Top 5 - AL Players Who Deserve to be an All-Star but will be Left Off Team

The starters are voted in by the fans and the remainder of the players are picked by the manager of last year's World Series team - Jim Leyland of the Tigers - with the heavy-handed assistance from MLB (so that managers can't stuff the team with members of his own club ala Joe Torre back when the Yankees used to go to the World Series).

The fact that the fans will vote in some undeserving players and the rules state that each team must have at least one representative means that a number of deserving players will be left off the roster for the All-Star game. Here are who I foresee being the best players to be stiffed this year.

1. Grady Sizemore - Indians - he has fewer runs, HR and RBI than Gary Sheffield but Sizemore's defence puts him on another plane. Is it possible that the rule that each club has to have a representative could keep Sizemore from making the team? Outfielders Alex Rios of Toronto and Mark Teahen of Kansas City could be their teams' sole representatives. Sizemore may be hoping that Manny Ramirez announces that he has a "tight hamstring" and skips the game.

2. Gary Sheffield - Tigers - 16 HR and 41 RBI for Leyland's Tigers but at first David Ortiz will get voted in by the fans, Leyland will probably have to take Travis Hafner from the Indians, reigning MVP Justin Morneau from the Twins and Mark Teixeira will probably be the Rangers sole representative. It will be tough for Leyland to carry more than 4 firstbasemen. And the outfield spots are just as tough to crack.

3. Carl Crawford - Devil Rays - .310 BA and 17 steals - having BJ Upton make the team at 2nd hurts Crawford's chances because Upton would be the Devil Rays representative. Meanwhile, Alex Rios and Mark Teahen could take up the remaining outfield slots as the sole representatives of their teams. Factor in the great season starter James Shields is having for the Devil Rays and it becomes harder to imagine the roster having 3 players from Tampa Bay. This spells S-N-U-B for Crawford.

4. Kevin Youkilis - Red Sox - he's hitting .338 and has yet to have an error at firstbase this season but there is a roster logjam at first and that could cost Youkilis a spot. However, Youkilis could be added to the roster to play third because the AL really only has A-Rod and Mike Lowell as deserving at that position although Mark Teahen of the Royals could be their sole representative and fill the same role.

5. (tie) Jason Varitek - Red Sox - his numbers are almost exactly equal to projected starter Ivan Rodriguez but Jorge Posada of the Yankees is having a career year and Victor Martinez is having the best season of any AL catchers. It is likely that only 3 catchers will be carried on the roster and that leaves Red Sox captain Varitek (and Seattle's Kenjii Johjima) out in the cold (tie) Kenjii Johjima - Mariners - his .328 batting average pales compared to Jorge Posada's .358 and his power numbers pale in comparison to Victor Martinez's 12 HR and 54 RBI but he's still deserving.

Here's how I see the roster shaking out (starters in bold):

C - Ivan Rodriguez, Victor Martinez, Jorge Posada
1st - David Ortiz, Travis Hafner, Justin Morneau, Mark Teixeira
2nd - Robinson Cano, Brian Roberts, BJ Upton
3rd - Alex Rodriguez, Mike Lowell
SS - Derek Jeter, Orlando Cabrera, Jhonny Peralta
OF - Vlad Guerrero, Manny Ramirez, Ichiro Suzuki, Torii Hunter, Magglio Ordonez, Alex Rios, Mark Teahen

That's 14 reserve players (which is kinda a high number - which reinforces the chances of these players being subbed). I'm not sure if MLB is having that "last player" promotion again this year but that would be the 15th reserve player. Teahen would probably be the sole representative from the Royals and he's attractive because he could actually be used at 3rd base instead of the outfield. It is very possible that the A's (Dan Haren) and White Sox (closer Bobby Jenks or starter Jon Garland) have a pitcher as their sole representative.