The All-Star rosters

Figured it was worth a separate thread.

[table][tr][td]NATIONAL LEAGUE
Starters
1B Prince Fielder, Brewers
2B Rickie Weeks, Brewers
SS Jose Reyes, Mets
3B Placido Polanco, Phillies
OF Ryan Braun, Brewers
OF Lance Berkman, Cardinals
OF Matt Kemp, Dodgers
C Brian McCann, Braves

Pitchers
Matt Cain, Giants
Roy Halladay, Phillies
Cole Hamels, Phillies
Jair Jurrjens, Braves
Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers
Cliff Lee, Phillies
Tim Lincecum, Giants
Ryan Vogelsong, Giants
Heath Bell, Padres
Tyler Clippard, Nationals
Joel Hanrahan, Pirates
Jonny Venters, Braves
Brian Wilson, Giants

Reserves
C Yadier Molina, Cardinals
INF Starlin Castro, Cubs
INF Chipper Jones, Braves
INF Brandon Phillips, Reds
INF Gaby Sanchez, Marlins
INF Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies
INF Joey Votto, Reds
OF Carlos Beltran, Mets
OF Jay Bruce, Reds
OF Matt Holliday, Cardinals
OF Hunter Pence, Astros
OF Justin Upton, Diamondbacks[/td]

[td]AMERICAN LEAGUE
Starters
1B Adrian Gonzalez, Red Sox
2B Robinson Cano, Yankees
SS Derek Jeter, Yankees
3B Alex Rodriguez, Yankees
OF Jose Bautista, Blue jays
OF Curtis Granderson, Yankees
OF Josh Hamilton, Rangers
C Alex Avila, Tigers
DH David Ortiz, Red Sox

Pitchers
Josh Beckett, Red Sox
Gio Gonzalez, A's
Felix Hernandez, Mariners
David Price, Rays
James Shields, Rays
Justin Verlander, Tigers
Jered Weaver, Angels
C.J. Wilson, Rangers
Aaron Crow, Royals
Brandon League, Mariners
Chris Perez, Indians
Mariano Rivera, Yankees
Jose Valverde, Tigers

Reserves
C Russell Martin, Yankees
C Matt Wieters, Orioles
INF Adrian Beltre, Rangers
INF Asdrubal Cabrera, Indians
INF Miguel Cabrera, Tigers
INF Howie Kendrick, Angels
OF Michael Cuddyer, Twins
OF Jacoby Ellsbury, Red Sox
OF Matt Joyce, Rays
OF Carlos Quentin, White Sox
DH Michael Young, Rangers
[/td][/tr][/table]

 

1. Tyler Clippard over Drew Storen? Travestmockery.

2. Kind of thought Alex Gordon should have gotten Royals' nod over Aaron Crow. Gordon is on the final-player ballot, though.

3. Lincecum, who may be my favorite player, should not be on that pitching staff.

 

No CC?

 

No CC. It might be possible that he's penciled in for Sunday work next weekend, which makes him ineligible to throw in the game.

The "final vote" candidates for each league:

AL: Alex Gordon, Royals OF; Adam Jones, Orioles OF; Paul Konerko, White Sox 1B; Victor Martinez, Tigers DH; Ben Zobrist, Rays 2B.

NL: Andre Ethier, Dodgers OF; Todd Helton, Rockies 1B; Ian Kennedy, Diamondbacks RHP; Mike Morse, Nationals OF; Shane Victorino, Phillies OF.

 

I thought the deal was that Sunday pitchers could still be NAMED, but not eligible to pitch, in the ASG.

Verlander is supposed to pitch Sunday, so he won't be in the game.

 

Then I don't have a good answer for CC's absence.

Just thought of somebody else who should be punching a wall: Andrew McCutchen. Ridiculous that he's not on the NL team.

 

The CC thing pisses me off. If you have a deserving pitcher and you know he's going to pitch the Sunday before, just make him an original choice and replace him. It doesn't hurt anyone and someone worthy of an All-Star distinction gets it.

Felix Hernandez, James Shields, Cole Hamels and Matt Cain are all scheduled to start that Sunday before like Sabathia. Why he couldn't have been chosen over Valverde or Wilson and then replaced makes no sense.

 

CC has started 18 games. In eight of them he has given up four or more runs. I think the All-Star Game will survive without a pitcher who is mediocre or worse half the time.

 

I can live with six Yankees on the team rather than seven, too.

 

There's no Lester either, so maybe they were hoping the combined outrage from both fan bases would cause a combustion.

 

And yet somehow he is tied for the major league lead in wins with a 3.05 ERA, third in the AL in IP and sixth in strikeouts. It's not about the name of the guy or the team he plays for. The example could be Michael Pineda or Phillip Humber for all that matters. It's the point that a guy who is going to be replaced anyway based on the selection rules wasn't initally chosen, and then someone who is less worthy will probably be chosen because others have to be replaced. That part doesn't make sense.

 

Your reliance on wins is what doesn't make sense. How many guys would have 11 wins if they got 7 runs a game in support, including a half-dozen starts where his team scored 10 or more runs?