American League All-Star Pitchers: Who Ya Got?

This year, the American League has a vast assortment of pitchers who are all deserving of receiving the nod to start the Midsummer Classic.

Unfortunately, there can be only one pitcher that receives the acknowledgment as the best pitcher in the AL for the first half of the season.

We'll look at all the contenders who have a chance of starting against the National League at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. We'll also look at why each of the pitchers is deserving of the starting job, and why they aren't guaranteed the spot.

Zack Greinke

Zack Greinke - 10W-3L, 1.95 ERA, 5 CG, 2 SHO, 115.1 IP, 114 SO (Current through June 27)

Why he deserves the start:

Greinke has finally showed some of the brilliance that enabled him to rise through the ranks of the Kansas City farm system. After a breakout season in 2008, Greinke was the best pitcher in the majors during April and May.

He has been nearly untouchable in certain situations, and a workhorse for the staff, already compiling five complete games.

On a personal note, Greinke has also overcome his own demons, to become the ace of a young Royals team...all of which has made him a role model to all young people struggling with anxiety and depression.

Why he isn't a shoo-in:
As good as Greinke was during April and May, he has returned to Earth in June, posting a 4.05 ERA in June and going 2-2 over that span.

His return to a norm has allowed the other aces in the league to catch up to him, where he was running away with the Cy Young Award during the early going.

Roy Halladay

Roy Halladay - 10W-1L, 2.53 ERA, 3 CG, 1.04 WHIP, 7.33 K/BB Ratio (Current as of June 28)

Why he deserves the start:
Simply put, Roy Halladay has been the most consistent starter in the American League all season. With the exception of his start where he left with a strained groin muscle, Halladay had gone at least seven innings in every game this season.

He has the best winning percentage among No. 1 starters in the league and has the chance to win game No. 11 on Monday when he returns from the disabled list.

Why he isn't a shoo-in:
While having a good ERA, Halladay is not a "power pitcher," and thus doesn't have the "jump out at you stats" of some of the other pitchers on the list.

Also, unlike the other starters on this list, Halladay has missed 15 games (three starts essentially) and he may be passed over by Joe Maddon because of Toronto's desire not to risk another injury.

In addition, if he does poorly in his return against the Rays, this could also affect his chances of starting on July 14 in St. Louis.

Justin Verlander

Justin Verlander - 8W - 3L, 3.40 ERA, 2 CG, 103 IP, 124 SO, 10.8 K/9 (Current as of June 27)

Why he deserves the start:
Verlander's wins don't jump out at you as extraordinary. But you must remember that he started April with a 1-2 record and an ERA of 6.75.

He then spun gem after gem in May, going 5-0 with a 1.52 ERA. Verlander has also been victimized by a leaky Tigers' bullpen, turning potential wins into no-decisions for him.

He is the prime "power pitcher" with the potential of 280-300 strikeouts over the course of the season.

Why he isn't a shoo-in:

While Halladay and Greinke have been the models of consistency, Verlander has been the model of inconsistency. His June record is 2-1 with a 2.91 ERA.

Good, but not great, although two of the games might have been wins had it not been for the bullpen.

Verlander would certainly be a dark horse for the job, but with the strikeout numbers, it would be hard to bet against him.

Josh Beckett

Josh Beckett - 9W-3L, 3.48 ERA, 1 CG/SHO, 1.23 WHIP, 8.60 K/9 (Current as of June 26)

Why he deserves the start:
Beckett is in the same boat as Verlander. He started out extremely slowly, posting a 2-2 record in April with a 7.22 ERA.

However, over the course of May and June, he has posted a 7-1 record with a 1.95 ERA.

He is also the prototypical power pitcher, notching just under nine strikeouts per nine innings.

If his current trend continues, he should be able to pick up his 10th win of the season before Maddon would have to decide on which pitcher to go with.

Why he isn't a shoo-in:
He hasn't pitched too deeply into games because his amount of walks has been much higher than his career average this season.

His strikeout numbers are also down slightly as well. In any other season, Beckett's name would be at the top of the selection, but with some of the other pitchers in the league having their types of seasons, he may have a slim chance.

Much will depend on the starters last start before the selection, including Beckett's.

Felix Hernandez

Felix Hernandez - 8W-3L, 2.54 ERA, 1 CG/SHO, 1.17 WHIP, 8.78 K/9 (Current as of June 28)

Why he deserves the start:
King Felix has been nearly unhittable in June, going 3-0 with a 0.94 ERA over five starts in which he averaged more than 7.5 innings per outing.

Besides a sub-par May, in which both he and Seattle struggled a bit, with Hernandez posting a 1-3 record with a 4.34 ERA, the King would have been a contender for the most wins in the American League.

He too is a "power pitcher" in a pitcher's ballpark, striking out 107 batters over 109 innings (through the end of June).

Why he isn't a shoe-in:
Much like Beckett, Hernandez is coming up against pretty tough competition in the race for the Cy Young award and the All-Star starting job.

He has finally started living up to his name as King, but when you are two or more wins behind the league leaders, it is tough to pick you over them for the starting nod.

Prediction: It's a Toss Up!

Prediction:
Really it is going to come down to Halladay and Greinke. They both will have at least one more chance to pitch before the All-Star selection, and much will be determined by how they pitch in those games.

If either of them gets a leg up on the other in wins, then that pitcher will probably be chosen as the All-Star starter.

On the flip side, if one of them gets blown out or rocked in their start, then that would definitely hurt their chances.

In the end, I feel that Greinke's dominance over the first two months just might be enough to push him over the top.

If Halladay comes back from the disabled list and dominates in his next two starts, then surely he will get the nod, otherwise, I think it might be Greinke's to lose.