Un-Biased All-Star Picks

With voting for the All-Star game over with and official selections right around the corner, I wanted to pick my own version of how the all-star teams should play out, based purely on performance with no popularity taken into consideration.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Starting Lineup:
SS Hanley Ramirez (Florida Marlins)
2B Chase Utley (Philadelphia Phillies)
3B Chipper Jones (Atlanta Braves)
1B Lance Berkman (Houston Astros)
DH Albert Pujols (St. Louis Cardinals)
RF Ryan Braun (Milwaukee Brewers)
LF Carlos Lee (Houston Astros)
C Russell Martin (Los Angeles Dodgers)
CF Nate McLouth (Pittsburgh Pirates)
P Tim Lincecum (San Francisco Giants)

Bench: 3B David Wright (New York Mets)
1B Adrian Gonzalez (San Diego Padres)
SS Jose Reyes (New York Mets)
2B Brandon Phillips (Cincinnati Reds)
2B Dan Uggla (Florida Marlins)
OF Ryan Ludwick (St. Louis Cardinals)
OF Matt Holliday (Colorado Rockies)
C Brian McCann (Atlanta Braves)
OF Corey Hart (Milwaukee Brewers)
3B Aramis Ramirez (Chicago Cubs)
OF Carlos Beltran (New York Mets)

Pitchers:
RH Edison Volquez (Cincinnati Reds)
RH Ben Sheets (Milwaukee Brewers)
RH Brandon Webb (Arizona Diamondbacks)
RH Kerry Wood (Chicago Cubs)
RH Dan Haren (Arizona Diamondbacks)
RH Brad Lidge (Philadelphia Phillies)
LH Cole Hamels (Philadelphia Phillies)
LH Billy Wagner (New York Mets)
LH Johan Santana (New York Mets)
RH Jon Rauch (Washington Nationals)
RH Jake Peavy (San Diego Padres)

The toughest choice here seems to be who's going to start on the mound for the NL. They've been neck and neck all year, but I picked Lincecum over Volquez because he's been better over the last month.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Lineup:
CF Grady Sizemore (Cleveland Indians)
RF Ichiro Suzuki (Seattle Mariners)
3B Alex Rodriguez (New York Yankees)
LF Josh Hamilton (Texas Rangers)
DH Milton Bradley (Texas Rangers)
2B Ian Kinsler (Texas Rangers)
1B Justin Morneau (Minnesota Twins)
C Joe Mauer (Minnesota Twins)
SS Michael Young (Texas Rangers)
P Roy Halladay (Toronto Blue Jays)

Bench:
CI Kevin Youkilis (Boston Red Sox)
OF Jermaine Dye (Chicago White Sox)
OF Manny Ramirez (Boston Red Sox)
OF J.D. Drew (Boston Red Sox)
OF David DeJesus (Kansas City Royals)
OF Carlos Quentin (Chicago White Sox)
2B Dustin Pedroia (Boston Red Sox)
3B-OF Aubrey Huff (Baltimore Orioles)
IF Carlos Guillen (Detroit Tigers)
C A.J. Pierzynski (Chicago White Sox)
SS Derek Jeter (New York Yankees)
3B Evan Longoria (Tampa Bay Rays)

Pitchers:
LH Cliff Lee (Cleveland Indians)
RH Justin Duchscherer (Oakland Athletics)
RH Mariano Rivera (New York Yankees)
RH Ervin Santana (Los Angeles Angels)
RH Jonathan Papelbon (Boston Red Sox)
LH Joe Saunders (Los Angeles Angels)
RH Joakim Soria (Kansas City Royals)
RH Josh Beckett (Boston Red Sox)
RH Gavin Floyd (Chicago White Sox)
RH Joe Nathan (Minnesota Twins)

The AL squad, lead by MVP candidates Josh Hamilton and Alex Rodriguez, doesn't look as strong on paper as it has in the past and their dominance may come to an end this year.

The Giants Baseball Blog-http://giantsbaseballblog.blogspot.com/

AKchrisbrooksWaterboy

364 days ago

Score 1

In the AL pitchers category, I think you meant to say Cliff Lee. It is just weird to see that many Texas Rangers on an All-Star team. I do think that the NL team is just NASTY. But I have to disagree with the starting pitcher you project. I think it should Brandon Webb, he has been the best pitcher in the NL this year.

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RomiezzoLegend

364 days ago

Score 1

All fixed! PHEW! (He also said Ryan McCann; it's all good.) Unlike you, AKchrisbrooks, I agree with Trecole. Although Webb has more wins than Lincecum, Lincy leads the league in strikeouts, has a 10-1 record (with the Giants... compare his run support to Webb's), and has an ERA of 2.49 (compare that to Webb's 3.43)!

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AKchrisbrooksWaterboy

364 days ago

Score 0

Okay, you're right, you talked me into, I never considered run support. I can only name like 3 field position players. But I will say that Webb's change-up is the nastiest pitch I have seen this year.

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KelsdadAll-Star

364 days ago

Score 0

Brandon Webb doesn't throw a changeup

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Manny StilesMajor Leaguer

364 days ago

Score 0

Best team in baseball gets one measely pick? SECOND PLACE Red Sox get SIX??? Royals get TWO? And if Jeter isn't voted in as starter, he does NOT deserve to go... Puh-leaze... Don't be surprised if Dioner Navarro is on the team and AJ Pierzynski isn't!

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AKchrisbrooksWaterboy

364 days ago

Score 0

But you said it yourself. They are the best TEAM in baseball, the all-star game is about individual efforts. But I do agree about Jeter, if he makes the team, I'm not sure that I would watch the game.

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Manny StilesMajor Leaguer

364 days ago

Score 0

And the all-star game is about representing ALL the teams in the game. If you don't represent the team with the best record, you are defiling the game.

Francona will do what's right. Navarro will make it, Kazmir will make it and JP Howell might even get a nod. Longoria is a LOCK.

If Jeter gets in it's because MLB is strong-arming the event in Yankee Stadium - he clearly doesn't deserve it this year.

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KelsdadAll-Star

364 days ago

Score 2

As much as I would like to agree with you, Manny, I just can't. Francona's going to top-load his own guys and (rightfully so), Yankees.

ARod, Jeter, Damon and Rivera are locks. With Hafner on the DL, he could go with Giambi to replace Ortiz. He may give a pitcher spot to Mussina.

Pedroia, Lowell, Manny, Drew, Paplebon and probably Dice-K are in from the Sox, with Youkilis and Beckett possibilities.

So you're looking at ten guys out of a thirty man roster from New York and Boston. Doesn't leave much room for anyone else.

And with ARod and Crede locks and Lowell an almost lock, Longoria has no real shot at the game, meaning Kazmir and maybe Navarro are the only Rays who will go.

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Manny StilesMajor Leaguer

364 days ago

Score 0

We'll see...

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Trecole696Red-Shirting

364 days ago

Score 0

Haha, made the post late at night, hence all the mistakes. Sorry about that guys.

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False ProphetAll-Star

364 days ago

Score 0

Glad to see Nathan on the list. He's a great pitcher, he's just put in a lot of akward situations for a pitcher (like when they gave him the 9th after the starter gave up a run and loaded the bases), which leads to him not having quite as many saves.

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SoxaddictSoccer Kid

361 days ago

Score 0

Why Morneau over Youkilis as a starter?

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