This is Albert’s town. The rest of the stars get this.

Pujols once sat out an entire All-Star Game, in 2007, when National League manager Tony La Russa held him back as a just-in-case player. That was not a popular move.

But Pujols is starting this game and he is likely to play a lot. Our Town’s Ryan Howard gets this.

His Phillies manager, Charlie Manuel, is running the NL show. Manuel will find something for Howard to do.

“I’m just here to enjoy myself, and however Charlie feels that he may need to use me, whether it’s pinch-hit . . .  if I’m called on to pinch-hit, I’m going to go out there and try to pinch-hit,” Howard told reporters. “Like I said, my main goal is try to come out here and enjoy and just try to help out anyway that I can.”

Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder had the same view.

“Like Ryan, I’m just here to have fun,” he said. “This is Albert’s town, so if he needs to play the whole game, I would have no problem with that.”