The All-Star Game is as much a celebration of the host franchise as it is Major League Baseball's top talent.

Last year's game provided the New York Yankees with a chance to give their venerable home ballpark the Babe Ruth of going-away parties before it was replaced.

The San Francisco Giants used the 2007 All-Star Game as a stage to honor Hall of Famer Willie Mays.

And who could forget the 1999 All-Star Game in Boston? Former Red Sox great Ted Williams came out in a golf cart, threw out the ceremonial first pitch, and was surrounded by all-star players from both leagues.

This year's midsummer classic will be played Tuesday night in St. Louis. The host Cardinals are one of baseball's most storied franchises. They have won 10 World Series and produced some of the best players in the history of the game, including Stan Musial, who is expected to be on hand for pregame ceremonies.

It will be nice to see Musial, 88, get a chance to tip his cap. Lou Brock, Bob Gibson, and Ozzie Smith, too. They are among the Cardinals' Hall of Famers honored with statues outside Busch Stadium. The Cardinals are immensely proud of their history and deserve the chance to honor it before the game.

But with all due respect to the Cardinals' past, this game might be all about the team's present, and a player who will one day have his own statue outside the stadium.

This All-Star Game will be a mid-career testimonial to Albert Pujols, who will start at first base for the National League.

The 29-year-old Pujols has been one of baseball's most dominant players since arriving in the majors at age 21 in 2001. He has finished in the top nine in NL MVP voting every season since then, won the award twice, and finished second three times.

Pujols will likely finish high in the MVP voting again this season. In fact, he's our hands-down choice for first-half MVP as we hand out a few mid-season accolades - just for entertainment purposes, of course.

NL MVP

The Cardinals entered the weekend leading the NL Central. Pujols is their offense. He ranked third in the league in batting average (.332) and first in homers (31), RBIs (83), runs (68), total bases (211), on-base percentage (.458), and slugging percentage (.723). In 29 games in June, he had 14 homers and 35 RBIs.

AL MVP

There are a number of chic mid-season picks in the AL, including Twins catcher Joe Mauer, who is making a bid to hit .400. Mauer could very well end up being the guy in October, but for now we like his teammate, first baseman Justin Morneau, who entered Friday ranked ninth in the AL with a .313 batting average, second in homers (21) and RBIs (69), and fourth in combined on-base and slugging percentage (.972). Morneau had five homers and 18 RBIs in April, when Mauer was out of the lineup. Morneau, the AL MVP in 2006 and runner-up last year, has also played stellar defense, making one error in 663 total chances entering the weekend.

NL Cy Young

Dynamic San Francisco righthander Tim Lincecum won the big award last fall, and he's pitching as if he wants it -– not to mention Tuesday night's all-star start - again this year. Lincecum carried a no-hitter into the seventh against San Diego on Thursday night. The win improved his record to 10-2 and gave him a 2.33 ERA, second best in the league entering Friday. Lincecum led the NL in innings (1272/3) and strikeouts (149). In his last seven starts, he is 6-1 with a 1.45 ERA and an opponents' batting average of .172.

AL Cy Young

From day one of the season, Kansas City righthander Zack Greinke has stood out. He goes into the break 10-5 with a league-best 2.12 ERA. Entering Friday, he ranked tops in the league in innings (1271/3) and complete games (five), and was second with 129 strikeouts. Greinke, a former high school teammate of much-publicized Phillies prospect Michael Taylor's, had quality starts in three of his five losses. He gave up just one run in eight innings in one of those games.

NL Rookie of the Year

The Cardinals turned top prospect Colby Rasmus loose this season, and the 22-year-old centerfielder has not disappointed. He entered Friday leading NL rookies with 11 homers and 34 RBIs while hitting .280. Rasmus broke Bo Jackson's Alabama high school record with 24 homers in 2005. He is hitting in front of Pujols and should get lots of fastballs in the second half. But watch out for Atlanta righthander Tommy Hanson, and don't count out the Phils' J.A. Happ in this race.

AL Rookie of the Year

The Blue Jays have been waiting for a bust-out season from 24-year-old lefty Ricky Romero, and they're finally getting one - in the big leagues. The team's top pick in the 2005 draft goes into tonight's start 7-3 with a 2.96 ERA. He is 5-1 with a 2.22 ERA in his last seven starts and is 6-1 with a no-decision in eight starts following a Toronto loss. The Phillies have sure seen enough of Romero. In two starts (both Toronto wins) against the Phils, he allowed just eight hits and struck out 16 in 14 innings. The AL has lots of good rookies, including Detroit pitcher Rick Porcello, Baltimore outfielder Nolan Reimold, Texas shortstop Elvis Andrus, and Oakland reliever Andrew Bailey. This race will be interesting in the second half.

NL Manager of the Year

There are several good candidates. Joe Torre (Dodgers) has once again proven to be the best crisis manager in baseball. He smoothed over the Manny Ramirez controversy, and his team didn't miss a beat while the cheating slugger was suspended for 50 games for using performance enhancing drugs. Tony La Russa, presiding over a club that was picked for third place, has the Cardinals in first place. Fredi Gonzalez always keeps the Marlins believing. But we're going with Milwaukee's Ken Macha, who has brought leadership to a position that desperately needed it and has kept the Brewers aiming high after the loss of CC Sabathia.

AL Manager of the Year

Tough call because two AL West managers have stood out. The Angels' Mike Scioscia, who many baseball people say is the best skipper in the game, has kept his team together through waves of pitching injuries and the death of pitcher Nick Adenhart. Scouts who follow the AL West give Texas' Ron Washington high marks for juggling a shaky pitching staff and having his club in first place entering Friday. Washington gets the edge here.

Contact staff writer Jim Salisbury

at 215-854-4983 or jsalisbury@phillynews.com.