Gov. Napolitano is hoping Major League Baseball will let Phoenix step up to the late and knock one out of the park. Last week, she sent a letter to MLB Commissioner Bud Selig extolling city in an attempt to land the 2009 All Star Game.

“Arizona is a great baseball state, and an ideal location for an All-Star game,” the Governor said. “The state has a long history of successfully hosting Major League Baseball, and it’s high time to bring the All-Star festivities to Arizona.”

In her letter, Governor Napolitano also pointed out that Phoenix has the facilities needed to host the game. Bank One Ballpark is a state of the art facility, and renovations on Phoenix Civic Plaza and the construction of two full-service hotels will be complete by 2009.

The game and festivities surrounding the event is traditionally held in July, near the mid-point of the Major League Baseball season.

The All Star Game will be played in Pittsburgh in 2006 and San Francisco in 2007; the host teams in both of those cities play in the National League. A decision is expected to be made in the near future for the location of the 2008 game and observers predict an American League team will be awarded the game.

In her letter, Ms. Napolitano said the Diamondbacks – a National League team – would be ideal hosts for the 2009 game.

Arizona has served as a host for many major sports events including a Super Bowl, a World Series, a BCS national title game, and an NBA All-Star game. Glendale will be the site of the 2008 Super Bowl and is expected to host the NHL All Star game in 2008 or 2009.

The Governor created the Arizona Baseball and Softball Commission in February, which is working to strengthen the Cactus League. The Commission has also made securing an All-Star game in Arizona a priority.