My AL All-Star Team

Here are the players who I see as the most deserving to be playing in St. Louis in the summer classic. The back-ups are in parenthesis.

C - Joe Mauer - Twins (Victor Martinez - Indians)
1st - Justin Morneau - Twins (Kevin Youkilis - Red Sox)
2nd - Ian Kinsler - Rangers (Aaron Hill - Blue Jays)
SS - Jason Bartlett - Rays (Derek Jeter - Yankees)
3rd - Evan Longoria - Rays (Chone Figgins - Angels)
OF - Carl Crawford - Rays (Ichiro Suzuki - Mariners)
OF - Torii Hunter - Angels (Adam Lind - Blue Jays)
OF - Jason Bay - Red Sox (Jermaine Dye - White Sox)

Here are the 10 pitchers who I see as most deserving to be on the team:

1. Zach Greinke - Royals
2. Roy Halladay - Blue Jays
3. Justin Verlander - Tigers
4. Felix Hernandez - Mariners
5. Josh Beckett - Red Sox
6. Joe Nathan - Twins
7. Mariano Rivera - Yankees
8. Jonathan Papelbon - Red Sox
9. Kevin Millwood - Rangers
10. Edwin Jackson - Tigers

That leaves 6 spots on the 32-man roster and I still need representatives from the Orioles and A's. Here's how I would fill out the final 6 spots:

1. Adam Jones - Orioles (he's the most deserving Oriole - although an argument could be made for Nick Markakis, George Sherrill, Luke Scott or rookie Brad Bergesen)
2. Andrew Bailey - A's (you could pick starter Dallas Braden as the A's representative and I wouldn't argue - it would stink if Matt Holliday gets chosen strictly because of his name)
3. Tim Wakefield - Red Sox (sentimental choice)
4. Miguel Cabrera - Tigers
5. Ben Zobrist - Rays
6. Russell Branyan - Mariners

That's my team. Every organization is represented. A little heavy in 1st basemen but what can you do (besides use Youkilis at 3rd)? Toughest omissions; Mark Teixeira - Yankees, Marco Scutaro - Blue Jays, Carlos Pena - Rays, Jered Weaver - Angels, Brian Fuentes - Angels and Johnny Damon - Yankees.