MLB All-Star Game Picks

Tejada's numbers are comparable to any NL shortstop's; Soto and McCann are virtually in lockstep; Ichiro and Manny are reasonable selections, particularly because one of the shoo-in AL outfielders, Quentin, is not on the ballot. But, yeah, there are some questionable ones, mostly from the north side of Chicago, the Bronx and Boston.

 

Its been a very weird voting selection thus far. I don't agree with the selection of Pedroia and Varitek, but there has been a real shortage of good players at those positions this season in the AL. Mauer isn't exactly hitting to expectation and Victor Martinez just isn't hitting at all and is now on the DL. I don't really know any other second basemen in the AL who are doing well.

 

Kinsler.

 

Guess you've never heard of Ian Kinsler.

Or Dioner Navarro.

Edit: Suck it, Barsuk!

 

I was gonna say Navarro, too.

 

Thank you, sportshack. Finally someone is realizing that McCann is actually doing well this season and making a great All-Star bid.

And, yes, Kinsler is on an absolute tear this season. He deserves to start over Pedroia by far.

 

I've filled out several ballots, covering up names and voting purely on stats each time, and I've been split pretty much 50-50 on Soto and McCann. Their numbers are nearly identical on any given day.

EDIT: Looking at it right now, McCann has started to separate himself a bit in BA (.305 to .282) but the HRs and RBI are almost identical.

 

What do you think KevinH only follows "his" team?

That's about twice in as many days someone has caught him not knowing some pretty routine MLB stats or players.

 

No, I don't follow just my team. I simply forgot about Kinsler. Texas has been such a small-market team for awhile, I forgot Kinsler has actually helped lead that team to become somewhat a respectable club again.

 

Why I gave the nod to McCann....

Course the fans would still vote in a Piazza over these two if they could...

 

They'll likely split equal time with one another in the first several innings then we'll likely get to see Molina, Kendell and Martin get a crack at it. Probably not all three of those, but a lot of people are high on Martin for his defensive accomplishments.

 

If you're voted in, obviously you're an All-Star. Also if selected by the manager. But, if you're picked because somebody's hurt and you're sort of a last-minute addition, does that also count toward your career accomplishments?