MLB fans pick the real All-Star starters. Players and the managers who led their teams to the World Series last year choose the pitchers and reserves. The teams were announced Sunday, but Yahoo! Sports baseball experts Tim Brown, Jeff Passan and Steve Henson picked the players they'd like to see in the All-Star game.
JEFF PASSAN'S PICKS
Not exactly packing the punch of past years, huh? Even though the AL thumped the NL in interleague play, young pitching is now its hallmark. So take this lineup for what it is: a nice group of hitters, though nowhere close to the boppers of years past. One pre-emptive footnote: If Evan Longoria doesn't make the team – and, with the backup third-base spot between him and Mike Lowell, he won't – it means there will, in all likelihood, be only one All-Star from the best team in baseball. Get your All-Snub squad ready.
TIM BROWN'S PICKS
It's been a long way back from first overall pick to tattoo parlor to rehab center to Rule 5 draft to whatever all happened in between, but here stands Josh Hamilton, nine years after that draft, still only 27 years old, and poised for his first All-Star game.
When the road less traveled turns out to be the Major Deegan Expressway, you can be sure the only footprints are your own.
STEVE HENSON'S PICKS
Carlos Quentin and Jermaine Dye of the White Sox are the only deserving starters from a first-place team, illustrating the impressive depth and teamwork of the Rays and Angels as well as the fact that one or two stars does not a winner make. How else to explain the three starters from Texas, and another Ranger on the bench? All the finger-pointing at Ichiro for his alleged role in poisoning the Mariners' clubhouse comes off a tad too convenient for me, and I'm not going to ignore that he's first or second among AL outfielders in runs, hits and stolen bases. Or that he's easily the best player on his team.
Starters C: Joe Mauer, Minnesota 1B: Kevin Youkilis, Boston 2B: Ian Kinsler, Texas SS: Michael Young, Texas 3B: Alex Rodriguez, New York OF: Josh Hamilton, Texas OF: J.D. Drew, Boston OF: Jermaine Dye, Chicago DH: Milton Bradley, Texas
Reserves C: Dioner Navarro, Tampa Bay 1B: Justin Morneau, Minnesota 2B: Brian Roberts, Baltimore 2B: Placido Polanco, Detroit 2B: Jose Lopez, Seattle SS: Derek Jeter, New York 3B: Mike Lowell, Boston OF: Carlos Quentin, Chicago OF: Grady Sizemore, Cleveland OF: Jose Guillen, Kansas City
Starters C: Joe Mauer, Minnesota 1B: Justin Morneau, Minnesota 2B: Ian Kinsler, Texas SS: Michael Young, Texas 3B: Alex Rodriguez, New York LF: Carlos Quentin, Chicago CF: Josh Hamilton, Texas RF: Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle DH: Jermaine Dye, Chicago
Reserves C: Dioner Navarro, Tampa Bay 1B: Kevin Youkilis, Boston 2B: Placido Polanco, Detroit 2B: Brian Roberts, Baltimore SS: Orlando Cabrera, Chicago SS: Derek Jeter, New York 3B: Mike Lowell, Boston OF: Milton Bradley, Texas OF: J.D. Drew, Boston OF: Grady Sizemore, Cleveland
Pitchers Look at the ages for the starting pitchers: 22, 24, 26, 27, 27, 29, 30 and 31. The AL is all about pitching, and to throw out such a grand mixture – the power of Rich Harden, Felix Hernandez and Scott Kazmir, the finesse of Joe Saunders and Justin Duchscherer, the meticulousness of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Daisuke Matsuzaka – is eminently unfair. Especially considering each of the five closers is damn near impermeable. How strong is this pitching staff? The man second in the AL in saves, George Sherrill, is sitting at home, as is Bobby Jenks and his 1.95 ERA.
Pitchers Cliff Lee, who could pitch the second half with his right arm and still make a good run at Comeback Player of the Year, has shaved almost four runs off his ERA of last season, which included 10 minor-league starts. Sadly for the Indians, Lee is a career .074 hitter, meaning he's one of the rare bright spots in Cleveland. The guy that might catch your eye here is Dan Wheeler. Tampa Bay's bullpen was the worst in the world last season and is among the best this season. Wheeler, even more than Troy Percival, is the reason why.
Pitchers The rapid development of a plethora of young AL arms is one of the best stories of the year. It's a primary reason why the league sustained its dominance in interleague play. And it would give the Red Sox, Rays or Angels a significant advantage in the World Series. I went heavy on starters because there are so many deserving ones, and still I left out Daisuke Matsuzaka, Felix Hernandez, Jamie Shields and John Lackey, among others. Cliff Lee, the comeback player of the year in addition to a strong Cy Young candidate, is a slam dunk as the starter.
Starter: Rich Harden, Oakland
SP: Cliff Lee, Cleveland SP: Joe Saunders, L.A. SP: Justin Duchscherer, Oakland SP: Felix Hernandez, Seattle SP: Scott Kazmir, Tampa Bay SP: Roy Halladay, Toronto SP: Daisuke Matsuzaka, Boston RP: Francisco Rodriguez, L.A. RP: Jonathan Papelbon, Boston RP: Mariano Rivera, New York RP: Joakim Soria, Kansas City RP: Joe Nathan, Minnesota
Starter: Cliff Lee, Cleveland
SP: Joe Saunders, L.A. SP: Josh Beckett, Boston SP: Ervin Santana, L.A. SP: Roy Halladay, Toronto SP: Justin Duchscherer, Oakland SP: James Shields, Tampa Bay RP: Francisco Rodriguez, L.A. RP: Mariano Rivera, New York RP: Joe Nathan, Minnesota RP: Jonathan Papelbon, Boston RP: Bobby Jenks, Chicago RP: Dan Wheeler, Tampa Bay
Starter: Cliff Lee, Cleveland
SP: Josh Beckett, Boston SP: Joe Saunders, L.A. SP: Scott Kazmir, Tampa Bay SP: Justin Duchscherer, Oakland SP: Roy Halladay, Toronto SP: Ervin Santana, L.A. SP: C.C. Sabathia, Cleveland SP: Gavin Floyd, Chicago SP: Mike Mussina, New York RP: Francisco Rodriguez, L.A. RP: Mariano Rivera, New York RP: Joakim Soria, Kansas City
JEFF PASSAN'S PICKS
From home plate to the second-base bag 127 feet away, the NL makes the AL look like the junior circuit. There were three great catchers, so we went three. And three phenomenal first basemen, so three there, too. And the two best second basemen in baseball. Plus the two best shortstops. Plenty of depth at third as well. The outfield gets a little leery, though I'm agreeing with the fans and giving Ken Griffey Jr. a spot because it would be nice to see the third natural member of the 600-home run club in the Home Run Derby. Anyway, it's nice to see some new blood – Ryan Ludwick, Nate McLouth, and, yes, Pat Burrell would be first-time All-Stars.
TIM BROWN'S PICKS
Yeah, yeah, it counts. Somebody send the memo to the National League, which hasn't won one of these since 1996. And, well, this year it's looking good for the NLers. Not only do they have two guys in the starting lineup who generated some .400 speculation, but did you know that Pat Burrell has hit 19 home runs in 272 career at-bats in New York City? OK, so 18 are at Shea. But it could be a New York thing. I'm just sayin'.
STEVE HENSON'S PICKS
Illustration No. 1,001 on the beauty of baseball: Not a single person on the planet would have proposed before the season that the starting NL All-Star outfield would come down to a tough call between Nate McLouth, Pat Burrell, Corey Hart and Ryan Ludwick. The infield, by contrast, is more potent and deep than that of the AL. Ken Griffey Jr. gets a lifetime achievement nod. Russell Martin, in only his third season, has earned squatter's rights over Brian McCann and Geovany Soto until one of them clearly surpasses him. I can't wait to watch switch-hitters Lance Berkman and Chipper Jones bat back-to-back.
Starters C: Brian McCann, Atlanta 1B: Lance Berkman, Houston 2B: Chase Utley, Philadelphia SS: Hanley Ramirez, Florida 3B: Chipper Jones, Atlanta LF: Ryan Braun, Milwaukee CF: Nate McLouth, Pittsburgh RF: Ryan Ludwick, St. Louis DH: Albert Pujols, St. Louis
Reserves C: Geovany Soto, Chicago C: Russell Martin, L.A. 1B: Adrian Gonzalez, San Diego 2B: Dan Uggla, Florida SS: Jose Reyes, New York 3B: Aramis Ramirez, Chicago OF: Pat Burrell, Philadelphia OF: Ken Griffey Jr., Cincinnati OF: Matt Holliday, Colorado OF: Jason Bay, Pittsburgh
Starters C: Brian McCann, Atlanta 1B: Lance Berkman, Houston 2B: Chase Utley, Philadelphia SS: Hanley Ramirez, Florida 3B: Chipper Jones, Atlanta LF: Pat Burrell, Philadelphia CF: Nate McLouth, Pittsburgh OF: Ryan Ludwick, St. Louis DH: Carlos Lee, Houston
Reserves C: Geovany Soto, Chicago C: Russell Martin, L.A. 1B: Adrian Gonzalez, San Diego 1B: Albert Pujols, St. Louis 2B: Dan Uggla, Florida SS: Jose Reyes, New York 3B: David Wright, New York 3B: Aramis Ramirez, Chicago OF: Ryan Braun, Milwaukee OF: Jason Bay, Pittsburgh
Starters C: Russell Martin, L.A. 1B: Lance Berkman, Houston 2B: Chase Utley, Philadelphia SS: Hanley Ramirez, Florida 3B: Chipper Jones, Atlanta LF: Pat Burrell, Philadelphia CF: Nate McLouth, Pittsburgh RF: Corey Hart, Brewers DH: Adrian Gonzalez, San Diego
Reserves C: Brian McCann, Atlanta 1B: Albert Pujols, St. Louis 2B: Dan Uggla, Florida SS: Jose Reyes, New York 3B: Aramis Ramirez, Chicago 3B: David Wright, New York OF: Ken Griffey Jr., Cincinnati OF: Matt Holliday, Colorado OF: Ryan Ludwick, St. Louis OF: Ryan Braun, Milwaukee
Pitchers Figuring out the NL pitching staff, on the other hand, was somewhat an endeavor. There are the locks – Edinson Volquez and Tim Lincecum, one of whom should start, unless manager Clint Hurdle sticks with the familiar divisionally (Brandon Webb) or personally (Aaron Cook) – and then there are questions. Like, why Johan Santana, even though the Mets are fast on their way to nowhere? Or: How bad are NL closers that the two with the most saves in the league, Brian Wilson and Jose Valverde, still aren't good enough to be All-Stars?
Pitchers How odd that a single off-season trade of two guys with vague histories and unclear futures – Hamilton and Edinson Volquez – has the potential to produce an MVP in one league and a Cy Young in the other. Volquez, the Dominican right-hander who will be 25 Thursday, was sent clear back to Class A last season, primarily to restart a learning process that previously skipped over breaking-ball command. His results for the Bakersfield Blaze? He was 0-4 and had a 7.13 ERA.
Pitchers Somehow, the NL starting pitchers seem more vulnerable than their AL counterparts. Ryan Dempster, Aaron Cook, Kyle Lohse and Ben Sheets are prime candidates for a second-half free fall. But let's celebrate their accomplishments for now. Dempster is a converted reliever who is impregnable at Wrigley Field. The soft-tossing, injury-prone Cook was little more than an onlooker in Rocktober; now he's the only Rockies pitcher who matters. Lohse couldn't find a job until spring training started, and Sheets finally is living up to his potential, one tenuous start at time.
Starter: Tim Lincecum, San Francisco
SP: Edinson Volquez, Cincinnati SP: Aaron Cook, Colorado SP: Brandon Webb, Arizona SP: Johan Santana, New York SP: Ben Sheets, Milwaukee SP: Dan Haren, Arizona SP: Ryan Dempster, Chicago SP: Carlos Zambrano, Chicago RP: Brad Lidge, Philadelphia RP: Kerry Wood, Chicago RP: Jon Rauch, Washington RP: Billy Wagner, New York
Starter: Brandon Webb, Arizona
SP: Aaron Cook, Colorado SP: Edinson Volquez, Cincinnati SP: Ryan Dempster, Chicago SP: Ben Sheets, Milwaukee SP: Kyle Lohse, St. Louis SP: Tim Lincecum, San Francisco SP: Carlos Zambrano, Chicago SP: Dan Haren, Arizona RP: Kerry Wood, Chicago RP: Brad Lidge, Philadelphia RP: Ryan Franklin, St. Louis RP: Jon Rauch, Washington
Starter: Tim Lincecum, San Francisco
SP: Ryan Dempster, Chicago SP: Aaron Cook, Rockies SP: Johan Santana, New York SP: Dan Haren, Arizona SP: Cole Hamels, Philadelphia SP: Kyle Lohse, St. Louis SP: Brandon Webb, Arizona SP: Ben Sheets, Milwaukee SP: Edinson Volquez, Cincinnati RP: Kerry Wood, Chicago RP: Jon Rauch, Washington RP: Brad Lidge, Philadelphia
Jeff Passan is a national baseball writer for Yahoo! Sports. Send Jeff a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.
Tim Brown is a national baseball writer for Yahoo! Sports. Send Tim a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.
Steve Henson is the MLB editor for Yahoo! Sports. Send Steve a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.
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