(Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)
Hill and Halladay have eye-popping numbers, and Lind has proven he belongs.
Rolen is currently second in the American League in batting average, and Scutaro has an impressive .381 OBP in the weak shortstop class.
Richmond will be on the outside looking in.
Also, will someone please vote for Aaron Hill? He has not even surpassed one million votes yet. Come on people.
IN: Hill, Lind, Halladay
OUT: Rolen, Scutaro, Richmond
Baltimore Orioles
Candidates: Brian Roberts, Nick Markakis, Adam Jones, George Sherrill
If the game were played in April, Markakis and Jones would be locks.
As it stands now, both are on the bubble.
Roberts won't crack the roster with Aaron Hill, Ian Kinsler, Ben Zobrist, and Robinson Cano around.
Sherrill only has 16 saves, but his ERA is very good (2.05).
IN: Jones
OUT: Roberts, Markakis, Sherrill
Central
Detroit Tigers
Candidates: Curtis Granderson, Miguel Cabrera, Brandon Inge, Justin Verlander, Rick Porcello, Edwin Jackson, Fernando Rodney
Verlander and Jackson will represent the American League pitching staff, while Porcello's recent rough outing could have hurt his chances.
The 20-year-old rookie should keep his head high; he'll be an All-Star soon.
Rodney has an ERA near four which won't cut it for an All-Star roster.
Cabrera will get in as his numbers are sky-high (.331 BA, .397 OBP, .556 SLG).
Granderson has the power (18 HR) and the speed (13 SB), but his .258 batting average might hurt his chances.
Inge is on the fringe, plain and simple.
IN: Verlander, Jackson, Cabrera, Inge
OUT: Granderson, Porcello, Rodney
Minnesota Twins
Candidates: Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Jason Kubel, Nick Blackburn, Kevin Slowey, Joe Nathan
Mauer could get elected Governor of Minnesota if he wanted, so being elected starting catcher for the American League will be no problem. His running mate will be Morneau.
Kubel is a DH in a game without one, so likely will be watching this game from home.
Blackburn sports an impressive 3.10 ERA, but drags his numbers down with his uninspiring 45:27 strikeout-to-walk-ratio.
Slowey's 10-3 record can't hide his 4.41 ERA, but Nathan will make the Twins a trio of All-Stars.
How does a 1.50 ERA look to you? To me, it says he's an All-Star.
IN: Mauer, Morneau, Nathan
OUT: Kubel, Blackburn, Slowey
Chicago White Sox
Candidates: Paul Konerko, Jermaine Dye, Bobby Jenks, Mark Buehrle
Konerko is not in the same category as the Justin Morneau's and Miguel Cabrera's of his division, but Dye's .563 slugging percentage is very impressive.
Jenks has 18 saves, but his 3.21 ERA is a little too high for an All-Star closer (compare his ERA to Joe Nathan's and you'll see what I mean).
Look for Buehrle to represent the Sox in the All-Star game in St. Louis.
His 7-2 record and 3.26 ERA are good enough for me.
Can we start giving Buehrle a little more respect? All this guy ever seems to do is take the ball every fifth day, and deliver a quality start.
IN: Buehrle
OUT: Konerko, Dye, Jenks
Kansas City Royals
Candidates: Alberto Callaspo, Zack Greinke, Joakim Soria
Callaspo doesn't have All-Star numbers...unless he's looking at the AAA All-Star game, that is.
Soria is healthy now, but missed about a month of action in May and June and can not reasonably expect a spot on the roster this year.
Greinke's story is remarkable, worthy of his own separate article.
He is the definition of All-Star. If you are able, look at his statistics so far this season.
They will make your jaw drop.
IN: Greinke
OUT: Callaspo, Soria
Cleveland Indians
Candidates: Victor Martinez, Shin-Soo Choo, Cliff Lee
Can someone explain to me why Martinez is only fifth in the fan voting for catchers? Seriously, folks, wake up.
He is hitting well over .300 with 14 home runs and 57 RBI. And he's a catcher. Need I say more?
Choo is good but will be hard to choose (sorry I couldn't resist).
Lee does not have enough wins, but his sub-three ERA is remarkable on a team this bad.
IN: Martinez
OUT: Choo, Lee
West
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
We're going to send you the most entertaining MLB articles, videos, and podcasts from around the web.
26 Comments
Loading more comments...
This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete