The 2008 All-Star Game may be held at Yankee Stadium in New York next Tuesday evening, but it will definitely feel like a night at Fenway Park in Boston. On Sunday afternoon, seven players from the current Red Sox roster were named to represent Boston on the American League All-Star squad, which will be managed by Terry Francona: outfielder J.D. Drew; designated hitter David Ortiz; closer Jonathan Papelbon; second baseman Dustin Pedroia; outfielder Manny Ramirez; catcher Jason Varitek; and first baseman Kevin Youkilis. Ortiz, Pedroia, Ramirez, and Youkilis were all named starters as the result of fan balloting; Ortiz has already stated that he will not play due to a wrist injury that has kept him on the disabled list since the start of June but that he will attend the festivities.

Ramirez, who surpassed the 500 career home run mark in May, was selected for the 12th time in his career and eighth time as a Red Sox player, while Ortiz was named to his fifth consecutive squad. Pedroia, the 2007 AL Rookie of the Year, and Youkilis, a 2007 Gold Glove winner, will make their All-Star debuts; Pedroia leads the team with a .313 average, while Youkilis is second with a .308 average. Also making his All-Star debut will be Drew, who has enjoyed a resurgence in Boston after a tough first year with the Red Sox. Through action ending Saturday, Drew was batting .304 with 16 home runs, 51 RBI, and 61 runs scored along with a .413 OBP and .573 slugging percentage, having filled in well as the number three batter in place of the injured Ortiz. Papelbon was named for the third time in three seasons, having saved 25 games while opposing hitters have batted just .193 against him in 37 appearances. Varitek, meanwhile, has struggled offensively this season, batting a sub-par .219 with seven home runs and 27 RBI, but was selected through the Player Ballot, as was Drew and Papelbon, more in recognition for his efforts behind the plate as Red Sox team captain.

With his selection, Ramirez also moves into a tie for fourth place with former third baseman Wade Boggs and fellow outfielder Jim Rice for the most appearances as an All-Star in a Boston uniform; it also places him one appearance behind former second baseman Bobby Doerr for third place in franchise history. The seven selections is one more than last season (2007) and marks the first time since 2002 that seven Red Sox players have made the All-Star roster. The record for the most Boston players named to an All-Star squad is eight, set in 1946. The four Red Sox starters does tie a franchise record that has happened three other times, with 2005 being the last such occurrence.

Tags: Bobby Doerr, Boston Red Sox, David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, J.D. Drew, Jason Varitek, Jim Rice, Jonathan Papelbon, Kevin Youkilis, Manny Ramirez, Terry Francona, Wade Boggs