Thoughts on the AL All-Star Team

You can find the full roster here.

In my opinion - Ian Kinsler definitely got jobbed by the selections. He should be the starting 2nd baseman. I'm a Red Sox fan but Dustin Pedroia doesn't deserve it this year. Kinsler was more deserving than his teammate Michael Young but Young got the nod probably because the team needed another 3rd baseman (which in turn jobbed Chone Figgins of the Angels).

Does Josh Hamilton deserve the starting position given all the time he missed? Did Curtis Granderson get the nod over teammate Miguel Cabrera because he was more likable? Or because the team had too many 1st basemen? There is also no way Granderson should have made the team over Adam Lind. Hamilton should use his health as an excuse to let either Kinsler or Lind take his spot.

Excellent arguments could also be made for Kevin Millwood of the Rangers (where would they be without him this season) and Russell Branyan of the Mariners.

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.

AL All-Star Team

Here's my picks for who is most deserving to be named to the AL All-Star Team:

C - Joe Mauer Twins - .331 BA
1st - Kevin Youkilis Red Sox - .919 OPS and Gold Glove defense
2nd - Ian Kinsler Rangers - leads AL 2nd basemen in most offensive categories
SS - Michael Young Rangers - best of thin pickings in AL
3rd - Alex Rodriguez Yankees - any question?
OF - Josh Hamilton Rangers - 76 RBI
OF - Milton Bradley Rangers - leads the AL in OPS
OF - JD Drew Red Sox - .318 BA and 1.017 OPS
DH - Manny Ramirez Red Sox
SP - Cliff Lee Indians - 10-1 with a 2.45 ERA

Reserves - Justin Morneau Twins, Dioner Navarro Rays, Brian Roberts Orioles, Orlando Cabrerra White Sox, Joe Crede White Sox, Carlos Quentin White Sox, Jacoby Ellsbury Red Sox, BJ Upton Rays, Roy Halladay Blue Jays, Justin Duchscherer A's, Joe Saunders Angels, Mariano Rivera Yankees, Jonathan Papelbon Red Sox, Joakim Soria Royals

Toughest Omissions: Grady Sizemore Indians - deep outfield costs Sizemore a spot mostly because he's up against better known names or spots need to be used for sole representatives for some teams; Johnny Damon Yankees - ditto for Damon; Scott Kazmir Rays - very deserving but time on DL hurt him.

Miscellaneous thoughts.

Manny and Big Papi will probably get the nod at OF and DH in the voting and you know MLB wants Ortiz in there for the "call the shot" promotion they have spent so much money on. I just hope that their inclusion doesn't keep Drew from being on the team. He's more worthy than either Manny or Big Papi this season... Derek Jeter will probably get the start at short which may cost Orlando Cabrera a spot on the team... I don't think Ichiro has earned a berth this season but he's probably going to be voted as starter or picked as the only Mariner representative. That spells doom for Jacoby Ellsbury's chances... Dustin Pedroia will probably get the start at 2nd and with Brian Roberts potentially the sole Orioles representative - that means that Ian Kinsler could get left off the team even though he's the most deserving to start. Of course Nick Markakis could be the Orioles rep and that would put Kinsler on.. Kinsler being left off the team would be bad but my guess is that the biggest screw job will be the omission of either Milton Bradley or JD Drew... If you notice - I have representatives from every team except the Tigers. Who really is deserving from Detroit? Anyone? If you pick Magglio Ordonez then you are dealing with bumping another deserving player from an already crowded outfield. A pitcher? Todd Jones may be the only choice there and who do you bump for him? Jonathan Papelbon? Could this be a year without a Tiger?

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.

Top 5 - AL 2nd Basemen Who Deserve to Start the All-Star Game over Robinson Cano

Right now Robinson Cano is the leading vote-getter for the AL All-Star team at 2nd base - which is a joke because he hasn't earned the right to get the nod based on past performance and he certainly hasn't performed at an All-Star level this season.

Here are five other 2nd basemen in the AL who deserve the honor more than Cano.

1. BJ Upton - Devil Rays - .325 BA / 8 HR / 29 RBI
2. Brian Roberts - Orioles - .310 BA / 34 R / 19 SB
3. Placido Polanco - Tigers - .330 BA / 28 R / 28 RBI
4. Aaron Hill - Blue Jays - .284 BA / 29 R / 28 RBI
5. Ian Kinsler - Rangers - .237 BA / 10 HR / 27 RBI

Kinsler bolted to a hot start in April (.298 BA with 9 HR) but has been ice cold in May. Even still - he deserves the nod more than Cano who has been ice cold all season (.264 BA / 2 HR / 23 RBI).