Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Yovani Gallardo says he would boycott All-Star Game played in Arizona.

[pampango]

http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20100713/APC020601/7130596/1892/AAA&located=rss

Yovani Gallardo is firm. Even if he's fortunate enough to make the All-Star team again next summer, he'll skip it. "If the game is in Arizona, I will totally boycott," the Milwaukee Brewers pitcher said Monday.

A year before Phoenix is set to host baseball's big event, the state's new immigration law kept drawing the attention of major leaguers. Kansas City reliever Joakim Soria, who leads the majors with 25 saves, said he would support a Latino protest and stay away. Detroit closer Jose Valverde can see himself steering clear, too.

"It's a really delicate issue," said Toronto outfielder Jose Bautista, who leads the majors with 24 home runs. "Hopefully, there are some changes in the law before then. We have to back up our Latin communities. If I do get chosen, I don't know what I'm going to do.

The Mexican-born Gallardo said he's talked with Soria and San Diego's All-Star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez about the Arizona law. "We don't agree with it," Gallardo said. St. Louis slugger Albert Pujols said he opposed the law and Valverde called it "dumb."

"The game is going on at this point, regardless," said former All-Star Tony Clark, who played for Arizona last season and now works for the union. "Whatever decision an individual player makes, they would have the full support of the union." The union has already condemned the law and said that if it is not repealed or modified additional steps would be considered.

[rurallib]

1. Have any white or black players said they will boycott?

It would be so effective if all were involved.

[blondeatlast]

3. The player's union officially opposes the law--whether they will take further action, I don't know.

The boycott over the MLK holiday rejection worked here--I'm hoping for a repeat. Impacting our #1 industry, tourism, is the way to get things accomplished.

[midnight]

2. Maybe the loss of revenue will shock Arizona enough to

stop them from shaking down persons who LOOK illegal?