Friday Happy Hour at the Elysian Fields Bar & Grill

Welcome to the Elysian Fields Bar & Grill, the perfect place to unwind after excessive Final Vote mania.

* Red Sox manager Terry Francona on the possibility of Dustin Pedroia missing the All-Star Game because of his wife's difficult pregnancy: "Obviously, he wants to play, but his wife is going through a serious time right now. If he needs to miss that time to be with her, then he should do that.''

* Rangers general manager Jon Daniels on his team's catching situation: "We're very pleased with these two guys. Salty has really improved defensively and Taylor's handled the part-time role as well as we could have expected. It's a luxury to have two guys capable of playing every day, and in the heat you can't put a value on that. Both guys can still get a lot better - working with Mike Maddux and the pitchers, learning the league, more consistent AB's - and I expect they will."

* Michael Young on being a reserve every year at the All-Star Game: "Yeah, I was joking with Derek Jeter about that. He gets two or three easy at-bats and then leaves to a big ovation. Then I have to go up there and grind out at-bats in the toughest part of the game."

* The Rangers are 23-12 with Josh Hamilton in the lineup and 24-25 without him in there.

* Derek Holland on being in the Major Leagues: "It's been a learning process because there is a huge difference between the Major Leagues and Triple A. I've learned a lot about what to throw and when to throe it, situational pitching. You've got to learn somehow. Just being around these guys, I've learned a lot. Everyone has a way of saying something that helps a lot."

* They play Hank Blalock's game-winning home run from the 2003 All-Star Game on the video board at the Ballpark before every game. Andruw Jones doesn't like seeing it. Said Blalock, "The first time he saw that he started cussing me. He had hit a home run in that game and he was going to the win the MVP Award. It's pretty ironic. Neither of us got it. Garrett Anderson did."

* Ian Kinsler on going 30-30: "I just play. I like stealing bases. I don't see myself as a power guy. I think every year is different. You're not going to have the same numbers. Some years you are great with runners in scoring position and some years you don't.This year it seems like balls are going over the fence for me."

* On stealing bases: "I like stealing bases when we need it or to get us jump-started, early or late in the game when we need runners in scoring position. That's when it's most important and most challenging."

* Ron Washington on Chris Davis: "He needs to get to a different environment and get back to where he was. We haven't given up on Chris Davis. Although he wasn't hitting, he helped us win a lot of games with his defense."

* Just for the heck of it: Larry Parrish.

* It was on this date at the 1934 All-Star Game that Carl Hubbell struck out Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons and Joe Cronin in order in the All-Star Game.

* Fifty years later, Fernando Valenzuela struck out Dave Winfield, Reggie Jackson and George Brett in the fourth inning at Candlestick Park. Dwight Gooden took over in the fifth and struck out Lance Parrish, Chet Lemon and Alvin Davis.

* Angels outfielder Torii Hunter on Chone Figgins, who was in the Final Vote: "I'm going to get on six different e-mail addresses and vote for Figgy. What he's been doing is awesome."
Washington Nationals catcher Josh Bard on playing with a strained groin muscle: "There are a lot of guys who are banged up. I'm just really slow, so it looks worse."