As I mentioned at the beginning of the month, I would write out three different All-Star Ballots for the AL and NL All-Star teams for the game in St. Louis on July 14th. This will be the second in three installments of who I think deserves to make the All Star Team. Here is the American League All-Stars...
C - Joe Mauer (MIN) (.414 AVG, 13 HR, 40 RBI)
Fans Choice: Mauer
2nd Place: Nobody
Mauer continues to put up video game numbers as he has already tied his career high in home runs. He's on pace to win his third batting title and he's still very young.
1B - Justin Morneau (MIN) (.329 AVG, 16 HR, 54 RBI)
Fans Choice: Mark Texiera (NYY) (.284 AVG, 20 HR, 54 RBI)
2nd Place: Texiera
The gap is smaller here than it is with Mauer, but Tex got off to a really slow start with New York. I'm not a big fan of Ozzie Guillen, but he talked about Morneau last summer and said "If this guy played in New York or Boston, he'd be the freakin king. But since he plays in Minnesota, nobody knows about him." Morneau is putting up Pujols numbers right now and deserves to start because of the park he plays in (Metrodome compared to Yankee Stadium) and his supporting cast.
2B - Ian Kinsler (TEX) (.260-15-44)
Fans Choice: Kinsler
2nd Place: Dustin Pedroia (BOS) (.293-2-25)
Well, Kinsler has cooled off since he hasn't played my fantasy team in a while, so that's hurting him. But Pedroia is really far behind. You could say that Pedroia should start because of the "intangibles" that he brings to the Red Sox, but come on. Kinsler is putting up good numbers, although his average has slipped. Both will make the team, but Kinsler should start.
SS - Jason Bartlett (TB) (.373-7-30)
Fans Choice: Derek Jeter (NYY) (.310-9-30)
2nd Place: Jeter
I was a bit apalled when Jeter was the leading vote getter, but he's putting up a solid season. Now that the Yankees have gotten comfortable with their new airport they call a stadium, Jeter has taken off. Bottom line is, Bartlett better get off the DL soon, or else Jeter will start. Well, wait, Jeter's leading by 1,000,000 votes anyways. Heh...
3B - Evan Longoria (TB) (.305-14-58)
Fans Choice: Longoria
2nd Place: Alex Rodriguez (NYY) (.230-9-26)
I know, how can A-Rod be second place? Well, there's not much here other than Longoria and A-Rod. Longoria should start, A-Rod will make the team because of name recognition.
OF - Jason Bay (BOS) (.286-17-61)
OF - Torii Hunter (LAA) (.319-16-51)
OF - Adam Jones (BAL) (.324-12-41)
4th Place: Carl Crawford (TB) (.316-5-29-36 SB)
Bay is a lock at this point. He will be the top free agent of his class
Hunter is comfortable in LA, and should start the game.
The last battle is between Adam Jones and Carl Crawford. Both are playing out of their mind, and Crawford is healthy after a disasterous 2008 season. You might want to keep an eye out for Ichiro too, who is also on fire as we speak.
SP - Zack Grienke (8-2, 1.72 ERA, 97 K)
Selected by Manager Joe Maddon
2nd Place: Roy Halladay (10-1, 2.53 ERA, 88 K)
3rd Place: Kevin Slowey (9-2, 4.23 ERA, 66 K)
As a Twins fan, I would love to see Kevin Slowey start the All-Star Game, but it's not going to happen...UNLESS. Grienke hasn't pitched like he did at the beginning of the season recently and Halladay left a game Friday with a groin injury. If Grienke struggles, Halladay is hurt for a long period of time, and Slowey racks up a couple more wins before the All-Star break, we may see a trio of Twins in the starting lineup.
RP - Jonathan Papelbon (BOS) (0-1, 1.93 ERA, 16/17 SV)
Selected by Manager Joe Maddon
2nd Place: Joe Nathan (MIN) (1-1, 1.78 ERA, 15/17 SV)
Both of these guys are really good, and I think it will come down to who has the most saves. However, the closer in the ASG is an arbitrary position as it will probably be Mariano Rivera who shuts it down for the AL. However, I'm going to have fun with it and say that Papelbon (PUKE) will be the closer for the team.
So that means...
C - Joe Mauer
1B - Justin Morneau
2B - Ian Kinsler
3B - Evan Longoria
SS - Jason Bartlett
OF - Jason Bay
OF - Torii Hunter
OF - Adam Jones
SP - Zach Grienke
CP - Jonathan Papelbon*
* Denotes Change from original version...
Again, these take a really long time to crank out, so I'll throw up the NL team in a couple hours.
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