

NEW YORK (AP) — Defending champion Giancarlo Stanton will be the top seed in the Home Run Derby on Monday night at his home ballpark in Miami.

Stanton received the No. 1 seed after winning the event during All-Star week last year in San Diego. He will face New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez, the No. 8 seed, in the opening round at Marlins Park.

Yankees rookie Aaron Judge, who leads the majors with 29 home runs, is the No. 2 seed and will square off against seventh-seeded Justin Bour of the hometown Marlins. Another rookie, No. 3 seed Cody Bellinger of the Los Angeles Dodgers, is paired with sixth-seeded Charlie Blackmon of Colorado. No. 4 seed Mike Moustakas from the Kansas City Royals is matched against Minnesota slugger Miguel Sano, the fifth seed.

Major League Baseball announced the bracket Wednesday night. After Stanton, players were seeded based on their home run totals through Tuesday's games. In the case of a tie, the higher seed went to the player who reached his current total first.

MORE MLB:

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For Marlins, All-Star Game puts team's dysfunction - and imminent sale - in spotlight

Logan Morrison blasts MLB over Gary Sanchez's Home Run Derby selection

Gary Sanchez fires back at Logan Morrison on Derby snub: 'Not my fault he wasn't invited'

Highlights from the 1975 MLB All-Star Game in Milwaukee

July 15 marks the 45th anniversary of the 1975 All-Star Game at County Stadium in Milwaukee, a close game won by the National League, 6-3.

The night served as a celebration of Hank Aaron, one of the faces of Milwaukee baseball who was acquired by the Brewers before the season. Aaron was appearing in his 21st and final All-Star Game, with 11 of those wearing a Milwaukee Braves uniform.

Here were the highlights from the night.

Hank Aaron got two standing ovations

Hank Aaron didn't rush out to the base line with the rest of the reserves during pregame introductions, lingering back near the dugout, a move that enabled an even rowdier pregame ovation.

Fans rose to their feet for the occasion, and they were back on their feet in the second inning when Aaron was announced as the game's first pinch hitter and stepped in against NL starter Jerry Reuss.

Aaron hit a broken-bat line drive to shortstop Dave Concepcion that was initially ruled a trap by one of the umpires, but third-base ump Bruce Froemming — a Milwaukee native himself — overruled the call. Aaron was out, the inning was over and Aaron's All-Star Game career was complete.

Everyone got excited in the sixth for Yaz's home run

The NL held a 3-0 lead until the sixth, when Carl Yastrzemski lifted a pinch-hit three-run home run to tie the game on the first pitch he saw from Tom Seaver.

To add to the frenzy, Brewers first baseman George Scott stepped to the plate for the next at-bat, giving the hometown crowd reason to stay fired up. But Scott struck out, part of an 0-for-3 showing for Milwaukee players in the game (Scott and Aaron).

There were Cubs fans on hand in 1975, too

Cubs infielder Bill Madlock, the leading hitter in the National League, was given a warm round of applause during pregame introductions. Apparently, the Cubs fans were eager to travel north back then, too. Phillies left fielder Greg Luzinski, a Chicagoland native, also got a swell of support.

Madlock also came up in a big spot in the ninth with the bases loaded in a 3-3 game. His bouncer down the third-base line against White Sox pitcher Goose Gossage scored two runs and probably would have plated a third, but an errant return throw from the plate to third base struck Cardinals manager Red Schoendienst (serving as the NL's third-base coach) and stayed near the infield.

Schoendienst played briefly with the Milwaukee Braves during his Hall of Fame career. Pete Rose later drove in the runner from third anyway with a sacrifice fly to cap the three-run rally.

Madlock was named co-MVP along with near-namesake Jon Matlack of the Mets, who threw two scoreless innings of relief. It was the first time co-MVPs were named in the All-Star Game.

Henry Kissinger was there, and so was his security team

Secretary of State Henry Kissinger sat just behind home plate alongside baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn, and he was tasked with throwing out the ceremonial first pitch. Meanwhile, Secret Service agents manned the stadium's concourses and the roof, keeping watch over the then-record 51,480 fans in attendance.

It marked the first all-star game in which the two sides picked honorary captains. Stan Musial represented the National League, and Mickey Mantle as on hand for the American League.

Gene Tenace was not beloved

The local crowd seemed to hold a particular grudge against members of the Oakland Athletics, namely Gene Tenace and Bert Campaneris, during pregame introductions.

Tenace had defeated Scott in fan voting for the first-base spot in the starting lineup, and he was booed heartily during introductions, even though Scott finished down in the totals. To a lesser degree, Campaneris was frowned upon for finishing ahead of 19-year-old Brewers shortstop Robin Yount in the fan voting.

Scott struck out in both of his at-bats, including in the ninth.

Parts of the stadium ran out of beer

The huge crowd meant several sections of the stadium ran out of beer. Beer vendors sold 60,000 bottles of beer and 300 half-barrels (equivalent to another 49,500 bottles).

Elsewhere in beer facts, Bernie Brewer slid into his mug after Los Angeles Dodgers star Steve Garvey — ostensibly playing for the opposing team — homered leading off the second, followed by a home run from teammate Jim Wynn. Bernie went down his slide again on the Yaz home run.

Other Brewers connections

Brewers manager Del Crandall was selected to the coaching stuffstaff. Reuss, who started the game, went on to spend part of the 1989 season in Milwaukee at 40 years old, and future Brewers Don Sutton and Rollie Fingers were both on their respective all-star rosters. Fingers didn't pitch; Sutton worked two innings.

Steve Busby, who threw a no-hitter against the Brewers one year earlier, was touched up for a run on four hits in two innings of work.

JR Radcliffe can be reached at (262) 361-9141 or jradcliffe@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JRRadcliffe.

MLB lockout is doing more damage to baseball every single day

JUPITER, Fla. — There was no Twitter during the 1994-95 strike that resulted in the cancellation of the World Series.

The internet wasn’t around during baseball’s first seven work stoppages.

These days you don’t need a laptop, iPad or cellphone to gauge the level of anger spewing during baseball’s lockout.

All-Star selections prove a crapshoot

Dan Schlossberg

Special for USA TODAY Sports

History of how players are selected to the All-Star Game

No matter who's picking%2C trying to win popularity contest isn't possible

Fans did not always pick the starting lineups for the All-Star Game.

In the 80 years since the initial "Game of the Century" was played in Chicago, various electoral methods have been tried. Most led to controversy, and complaints have always been common.

Today's complicated system, with its combination of fan vote at ballparks and online, player vote and manager vote, also has its detractors. Fans pick the starting lineups, players pick position backups and eight pitchers and All-Star managers pick eight position players plus five starting pitchers and three relievers. Fans then select the "Final Vote" player for each league from among five choices. Pitchers who started on the Sunday before the Tuesday All-Star Game are replaced so that fresh arms are available.

Historian David Vincent, co-author of the book The Midsummer Classic: The Complete History of Baseball's All-Star Game, isn't sure what voting system works best.

"Fans want to see good players," says Vincent, a longtime Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) member and author. "They don't want to see somebody hitting .110.

"When it comes down to it, the All-Star Game is an exhibition played to entertain the fans. In the final analysis, I don't have a problem with fan voting, because it's always been a game for the fans."

That being said, he has issues with the selection system.

"If you get someone who wants to vote for his favorite player 8,000 times, that will skew the results," he says. "The fact that every team has to be represented even though not every team has someone deserving causes problems in trying to fill out the roster. If you've got to take Player X from Team Y, that bumps somebody more deserving. In selecting outfielders, do you pick left, center and right or just three guys? In my way of thinking, you pick the guys having the best seasons and let it fall out from there."

Longtime Houston Astros broadcaster Milo Hamilton says the player vote should count more heavily, the fan vote starts too early and nobody should be encouraged to vote up to 35 times for the same player.

"Fans should not be able to sit at a computer and just count, count, count, count, count," says Hamilton, who concluded his 60-year tenure in the booth last year. "They should not give the fan vote so much credit."

***

Questionable choices

Throughout the All-Star Game's history, the selection process has been scrutinized.

Fans were accused of stuffing the ballot box in 1956, 1957, 1988, 1997 and 1999, but managers also were charged with favoritism when they picked the teams.

Two players with batting averages below .200 even managed to sneak into the starting lineups — in the same year.

The most memorable year in the history of All-Star voting might have been 1974, when Luis Aparicio was selected as the American League's starting shortstop, even though he had been released by the Boston Red Sox before the season started.

That spring, Bill Freehan, who had been playing first base without much distinction for the Detroit Tigers, finished second in the fan voting as a catcher. "I've got no business being second this year," the former catcher said at the time. "It's the fans' game, and they ought to be able to pick who they want. But that's no guarantee they're going to pick the most deserving players."

The 1974 voting also produced a rare write-in starter — the second since Atlanta Braves outfielder Rico Carty was left off the 1970 ballot after hitting .342 the previous year.

Steve Garvey, omitted from the 1974 fan ballot because he had been playing both infield corners for the Los Angeles Dodgers, did so well during the first half that his fans mounted a successful write-in campaign. Garvey rewarded them with MVP trophies for both the All-Star Game (his first of two in the midsummer classic) and the regular season.

Fellow Dodger Davey Lopes also carved a niche in All-Star annals but only because a player strike shaved seven weeks off the 1981 schedule. When play stopped June12, the speedy but slump-ridden second baseman was hitting .169. With no chance to boost that average before play resumed with the All-Star Game on Aug.9, Lopes earned the dubious distinction of starting an All-Star Game with the lowest batting average.

Reggie Jackson came close that year. The bespectacled slugger of the New York Yankees was picked by the fans despite a .199 average when play ended.

"I don't deserve to go, but I got people who voted for me," Jackson told The New York Times. He said he considered withdrawing but changed his mind after Frank Robinson, a perennial All-Star two decades earlier, said the fans wanted him to play.

In 1988, Oakland Athletics fans made a successful push for the selection of catcher Terry Steinbach, whom critics said was unworthy of cracking the AL's lineup. Steinbach responded by winning All-Star MVP honors.

When the fans made Mike Schmidt the National League's starting third baseman in 1989, he didn't play; he had retired two months before the All-Star Game.

Juan Gonzalez, twice MVP in the AL, rejected a role as a 1997 sub after fans created a starting lineup that featured four Seattle Mariners and three Baltimore Orioles.

Two years later, the commissioner's office disallowed the 39,000 Nomar Garciaparra votes cast by a single fan. The Boston shortstop still had more than enough votes to start in front of his hometown fans at Fenway Park.

Because the All-Star Game, like the World Series, is a showcase event sanctioned by the commissioner, the baseball czar has always paid close attention to the selection process.

When Cincinnati supporters elected five Reds to the NL lineup in 1956, Ford Frick started having doubts about the fan vote. When they picked seven hometown favorites a year later, he acted. Frick not only replaced Wally Post and Gus Bell with Hank Aaron and Willie Mays, but he also stripped fans of their right to vote.

***

Expanding rosters

For the next 12 years, All-Star lineups were chosen by players, coaches and managers. To ensure objectivity, they were barred from voting for teammates.

The fan vote returned under promotion-minded Bowie Kuhn in 1970, with computerized ballots distributed at ballparks, but changed dramatically with the advent of online voting in 2003.

All-Star roster size increased as the leagues expanded, jumping from the original 18 of 1933 to the present 34.

"That's too many," Hamilton says. "Think of the weight that Fox television puts on the game. What's their slogan? 'Now the All-Star Game means something.' Didn't it always mean something? When Stan Musial and Red Schoendienst hit extra-inning home runs to win games, didn't that mean something?"

According to Hamilton, Houston's baseball radio voice from 1985 to 2012, "Under the present regime, they think every ballplayer ought to be included. Maybe in the last year or two, the Astros wouldn't have had anybody. I think they should pick one from every team but have enough guts to tell some of those players they're not going to get into the game — they'll just be introduced along the foul lines.

"They'll still be part of it and have the thrill of being on an All-Star team. And I'd carry it further and have the managers tell the players they can't rush out of the clubhouse and onto a private plane. It's a team affair, and they've made it doubly important, because whomever wins gets World Series home advantage. Players should stick around and be part of the team til the very end."

Although the one-man, one-vote system employed from 1958 to 1969 was designed to ensure fairness, baseball historian Vincent has his doubts.

"The voting for the All-Star Game is nothing more than a popularity contest," he says. "You can see that when teams are home, their players move up in the voting. When teams go on the road, some other team's players move up. There's a lot of promotion going on at the ballparks, where they hand out ballots and encourage people to go on the Internet and vote til their fingers fall off."

***

Common complaints

In 1935, when managers picked the teams, Tigers slugger Hank Greenberg was bypassed by his own manager, Mickey Cochrane, because fellow first basemen Lou Gehrig and Jimmie Foxx were on the AL squad. Little did it matter that Greenberg had 110 RBI at the break.

Critics also carped when Yankees manager Joe McCarthy played five of his own players for the whole game in 1939 and named a record nine to the team (starting six) three years later. In reaction, McCarthy kept all six of the Yankees he selected for the 1943 game on the bench.

Nearly 60 years later, Joe Torre was accused of taking too many men in pinstripes. He and Arizona Diamondbacks manager Bob Brenly, All-Star opponents because both met in the preceding World Series, took many of their own players and coaches to the 2002 game. Perhaps too many.

When it comes to picking the All-Stars, it's just not possible to please everybody.

Former Associated Press sportswriter Dan Schlossberg is the author of 35 baseball books.

Joe Kelly: Dodgers reliever a folk hero in L.A. and baseball world

As of Thursday morning, there was no sign of a public fund set up to help Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Joe Kelly in his appeal of an eight-game suspension handed down by Major League Baseball.

“It’s just a matter of time,’’ said Steve Mason, a longtime TV and radio broadcaster in Southern California. “Right now, he’s like the most popular guy in town.’’

Actually, Kelly might now be the popular guy in baseball.

Certainly among baseball fans waiting on revenge for Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scandal.

Dodgers fans in particular were eager for payback heading into Tuesday’s game between the Dodgers and Astros in Houston. It was the first time the teams had faced each other since Major League Baseball's investigation revealed the Astros had violated league rules related to sign stealing during the 2017 and '18 seasons, which the former ended with the Astros beating the Dodgers in Game 7 of the World Series.

And that moment arrived.

Tuesday at Minute Maid Park in Houston.

Bottom of the sixth inning.

Enter Joe Kelly.

He fired a 96-mph fastball behind the head of Astros slugger Alex Bregman; mocked shortstop Carlos Correa; precipitated a benches-clearing staredown; and sparked a notable hashtag.

#JoeKellyFightClub

After MLB announced Wednesday it was suspending Kelly — despite the pitcher’s denial he had intentionally thrown at the Astros players — a new hashtag quickly surfaced.

#FreeJoeKelly

“Did Joe do something?’’Andrew Checketts, who recruited Kelly to the University of California at Riverside, asked with a laugh when reached by phone Wednesday. “He’s fun to watch.’’

For example, there’s the video posted online by Kelly’s wife in April that shows him in his backyard. Standing in front of a pitcher’s net, Kelly throws a ball that sails right of the net and crashes through a kitchen window.

A day after Kelly’s less-than-precise pitching against the Astros, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was asked if Kelly was just playing a long con when he blew out his own window during quarantine.

"I don't think that Joe is that far ahead of things," Roberts said. “I just think it speaks to his ability or inability at times to not hit the target."

But Kelly hit the target, all right, in his one-inning outing during a 5-2 victory that might go down as among the most relished in Dodger dog history.

“I love Joe Kelly,’’ tweeted Orel Hershiser, the former Dodgers pitcher who was a three-time All-Star and the World Series MVP in 1988.

Steve Garvey, the former Dodgers first basemen who was a 10-time All-Star, recalled full-scale brawls during his career but added of Kelly’s outing, “It’s kind of fun.’’

“Harmless, but a psychological stimulant,’’ he added.

SUSPENSION: MLB suspends Dodgers RP Joe Kelly eight games

VENGEANCE: Dodgers get upper-hand in series against Astros

The GIF moment is the pouty face Kelly wore after he struck out Correa. He also jawed at Correa, who struck out swinging, and Astros manager Dusty Baker said Kelly’s exact words were “Nice swing, b----.’’

So of course T-shirts featuring those words quickly went up for sale through web sites like Dodgers Nation, run by Brook Smith. Less than 24 hours, Smith said, he’d sold 850 T-shirts at about $25 a pop.

No one seems to be having more fun than the Internet where, thanks for spoofers and photo-shop artists you can find a photo of Barack Obama placing the Presidential Medal of Freedom around Kelly’s neck; Kelly pushing a stroller occupied by a toddler-sized Correa; and don’t forget the Wikipedia fun. Or, as Wikipedia termed it, “vandalism.’’

After Kelly’s performance Tuesday, the pitcher’s Wikipedia included this addition: “He is also the father of Carlos Correa.’’

For the record, Kelly is actually the father of three young children and the husband of Ashley Parks, daughter of former Minnesota Twins catcher Derek Parks. A few other noteworthy facts on the back of his figurative baseball card:

Age: 32.

A champ: Won a World Series ring with the Boston Red Sox in 2018.

DNA check: A distant relative of “Machine Gun Kelly,’’ the deceased American gangster. (At least that’s what it says in Joe Kelly’s college bio in the media guide at UC Riverside, where he played from 2007 to '09.)

JoeKellyFightClub T-shirts went on sale in 2018 after Kelly hit Tyler Austin of the New York Yankees in the ribs with a pitch, triggering a benches-clearing brawl that left him trading punches with Austin.

#JoeKellyFightClub was born.

During the six-game suspension for his part in that brawl, Kelly was photographed watching one of the Red Sox games from the bleachers at Fenway Park.

Kelly’s bio from the UC Riverside media guide offers some insight into the pitcher.

He listed “Bull Durham’’ as his favorite movie, and Kelly’s story bears faint resemblance to that that of the fictitious Nuke LaLoosh, the hard-throwing but wild pitcher in the film. Kelly mostly played outfield in high school.

“He didn’t pitch much for us because he couldn’t find the plate,’’ said Marty Wilkerson, a former assistant baseball coach at Corona High in Southern California. “He was an ornery little dude. I can live with that. Just always having fun.’’

The Nuke LaLoosh issues did disappear at UC Riverside, where he was converted from an outfielder to a pitcher as a freshman.

“He pitched with an edge,’’ said Doug Smith, then the head coach at UC Riverside. “So there were numerous near-confrontations.

“He’d get a little amped up. There’d be times he’d get the last out and he’d shout or he’d yell at somebody and it wasn’t always well received.’’

Fun if you can forgive and forget, that is.

Suddenly, Dodger fans are heaping praise onto Kelly as if they’ve forgotten about the 2013 National League Championship Series that pitted the Dodgers against the St. Louis Cardinals and Kelly’s role.

Kelly started Game 1 for the Cardinals, and with his eighth pitch of the game he hit then-Dodgers star Hanley Ramirez in the ribs, resulting in a hairline fracture. Ramirez’s performance suffered as Kelly and the Cardinals advanced to the World Series.

The Dodgers failed to reach the World Series in 2019 — in part because Kelly gave up a grand slam to Howie Kendrick that clinched the National League Championship Series for the Washington Nationals.

Yet all seemed to be forgiven on Tuesday night, with former Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti was among those praising Kelly for what was widely seen as pitches intended to intimidate the Astros.

“I loved it,’’ Colletti said on Dodger Talk, the team’s post-game radio show. “I thought it was great.’’

Clearly he is not alone.

Aaron Judge will participate in Home Run Derby

Aaron Judge said yes to the Home Run Derby, and suddenly, the possibilities are limitless for Major League Baseball’s once-tired, now-invigorated exhibition.

Judge, the 6-foot-7 New York Yankees rookie right fielder, announced via the team’s social media that he will participate in the July 10 home run-hitting contest at Marlins Park in Miami, setting up a potentially towering showdown in the finals:

Judge vs. defending champion and hometown favorite Giancarlo Stanton.

Like Judge, Stanton – a mere 6-6 and 245 pounds – turned down opportunities to play football in college and is now eight years into a major league career in which he has slugged 229 home runs. Judge – though just 30 months younger than Stanton – is only getting started.

ALL RISE:6 things to know about Judge

Judge, 25, currently leads the AL in all three Triple Crown categories, with 27 home runs, a .327 batting average and 62 RBI. He was the AL’s top vote-getter in fan balloting for the All-Star Game and will start in right field.

Stanton, 27, did not make the 2016 All-Star Game but did participate in the Derby and did not disappoint – slamming 20 home runs in the final at San Diego’s Petco Park.

This year, Stanton is healthy – with 21 home runs – and earned a spot on the National League All-Star team.

Now, he’ll join a Derby field that will also include his teammate, Gary Sanchez, who holds the record for hitting 20 home runs in the fewest amount of games to start a career. That mark was equaled this year by Los Angeles Dodgers rookie Cody Bellinger – who now has 24 homers – and was named to the NL team. Bellinger is likely to participate in the Derby.

Miguel Sano, leader in exit velocity among the All-Stars, would also make a powerful addition to the AL contingent.

But Judge, the man everyone wanted to see, is in. And two nights of exposure on the national stage for the emerging star is more than MLB could have asked for.

Phillies' Chase Utley heads west in trade with Dodgers

Meghan Montemurro

The News Journal

PHILADELPHIA – As Chase Utley walked off the field Wednesday night at Citizens Bank Park after exchanging high fives with his teammates, he knew they were his last moments in a Phillies uniform.

Tipping his cap to the cheering fans behind the Phillies’ dugout, Utley disappeared into the tunnel and up to the clubhouse where his locker would be emptied, his belongings packed up.

Utley’s 13-year career with the Phillies officially ended at 10:46 p.m. Wednesday when the trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers was announced. The trade was finalized after the Phillies’ 7-4 win against the Blue Jays. The Phillies acquired infielder/outfielder Darnell Sweeney and right-hander John Richy from the Dodgers for Utley.

“I don’t think it has totally set in yet that I’m not going to be around here for the rest of the year,” Utley said. “I don’t know. Time will tell. But both myself and my family were comfortable with this decision. We’ve been talking about it for a little while now and we’re happy that the Phillies got a return that they liked.”

Utley met with general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. three weeks ago to discuss the situation and both sides agreed it was time to part ways. Utley, who owned full no-trade rights, gave the Phillies a list of teams he would consider playing for, which included his hometown Dodgers. No. 1 on his list of criteria was joining a playoff contender. He also wanted to opportunity to play and hopefully contribute in helping his new team, now the Dodgers, reach the postseason.

“I don’t know if there was ever a perfect time for it to happen with the direction that the organization is going, which I think in my opinion has a very bright future,” Utley said. “We just decided that it’s time. It’s time for a change. It’s going to be difficult not seeing the Philly fans out there in their support. But, I just hope they know how much I appreciated their support over the years.”

Sweeney will be called up Thursday to take Utley’s roster spot and join the team in Miami. Sweeney, a 24-year-old switch hitter, batted .271 with 30 doubles, nine home runs and 49 RBI in 116 games with Triple-A Oklahoma this season. Richy went 10-5 and posted a 4.20 ERA in 22 games (18 starts) at Single-A Rancho Cucamonga. The 23-year-old was a third round pick by the Dodgers in the 2014 draft out of UNLV.

“Chase is an iconic, generational player here in Philadelphia, and arguably one of the most popular and most successful players we’ve ever had in our organization,” Amaro said. “To have to take him away from our organization and put him in another one is not what I’d consider is something that is particularly gratifying. But I can say that I believe this is the best thing for all parties at this stage of the Phillies development and this stage of Chase’s career.”

Utley couldn’t do anything before Wednesday’s game against the Blue Jays without television cameras and photographers capturing his every move. Whether he was taking batting practice or going through his typical pregame infield work at second base, all eyes were on Utley after news broke that a trade to the Dodgers was imminent.

Utley said he tried to take in the atmosphere during Tuesday’s game, understanding it could be his last, but that it was difficult to do when competing on the field.

“It was a very, very difficult decision for me and my family to go,” Utley said. “It’s not so much changing uniforms, it’s about leaving this city, which has given so much to me over the 12 or 13 years I’ve been here.”

Utley was not in the starting lineup Wednesday but was available off the bench if necessary. Interim manager Pete Mackanin said it was a scheduled day off for Utley with the Blue Jays starting left-hander Mark Buehrle. However, Utley did not make an appearance during the Phillies’ game against Toronto despite some of the 26,246 fans chanting for Utley to be put into the game.

Although Mackanin was tempted to use Utley as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning, he said under the circumstances, he didn’t want anything crazy to happen to Utley.

“He’s always been a guy that’s just gone out there and played the game and I think the fans kind of chanting his name and showing him the love that he deserves for what he’s done here for the organization, him giving the tip of the hat, I think that’s typical Chase,” longtime teammate Ryan Howard said.

Because the deal wasn’t officially announced right after the game, it created an odd atmosphere in the clubhouse where Utley’s teammates essentially knew he wouldn’t be joining them on the team flight that night to Miami. Jeff Francoeur, who considers Utley to be one of his closest friends on the team, said the trade situation had been grinding on him lately.

“It sucked because you kind of wish that he could get out there and get one [at-bat], but at the same time if he got hit …” Francoeur said. “Chase is never that type of guy anyways to want the appreciation. I think everyone knows what he’s done.”

Francoeur said the reputation Utley has earned during his career as someone who always gives 100 percent on the field is well warranted.

“He’s here at one o’clock every day watching film, getting himself ready,” Francoeur said. “If it goes through and everything’s good, the Dodgers are getting a hell of a piece.”

As the Phillies continue to rebuild, Howard and Carlos Ruiz are the only players remaining on the roster from the Phillies’ 2008 and 2009 World Series teams — Jimmy Rollins, Cole Hamels and Utley all gone in the last eight months. It’s been a sudden but much-needed change as the organization tries to infuse younger talent at the big league level.

Utley was his normal self on the bench during Wednesday’s game, Howard said, and didn’t seem focused on the impending trade.

“And then there were two,” Howard said. “It’s crazy. … You remember when you first walked in when you’re a rookie and then the next thing you know you’re the veteran guy on the team and you’ve got change taking place. It’s definitely different and it’s definitely kind of a weird feeling.”

Utley, who the Phillies selected with the 15th overall pick in the 2000 draft, leaves the organization with his name all over the franchise’s record book. He finishes in the Top 10 of 12 different categories in Phillies history, including hit by pitch (first), RBI (fifth), doubles (fifth), home runs (sixth), extra-base hits (sixth) and games played (seventh).

The move also allows Utley gets to reunite with his longtime double-play partner Jimmy Rollins in Los Angeles. Utley cleared waivers on Aug. 11, making him eligible to be traded to any team. Utley said he has spoken briefly with Rollins, who he described as being as happy as him regarding the trade.

“The hardest part is leaving the city of Philadelphia,” Utley said. “They’ve been so good to me and so supportive of me over the years that I can’t thank them enough for it. But I’ll try.”

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Dodgers ended up being the team to pull off a trade for Utley. He resides in Southern California during the offseason, which obviously makes Los Angeles a desirable destination and would give him incentive to waive his no-trade clause. He grew up watching the Dodgers and attended one of the World Series games in 1988. The Phillies and Dodgers have become frequent trade partners too. The Utley trade marks the sixth time in the last four seasons the Phillies have made a trade with the Dodgers. It’s a dramatic change after conducting only one trade with Los Angeles from 1993-2011.

Playing time should be plentiful for Utley while the Dodgers’ regular second baseman Howie Kendrick is sidelined with a strained left hamstring. The Dodgers are reportedly paying $2 million of the $6 million Utley is still owed this year, which includes a $2 million buyout for 2016. The Phillies would be on the hook for the other $4 million. Utley has thrived playing at Dodger Stadium. He owns a .320 career average and .389 on-base percentage with eight home runs and 25 RBI in 37 games.

Asked if he has any expectations for how the Dodgers will use him or how much he will play, Utley responded, “My goal going there is to win. That’s the bottom line.”

Since coming off the disabled list, Utley — who missed 37 games because of right ankle inflammation — is hitting .484 (15 for 31) with six extra-base hits and five RBI in eight games. Utley is set to finish his Phillies career with a .282 average, 1,623 hits, 233 home runs and 916 RBI.

Utley’s career got off to a memorable start during his rookie season in 2003 when he hit a grand slam for his first career hit in Major League Baseball. Everything that has transpired since then — six All-Star appearances, a World Series title in 2008 and even overcoming his chronic knee problems — resulted in Utley leaving an indelible mark on a historic franchise.

As the “We want Chase!” chants broke out during Wednesday’s game, it offered a reminder that he will not soon be forgotten by Phillies fans.

Contact Meghan Montemurro at mmontemurro@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter at @M_Montemurro.

CHASE UTLEY CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

June 5, 2000

DRAFTED BY PHILLIES

The 21-year-old Long Beach, Calif., native out of UCLA is the 15th overall pick. Other first-round picks include Adrian Gonzalez (No. 1) and Adam Wainwright (No. 29).

July 8, 2001

PLAYS IN FUTURES GAME

Utley goes 2 for 3 with a solo home run. The game also features future big-leaguers Brett Myers, Adam Dunn, Nick Johnson, Wilson Betemit and Ryan Ludwick.

April 4, 2003

MAJOR LEAGUE DEBUT

At Veterans Stadium. In the third inning Utley pinch-hits for starting pitcher Joe Roa. Pirates pitcher Jeff Suppan strikes him out. Phillies lose 9-1.

April 24, 2003

FIRST MAJOR LEAGUE START

At Veterans Stadium. Batting eighth in the lineup, Utley flies out in his first at-bat. In the bottom of the third, with Jim Thome, Mike Lieberthal and David Bell on base, Utley homers off Rockies starter Aaron Cook for his first Major League hit, homer and grand slam. He finishes 2 for 4. Philies win 9-1.

Sept. 28, 2003

LAST AT-BAT AT THE VET

Utley hits into a double play in the final at-bat in the history of Veterans Stadium, which opened in 1971. Utley finishes the season batting .239 with two homers and 21 RBIs in 134 at-bats.

June 12, 2004

FIRST GAME AT FIRST BASE

At Minnesota. With Jim Thome at DH and Tomas Perez at second base, Utley plays first base and goes 0 for 3 in a 6-1 loss. He’ll play 11 more games at first that season. Ryan Howard is called up that September.

June 8, 2005

TRADE OPENS SECOND BASE

The Phillies trade Placido Polanco to Detroit for Ramon Martinez and Ugueth Urbina. Utley becomes the Phils’ starting second baseman.

July 12, 2006

FIRST ALL-STAR GAME

At Pittsburgh. Utley starts and goes 1 for 2. American League win 3-2. Other Phillies in the game include Ryan Howard and Tom Gordon. Utley finishes the season leading the National League in runs with 131. He hits .309 with 32 homers and 102 RBIs.

Oct. 3, 2007

FIRST PLAYOFF GAME

At Citizens Bank Park. Game 1, National League Division Series against Colorado. Utley goes 0 for 4. Phillies lose 4-2.

April 21, 2008

HOME RUN STREAK

At Denver. Utley homers for the fifth-straight game. Phillies win 9-5. After the first 20 games of the season, Utley is hitting .354 with eight homers and 17 RBIs. Utley finishes the regular season.

Oct. 15, 2008

STRONG NLCS

At Los Angeles. Phillies clinch National League title with 5-1 win over Dodgers. In five games, Utley hits .353 (6 for 17) with two doubles, three RBIs, six walks and four runs scored.

Oct. 27, 2008

WORLD SERIES CHAMPION

At Citizens Bank Park, Game 5. Utley goes 1 for 3 and scores the Phillies’ first run in a 4-3 win over Tampa Bay. Phillies win first World Series since 1980 and second in franchise history. Utley finishes the season hitting .292 with 104 RBIs, 113 runs and his third Silver Slugger Award. He leads the NL in defensive wins against replacement.

Oct. 31, 2008

MEMORABLE SPEECH

At the parade celebrating the World Series win, Utley, microphone in hand, says “World [expletive] Champions.” The remark is aired live on several radio and TV stations. According to published reports, the FCC received 26 complaints.

Sept. 28, 2009

TAKE ONE FOR THE TEAM

At Citizens Bank Park. Houston’s Tim Byrdak hits Utley with an eighth-inning pitch. It’s the 24th time Utley is hit that season, the most in Major League Baseball for the third straight season. Utley finishes the regular season batting .282 with 93 RBIs. He steals 23 bases without being caught.

Oct. 28, 2009

WORLD SERIES RECORD

At Yankee Stadium. World Series Game 1. A first-inning walk puts Utley on base for the 26th consecutive playoff game, tying an MLB record. The Phillies win the game 6-1, but lose the series in six games.

Feb. 26, 2011

ON THE SHELF

An MRI reveals Utley has patellar tendonitis in his right knee. The season before, Utley played a then-career low 115 games after undergoing thumb surgery. Utley will go on to hit .259 in 103 games. Similar issues will plague him during the 2012 season, when he’ll play in only 83 games.

April 1, 2013

OPENING WITH A BANG

At Atlanta. In the fifth inning, off of Tim Hudson, Utley hits his 200th career home run. Phillies lose 7-5.

Aug. 7, 2013

NEW DEAL

Utley and the Phillies reportedly agree on a two-year, $27 million contract extension with multiple vesting options. At the time, he is hitting .277 with a .337 on-base percentage.

May 25, 2014

NO-HIT

At Citizens Bank Park. Utley strikes out and the Dodgers’ Josh Beckett completes a no-hitter. Phillies lose 6-0. It’s a down note on an otherwise solid season. Utley hits .270 with 78 RBIs. He makes his sixth All-Star appearance and plays the most games in a single season - 155 - since 2009, when he played 156.

Aug. 19, 2015

TRADED

Utley is traded to the Dodgers for infielder/outfielder Darnell Sweeney and right-hander John Richy. At the time, he is hitting .217 with 30 RBIs in 73 games.

Sources: baseball-reference.com, wikipedia; compiled by Jason Levine

Dodgers' Justin Turner: World Series COVID-19 debacle was 'difficult'

Justin Turner was prepared for the consequences of his actions in the moments after the Los Angeles Dodgers won the 2020 World Series.

Ultimately, he faced none.

Not from Major League Baseball, which excused Turner for leaving an isolation room after testing positive for COVID-19, its investigation determining Turner should not be punished because Dodgers employees did not dissuade him from joining his teammates on the field.

And not from multiple teams bidding for his services as a free agent, a process that ultimately led him back to the Dodgers on a two-year contract that guarantees him $34 million.

Turner agreed to the pact Saturday, ending a winter in which Dodgers fans, spotting him on dog walks with his wife, Kourtney, would lobby Turner to return. They were thrilled when the All-Star third baseman with the trademark red beard and locks announced his return on social media.

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It was a far cry from the hours and days following Oct. 27, when the Dodgers won Game 6 of the World Series over the Tampa Bay Rays, minutes after Turner was lifted from the contest after testing positive for the coronavirus.

Turner was roasted in the media and by fans, and MLB upbraided him in a statement, saying he "emphatically refused to comply" with MLB security.

Days later, the tone changed, MLB noting in its investigation that Turner said he was incorrectly told other players had tested positive, "creating the impression in Mr. Turner’s mind that he was being singled out for isolation."

Friday, after the Dodgers officially announced his return, Turner said on a media video conference that those moments in isolation felt akin to an out-of-body experience, that he was again reduced to spectator after seeing the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox celebrate their respective 2017 and 2018 titles at the Dodgers' expense.

"It was extremely difficult," Turner said Friday from the Dodgers' spring training complex in Phoenix. "I think I experienced just about every range of emotions you can possibly have: Getting taken out of the game. Trying to figure out what was happening. Winning the World Series. Being thrilled seeing Julio (Urias) getting that last out. You finally accomplished your goal.

"But for me, sitting back in that room and watching the guys dogpile, personally it felt like the third time I had to sit and watch a team celebrate a World Series. That was tough. That’s something at the top of my list. I still have not been on the field for the last out to celebrate a championship and that’s something I’m determined to show up and work every day and have that experience at the end of this year."

That chance could have come elsewhere. Turner said he had "conversations with other organizations and other competitive teams" and worried at times the Dodgers might go in another direction.

And until that market developed, he wasn't sure how his flouting of COVID-19 protocols might impact his future.

"I didn’t know what it was going to do, if it was going to be a big factor in the Dodgers’ decision on wanting me back, or any other teams, for that matter," he said. "It was definitely a big question mark and a big unknown how people were going to perceive that and how people were going to pursue me.

"But once I got into conversations not only with the Dodgers but other teams, and cleared the air on that stuff, it all just kind of started moving forward and building momentum."

So the man who slugged 116 homers, got on base at a .382 clip and produced an .886 OPS in seven years with his hometown Dodgers will return for at least two seasons - with his regrettable actions in the moments after the club won its first title since 1988 hardly leaving a mark.

"We're definitely a better and stronger organization with JT," club president Andrew Friedman said Friday. "In an ideal world, we wanted him back."


A strawberry supermoon will illuminate the skies this week. Here's ...

Get ready to scan the skies for the second supermoon of the year.

June’s strawberry moon will appear opposite the sun and reach its peak illumination at 7:52 a.m. EDT Tuesday, and it will remain full through Wednesday morning, NASA reported.

But the unique moon won’t be visible to stargazers in North America until later Tuesday night when it drifts above the horizon, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.

Be on the lookout for a moon that appears larger and brighter than the typical full moon, especially after sunset Tuesday. The strawberry moon will be visible toward the southeast as it rises above the horizon with a golden hue.

What is a supermoon?

Supermoons happen when the moon’s orbit is closest to Earth, giving off the appearance of a larger and brighter full moon, the Old Farmer’s Almanac said.

June’s full moon stands at a distance of 222,238.4 miles from Earth, according to the almanac, and NASA experts say it’ll reach its closest point to Earth for this orbit – called perigee – at 7:24 p.m. EDT Tuesday.

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The full moon Tuesday night into Wednesday morning will be the lowest full moon of 2022. It will reach only 23.3 degrees above the horizon Wednesday morning at 1:56 a.m. EDT.

People living in the South and Southwest will be treated to the best views of June's supermoon, and experts say it's best to check it out as it rises or sets. That is when it will appear largest to the naked eye.

May's flower moon marked the first supermoon of the year, according to the almanac. The next full supermoon will appear July 13.

Why is it called the strawberry moon?

June’s full moon has traditionally been nicknamed the strawberry moon, but don’t be deceived by the name: Its origin has nothing to do with the moon’s hue or appearance, according to the almanac.

Native American Algonquin tribes inhabiting the northeastern U.S. – along with the Ojibwe, Dakota and Lakota peoples — have used the strawberry moon to mark the time for gathering ripened June-bearing strawberries, the almanac said.

The Maine Farmer's Almanac started publishing Native American names for full moons in the 1930s, according to NASA.

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Other European names for June’s full moon have been the mead or honey moon, and the rose moon.

For all the early risers looking to catch a glimpse of the strawberry moon, Tuesday also will feature 2022’s earliest sunrise at 5:42 a.m. EDT, according to NASA.

Supermoon, blue moon, lunar eclipse: Coming to a sky near you this ...

Skywatchers will get a rare triple treat early this Wednesday, Jan. 31: a supermoon, a blue moon and a total lunar eclipse.

How rare is the event? Even without the supermoon, it's the first blue moon total lunar eclipse in the U.S. since March 1866, less than a year after the Civil War ended, according to EarthSky.org.

A blue moon — which occurs about every 2½ years — is another term for the second full moon in a single calendar month. January's first full moon occurred Jan. 1.

“These three lunar events separately are not uncommon, but it is rare for all three to occur at the same time,” AccuWeather meteorologist and astronomy blogger Brian Lada said.

Though the exact moment of this full moon is 8:37 a.m. ET Jan. 31, the moon will appear plenty full for a day or two before and after that.

However, the moon doesn't actually appear blue.

As for the total lunar eclipse, it will be visible early in the morning of Jan. 31 from western North America across the Pacific to eastern Asia, NASA said.

In the United States, the best view of the eclipse will be along the West Coast. For skywatchers in the central and eastern U.S., only a partial eclipse will be visible since the moon will set before totality.

“The lunar eclipse on Jan. 31 will be visible during moonset," said Noah Petro, a research scientist from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. "Folks in the eastern United States, where the eclipse will be partial, will have to get up in the morning to see it."

The eclipse will last almost 3½ hours from the beginning of the partial phase at 3:48 a.m. PT until it ends at 7:12 a.m. PT, according to Sky and Telescope. Totality lasts a generous 77 minutes, from 4:51 a.m. PT to 6:08 a.m. PT.

By that time, however, the moon will already have set in the eastern time zone.

As for the weather, clear skies are forecast across the eastern and south-central United States, according to AccuWeather.

Additionally, some astronomy historians can quibble about the origin of the "blue moon" name: It was originally a name for a season that had four full moons instead of three; a definition which was later mistakenly expanded to two full moons in a single month.

But even the venerable publication Sky & Telescope — in which the original "mistake" was made decades ago — said that "the second-full-moon-in-a-month (mis)interpretation is like a genie that can't be forced back into its bottle. But that's not necessarily a bad thing."

The full moon will take on a dark, reddish appearance during the eclipse, so another phrase used to describe it is a blood moon. Adding to the naming confusion, this full moon was also known as the "snow moon" by some Native American tribes.

Finally, a supermoon occurs when the full moon is at the closest point of its orbit to the Earth, which is also called the perigee.

That makes the moon look extra-close and extra bright — up to 14% bigger and 30% brighter than a full moon at its farthest point from Earth, known as the apogee, NASA said.

Supermoon, also called buck and thunder moon, is coming. How to ...

For avid sky watchers who love space but hate cold weather, July typically provides the warmest and best time of the year to gaze at a full moon.

Whether you call it a "thunder" moon or a "buck" moon, a gorgeous, bright supermoon will rise Wednesday evening in the southeastern sky.

It will be the biggest supermoon of the year.

July’s full moon will reach peak illumination at 2:38 p.m. EDT, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. "It will be below the horizon at that time, so plan to look toward the southeast after sunset to watch it rise into the sky," the almanac advised.

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Why is it called a supermoon?

When the moon’s orbit brings it closer to Earth than usual, the cosmic combo is called a supermoon.

The moon can appear slightly bigger and brighter than normal, weather permitting.

"Different publications use slightly different thresholds for deciding when a full moon is close enough to the Earth to qualify as a supermoon," NASA said. "Because the orbit of the moon is not a perfect circle, the moon is sometimes closer to the Earth than at other times during its orbit."

On average, supermoons appear about 7% bigger and about 15% brighter than a typical full moon.

Is it the 'buck' moon or the 'thunder' moon?

The moon's nickname comes from a number of places, including Native American, Colonial American and European sources, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac.

For millennia, people across the world, including Native Americans in the eastern and central USA, named the months after nature’s cues.

"The tribes kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring full moon," the almanac said.

"The full moon in July is called the buck moon because the antlers of male deer (bucks) are in full-growth mode at this time," the almanac said. "Bucks shed and regrow their antlers each year, producing a larger and more impressive set as the years go by."

July's full moon is also called the "thunder" moon because of early summer's frequent thunderstorms, NASA's Gordon Johnston said.

Another name for July's full moon is the "hay" moon (for when farmers race to put hay in their barns around the storms), Earthsky.com reported. According to AccuWeather, other full moon nicknames this month include the berry moon, the halfway summer moon and the salmon moon.

A month ago, the supermoon of June 14 was the “strawberry moon” because it came at strawberry harvest time.Contributing: The Associated Press

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Stunning photos of June's strawberry supermoon from around the ...

A stunning, strawberry supermoon filled skies around the world this week.

This year's strawberry moon peaked Tuesday night and remained full through early Wednesday morning. It rose with a spectacular golden hue above horizons from New York to Beijing, marking the second supermoon of the year.

A strawberry moon refers the full moon for the month of June. In 2022, June's strawberry moon qualified as a supermoon because it occurred while the moon's orbit was especially close to the Earth – giving an appearance of an even larger and brighter full moon.

According to NASA, supermoons appear about 30% brighter and 17% bigger than the faintest moon of the year. We only see three or four supermoons each year, and the strawberry moon marked the lowest full moon of 2022.

Strawberry Moon 2022:A strawberry supermoon will illuminate skies this week. Here's what to know.

Despite its name, a strawberry moon is not red or pink in color. The moon's name comes from Native American Algonquin tribes inhabiting the northeastern U.S. – along with the Ojibwe, Dakota and Lakota peoples – who have used the strawberry moon to mark the time for gathering June strawberries, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.

Here are some pictures of this year's strawberry supermoon.

Contributing: Ashley R. Williams, USA TODAY.

June's strawberry moon will light up the sky this week

Sign up for CNN's Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more

The moon will appear full from Sunday moonrise to Wednesday moonset, according to NASA . It will reach its peak at 7:52 a.m. ET Tuesday but will not be fully visible in North America until moonrise. This year's strawberry moon is the first of two consecutive supermoons.

While there is no single definition, the term supermoon generally refers to a full moon that appears brighter and larger than other moons because it is at its closest orbit to Earth.

To a casual observer, the supermoon may appear similar in size to other moons. However, the noticeable change in brightness enhances visibility and creates a great opportunity for people to begin paying attention to the moon and its phases, said Noah Petro, chief of NASA's Planetary Geology, Geophysics and Geochemistry Lab.

The ideal time to look at the moon is when it is rising or setting since that's when it will appear the largest to the naked eye, said Jacqueline Faherty, an astrophysicist at the American Museum of Natural History. ( The Old Farmer's Almanac's calculator can help you find out what time the moon rises and sets in your location.)

The moon rises over the Pyramid of Khafre (Chephren) at the Giza Pyramids necropolis on the southwestern outskirts of the Egyptian capital on July 12, a day ahead of the July "buck supermoon".

The best views of June's full moon in the United States will be in the southern half of the country and the Southwest. A series of weak storms will move through the Northeast and Great Lakes regions early in the week, creating cloudy conditions that will make it difficult to get a clear view, CNN meteorologist Gene Norman said.

Petro recommends that moon gazers seek out a clear horizon and avoid areas with tall buildings and thick forestry. He also urges people to stay away from bright lights if possible for maximum visibility.

The name strawberry moon is rooted in the traditions of Indigenous groups in the Northeastern US, including the Algonquin, Ojibwe, Dakota and Lakota communities that saw the celestial event as a sign that strawberries, and other fruits, were ripe and ready to be gathered. The Haida people refer to the moon as the berries ripen moon, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac

In Europe, this moon is often called the honey moon or the mead moon, and historical writings from the region suggest that honey was ready for harvest around the end of the month. Additionally, the name honey moon may refer to June's reputation as a popular month for marriages.

This full moon corresponds with the Hindu festival Vat Purnima, a celebration where married women tie a ceremonial thread around a banyan tree and fast to pray that their spouse lives a long life.

For Buddhists, this moon is the Poson Poya moon, named after the holiday celebrating the introduction of Buddhism in Sri Lanka in 236 BC.

There will be six more full moons in 2022, according to The Old Farmers' Almanac

July 13: Buck moon

August 11: Sturgeon moon

September 10: Harvest moon

October 9: Hunter's moon

November 8: Beaver moon

December 7: Cold moon

These are the popularized names associated with the monthly full moons, but the significance of each one may vary across Native American tribes

The moon rises behind a rundown Ferris wheel at an abandoned children's amusement park near al-Nayrab, a village ravaged by pro-government forces bombardment, in Syria's northwestern Idlib province on July 12, 2022 a day ahead of the July "buck supermoon".

Lunar and solar eclipses

There will be one more total lunar eclipse and a partial solar eclipse in 2022, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac.

Partial solar eclipses occur when the moon passes in front of the sun but only blocks some of its light. Be sure to wear proper eclipse glasses to view solar eclipses safely as the sun's light can be damaging to the eye.

A partial solar eclipse on October 25 will be visible to those in Greenland, Iceland, Europe , northeastern Africa, the Middle East, western Asia, India and western China. This partial solar eclipse will not be visible from North America.

A total lunar eclipse will also be on display for those in Asia, Australia, the Pacific, South America and North America on November 8 between 3:01 a.m. ET and 8:58 a.m. ET, but the moon will be setting for those in eastern regions of North America.

The moon rises behind the Statue of Liberty in New York City on July 12, 2022 as seen from Jersey City, New Jersey.

Meteor showers

Check out the remaining meteor showers that will peak in 2022:

Southern Delta Aquariids: July 29 to 30

Alpha Capricornids: July 30 to 31

Perseids: August 11 to 12

Orionids: October 20 to 21

Southern Taurids: November 4 to 5

Northern Taurids: November 11 to 12

Leonids: November 17 to 18

Geminids: December 13 to 14

Ursids: December 21 to 22

If you live in an urban area, you may want to drive to a place that isn't littered with city lights to get the best view.

Find an open area with a wide view of the sky. Make sure you have a chair or blanket so you can look straight up. And give your eyes about 20 to 30 minutes -- without looking at your phone or other electronics -- to adjust to the darkness so the meteors will be easier to spot.

Supermoon: Photos of the brightest 'super snow moon' of the year

The biggest, brightest moon of the year made for some beautiful photographs around the world early this week.

The "super snow moon" or supermoon was about 17,000 miles closer to Earth than average on Tuesday, and was full Monday through Wednesday in some areas.

The "snow" name comes from the Old Farmers' Almanac, which notes full moons by seasons. February's full moon is aptly named, as it's the nation's snowiest month, according to data from the National Weather Service.

If you missed this month's supermoon, you can catch another one on March 21. It just won't be quite as big and bright.

Here are some photos of this week's supermoon:

New York, New York

Patterson, New York

Las Vegas

Milwaukee

Naples, Florida

Fort Myers, Florida

Knoxville, Tennessee

Around the world:

Related:

Contributing: Doyle Rice. Follow Ashley May on Twitter: @AshleyMayTweets

Strawberry moon 2021: How to see the year's last supermoon on ...

After a pair of eclipses over the past few weeks, both lunar and solar, sky watchers will be in for another treat this week.

The full strawberry moon will grace the night sky this Thursday across the world.

Although the moon will officially be full before it pops above the horizon, it will look plenty big when it rises in the eastern sky Thursday evening, about the same time as the sun is setting in the western sky.

Alas, although it will be a supermoon, it won't look like a strawberry, and it probably won't be red, astronomers say, although it may have a golden color.

When is the strawberry supermoon 2021?

June’s full moon will reach peak illumination at 2:40 p.m. EDT on Thursday, but will not be visible until later that evening, when it drifts above the horizon, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac.

Why is it called the strawberry moon?

June's full moon is called the strawberry moon because it signaled to some Native American tribes that it was the time of year to gather ripening strawberries, the almanac says.

The strawberry moon is the most colorful of the year because it takes a low, shallow path across the sky, said Bob Bonadurer, director of the Milwaukee Public Museum's planetarium.

The low arc of the June full moon across the sky means moonlight must travel through more of the Earth's atmosphere, which often gives it an orange or yellow tint.

The strawberry moon is also called "hot moon" because it rises right around the beginning of summer.

In Europe, alternative names include the honey moon, the mead moon or the rose moon.

What is a supermoon?

This Thursday's full moon will also be the fourth and final supermoon of 2021, when the moon looks somewhat bigger and brighter than usual since it's a bit closer to the Earth than usual.

The previous three supermoons were in March, April and May, according to NASA.

"Different publications use slightly different thresholds for deciding when a full moon is close enough to the Earth to qualify as a supermoon," NASA said.

"Because the orbit of the moon is not a perfect circle, the moon is sometimes closer to the Earth than at other times during its orbit."

On average, supermoons appear about 7% bigger and about 15% brighter than a typical full moon.

July's buck moon will light up the sky this week | CNN

(CNN) July's full moon, the buck moon, may illuminate the sky on Wednesday in a particularly big way.

The buck moon will appear full from Tuesday morning to early Friday, according to NASA . It will reach its peak on Wednesday at 2:48 p.m. ET, but will not be fully visible in North America until moonrise. For those who catch a glimpse, it might appear larger and brighter than other moons of 2022 because it's a supermoon.

While there isn't a single definition of "supermoon," the term typically refers to a full moon that can stand out more than others because it is within 90% of its closest orbit to Earth. The buck moon is the supermoon that will come closest to Earth this year, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac

The clearest views of July's full moon in the US will be on the West Coast, in the Great Plains and the Midwest, CNN meteorologist Jennifer Gray said. A cold front will move into the southeastern US on July 12 and 13, potentially causing thunderstorms and rain across the region. Parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado also are expecting thunderstorms early this week, she added.

"Unlike some astronomical events, there's not (a situation where) you've got to look at it this instant or else you miss it," said Noah Petro, chief of NASA's Planetary Geology, Geophysics and Geochemistry Lab. "There's really no moment that you have to be looking at it to maximize your enjoyment of the full moon. If it's cloudy and you don't want to be outside, just go one of the next nights."

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Full moon: Pink supermoon will be biggest, brightest of 2020

The full moon occurs precisely at 10:35 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, April 7.

April's supermoon is the second of three to take place in in a row.

The full moon this month is also nicknamed the pink moon.

Here's something to look forward to next week: The biggest, brightest supermoon of 2020 will be appearing in the night sky Tuesday.

"Watch for the biggest full moon of the year to shine all night long as it beams in the east after sunset April 7, climbs highest up for the night around midnight, and sets in the west around sunrise April 8," EarthSky's Bruce McClure said.

The full moon occurs precisely at 10:35 p.m. EDT on April 7, according to EarthSky.

Of the three supermoons this year, April's supermoon will come closest to our planet – and thus appear the largest. April's supermoon is the second of three to take place in a row, following March's super worm moon and preceding May's super flower moon, due to take place on May 7, Newsweek said.

What's a supermoon?

A supermoon occurs when the moon is especially close to Earth while it’s full. The moon's closeness to Earth, naturally, makes it look extra-close and extra-bright – up to 14% bigger and 30% brighter than a full moon at its farthest point from Earth.

The term “supermoon” was coined in 1979 by astrologer Richard Nolle. It has become an increasingly more popular and media-friendly term in the decades since then. According to NASA, it's used by the media today to describe what astronomers would call a perigean full moon: a full moon occurring near or at the time when the moon is at its closest point in its orbit around Earth.

Due to the optical effect known as the moon illusion, the full moon can seem huge when rising behind distant objects on the horizon. A supermoon appears especially impressive.

We have 13 full moons to look forward to in 2020. Here's when you can see them.

Hurricane season begins in June:Activity will be 'above average,' forecasters warn.

Why is it called a 'pink' supermoon?

The full moon this month is also nicknamed the pink moon. But don't look for a pinkish hue to the moon this month:

According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, April’s full moon often corresponded with the early springtime blooms of Phlox subulata, a pink wildflower native to eastern North America. The wildflower is commonly called creeping phlox or moss phlox – and also goes by the name “moss pink."

For millennia, people across the world, including Native Americans, named the months after nature’s cues. The Old Farmers' Almanac said that full moon names in our part of the world date back to the Native Americans who lived in the northern and eastern USA.

Each full moon has its own name, from January's wolf moon to December's cold moon.

Yellowstone National Park flooding, Lizzo's lyrics, the strawberry ...

Historic flooding, mudslides leave behind devastation at Yellowstone National Park. The stories of family members lost in the Ukraine war. And why Lizzo changed a song lyric.

👋 Hey! Laura Davis here, and it's Flag Day! Ever wondered why it's called "Old Glory"? Here are five fast facts. Now, let's get to Tuesday's news!

But first, what would you do to earn $2,000? 🤑 Me? Specifically not this: A North Carolina pest control company is offering cash in exchange for releasing 100 cockroaches in your home as part of a study. Good luck to everyone involved.

The Short List is a snappy USA TODAY news roundup. Subscribe to the newsletter here or text messages here.

🗳 It's Primary Tuesday: Voters in Maine, Nevada, South Carolina and North Dakota headed to the polls for primary races on issues from abortion to Donald Trump to control of the Senate. Here's what you need to know.

Extreme weather leaves devastation in Yellowstone

Yellowstone National Park officials assessed widespread damage Tuesday as the park remained closed amid dangerous floods, mudslides and rockslides that have eroded roads, ripped apart bridges and led to evacuations this week. The flooding started to slowly recede Tuesday, but the record-level floods left all five entrances to the park closed through at least Wednesday, officials said. There were no immediate reports of injuries, but floodwaters swept away a number of homes, bridges and other structures with the northern part of the park suffering the worst damage. Keep reading.

Ukrainians tell stories of loved ones lost in the war

Anna Priymenko's youngest nephew, a budding soccer player, was only 5 years old when he was killed by the bomb that hit his family's home. Her other two nephews were 10 and 15. They loved sambo, a martial art that originated in the former USSR. Her only brother owned a textile business, donating countless blankets and pillows after the war began, and her mother was a kindergarten teacher. When she heard of their deaths, "the world collapsed," said Anna, 37. "I am basically left alone." Thousands of civilians have been killed in the Russian war on Ukraine, and countless people like Anna have been left alone in the aftermath, figuring out how to move forward when those they loved most are gone. "It is clear that this time may pass, it may settle down a little, but ... it will never be the way it was. It will never be," Anna said. These are the stories of the lives destroyed and devastated by Russia's war on Ukraine.

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Eyes to the sky: Strawberry supermoon rises tonight

Get ready to scan the skies for the second supermoon of the year. June’s strawberry moon appears opposite the sun Tuesday, and it will remain full through Wednesday morning, NASA reported. It won't be visible to stargazers in North America until later Tuesday night, when it drifts above the horizon, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. So why is it called the strawberry moon? Don’t be deceived by the name: Its origin has nothing to do with the moon’s hue or appearance, according to the almanac. Native American Algonquin tribes inhabiting the northeastern U.S. – along with as well as the Ojibwe, Dakota and Lakota peoples – have used the strawberry moon to mark the time for gathering ripened June-bearing strawberries, the almanac said. Keep reading to learn more. 🍓

📸 Strawberry moon to appear at its largest Tuesday night.

to appear at its largest Tuesday night. What is a strawberry moon? Your guide to every full moon this year.

Millions swelter under dangerous heat wave

Dangerous, record-setting heat had nearly one-third of the U.S. population in its grip Tuesday – from the Upper Midwest to the Southeast – on the cusp of summer’s official arrival. The National Weather Service issued excessive-heat warnings, watches and heat advisories for more than 100 million people as temperatures were expected to surge 10 to 20 degrees above normal from the Plains, the Midwest and some areas along the East Coast, according to AccuWeather. Here’s what we know about Tuesday's severe heat.

Graphics: Record-high temperatures from heat dome affect millions.

Record-high temperatures from heat dome affect millions. From the heat index to the heat dome to an excessive heat warning, everything you need to know about heat.

Real quick

Lizzo changes lyric after backlash over offensive term

After being accused of using an ableist slur in her latest track "Grrrls," Lizzo shared an apology and released a new version of her song. In a Twitter post Tuesday, the singer said an updated version of "Grrrls," the latest single from her coming album, "Special," was released after she learned its lyrics contained "a harmful word." The original lyric that offended fans came from the song’s line, "Do you see this (expletive)? I'm a spaz," with many claiming that "spaz" is an ableist slur. "Spaz" has often been used as slang to describe losing physical or emotional control, but has fallen increasingly out of fashion because of its origin from "spastic," "a form of muscular weakness (spastic paralysis, typical of cerebral palsy," according to Lexico, an online dictionary. The controversy is a reminder that other slang terms in our vernacular have derived from more-serious origins, making it important to put more thought behind what we speak. Keep reading to learn more.

A break from the news