MLB All-Star teams (predictions, then actual selections)

I'll do the N.L. in a little while.

STARTERS
C - Joe Mauer, Minnesota
1B - Kevin Youkilis, Boston
2B - Dustin Pedroia, Boston
3B - Alex Rodriguez, New York
SS - Derek Jeter, New York
OF - Manny Ramirez, Boston
OF - Josh Hamilton, Texas
OF - Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle
DH - David Ortiz, Boston

RESERVES
C - A.J. Pierzynski, Chicago
1B - Justin Morneau, Minnesota
2B - Ian Kinsler, Texas
2B - Placido Polanco, Detroit
3B - Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay
OF - Grady Sizemore, Cleveland
OF - Carlos Quentin, Chicago
OF - Milton Bradley, Texas
OF - J.D. Drew, Boston
OF - Jose Guillen, Kansas City

PITCHERS
SP - Justin Duchscherer, Oakland
SP - Cliff Lee, Cleveland
SP - Felix Hernandez, Seattle
SP - Roy Halladay, Toronto
SP - Joe Saunders, Los Angeles
SP - Gavin Floyd, Chicago
RP - Francisco Rodriguez, Los Angeles
RP - George Sherrill, Baltimore
RP - Jonathan Papelbon, Boston
RP - Joe Nathan, Minnesota
RP - Joakim Soria, Kansas City
RP - Mariano Rivera, New York

FAN VOTE
OF - Jermaine Dye, Chicago
1B - Jason Giambi, New York
OF - B.J. Upton, Tampa Bay
3B - Aubrey Huff, Baltimore
SP - Mike Mussina, New York

 

Re: American League All-Star team (prediction)

There's no one from Detroit.

 

Re: American League All-Star team (prediction)

Thanks. Fixed.

 

Re: MLB All-Star teams (prediction)

One guy from the team with the best record in the majors, and no pitchers.

Nice.

 

Re: MLB All-Star teams (prediction)

NATIONAL LEAGUE

STARTERS
C - Geovany Soto, Chicago
1B - Lance Berkman, Houston
2B - Chase Utley, Philadelphia
3B - Chipper Jones, Atlanta
SS - Hanley Ramirez, Florida
OF - Kosuke Fukudome, Chicago
OF - Ken Griffey, Jr., Cincinnati
OF - Alfonso Soriano, Chicago*
DH - Albert Pujols, St. Louis

* Injured, will be replaced on roster by Ryan Ludwick

RESERVES
C - Russell Martin, Los Angeles
1B - Ryan Howard, Philadelphia
1B - Adrian Gonzalez, San Diego
2B - Dan Uggla, Florida
3B - David Wright, New York
SS - Jose Reyes, New York
OF - Carlos Lee, Houston
OF - Ryan Braun, Milwaukee
OF - Xavier Nady, Pittsburgh
OF - Pat Burrell, Philadelphia
OF - Matt Holliday, Colorado

PITCHERS
SP - Edison Volquez, Cincinnati
SP - Tim Lincecum, San Francisco
SP - Ben Sheets, Milwaukee
SP - Carlos Zambrano, Chicago
SP - Brandon Webb, Arizona
SP - Aaron Cook, Colorado
SP - Dan Haren, Arizona
RP - Kerry Wood, Chicago
RP - Billy Wagner, New York
RP - Brad Lidge, Philadelphia
RP - Jon Rauch, Washington

FAN VOTE
Brian McCann, Atlanta
Aramis Ramirez, Chicago
Brandon Phillips, Cincinnati
Johan Santana, New York
Kyle Lohse, St. Louis

 

Re: MLB All-Star teams (prediction)

Who would you take? Sonnastine? 4.31 ERA.

Navarro over A.J. Pierzynski? Maybe.

 

Re: MLB All-Star teams (prediction)

Navarro by a mile over Pierzynski, Scott Kazmir (7-3, 2.63 with a month off to start the season). how about a true middle reliever (J.P. Howell 6-0, 2.91 in 55 innings/32 appearences) or set-up man (Dan Wheeler, 1.82 ERA, 3 saves in 39 appearences).

And no Carl Crawford or B.J. Upton in the fan vote? But two Yankees?

 

Re: MLB All-Star teams (prediction)

One Ray and two Royals? Makes sense.

 

Re: MLB All-Star teams (prediction)

I bet a Tampa Bay player ends up in the fan vote - I originally had Navarro on the fan voting list until I realized I didn't have a Tiger there.

Navarro sits too often for my taste - Pierzynski has 10 more games played. I think that's impressive for a catcher, to be out there almost every single day other than Sunday. Kazmir's got 72 innings at this point. Not good enough.

There are always going to be snubs. How will C.C. Sabathia feel sitting home? The defending A.L. Cy Young Award winner, he's been lights out since three bad starts to begin the season, and leads the A.L. in strikeouts. John Danks is going to get snubbed with a 2.50 ERA, second in the A.L. because the baseball establishment loves wins.

There are middle relievers having better years than Howell or Wheeler. Scott Linebrink for one.

Look, those Tampa Bay guys like Upton, Crawford, Kazmir, etc., are going to be All-Stars many times over. Just not this time.

 

Re: MLB All-Star teams (prediction)

How do you keep Jose Guillen (66 RBIs) and Soria (23 SVs, 1.22 ERA) off?

 

Re: MLB All-Star teams (prediction)

Would Howard be the first .224-hitting All-Star selected as a reserve?

 

Re: MLB All-Star teams (prediction)

I'm wondering if the old-school batting average mafia might penalize him, despite 76 RBIs.

Also, the public has spoken - I replaced DeJesus in the fan vote with B.J. Upton.