"When the first batch of hitters was announced for Monday's Home Run Derby and St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright noticed there were a few openings on the National League side, he had an idea. Either he should pitch to Toronto outfielder Vernon Wells , he deadpanned, or maybe he could hit.

Hey, he has been open about his plan to win a Silver Slugger award some time in his career, and he has been known to crank some homers during batting practice. But as Wainwright preps to make his final start of the first half and match Chris Carpenter's total of 13 wins before the break in 2005, perhaps there's another role Wainwright could play for the NL next week.

Closer.

1. Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel , the NL players and Major League Baseball have selected four closers from the league to be on the All-Star roster. But the real strength of the NL's squad -- and the thrust of its chances to end the American League's domination of the midsummer event -- is starters. Consider, Manuel could start Ubaldo Jimenez and follow with Josh Johnson , perfect-game Roy Halladay , two-time Cy Young-winner Tim Lincecum and then the two Cardinals who will be there, Chris Carpenter and Wainwright. If the starter throws two innings, and each pitcher after that throws only one that still adds up to seven, leaving the All-Star relievers to handle two innings at an AL park.

Here's an idea: Save Wainwright for the ninth -- or later.

The four closers who are on the roster are Jonathan Broxton , Matt Capps , Brian Wilson and Heath Bell . All are accomplished in their field, but not one has closed out a NL pennant-winning game, let alone a World Series. And that is what this is about, isn't it? The All-Star Game "counts" this time, too, right? So, Manuel can use his nimble bullpen to fill the innings after the fourth or fifth starter to appear, and spin through them. Lefty Arthur Rhodes has been one of the best middle relievers in the game this season, and even Broxton has a split of interest -- lefties hit .214 against him with 28 strikeouts in 70 at-bats. All of that would leave Manuel with a bullet yet to fire in his bullpen, a starter who has been a closer, has thrown the final pitch of a World Series and could make the last throws of the All-Star events instead of taking the first swings.

2. And, if the AL should win and no closer is needed on the NL side, that would also satisfy one of Cardinals manager Tony La Russa's hopes. He said it's really protocol to contact Manuel and ask for him to use Carpenter or Wainwright in a certain way. But, La Russa said, if he were the NL manager with two starters from the same team, he would try to use only one of them. The Cardinals are going to wait to see how Tuesday's All-Star Game goes before setting the rotation for the second half.

3. The final weekend before the All-Star break is a natural spot for the poll above that asks, in the wake of