Rangers Snag Four All-Star Spots: Deserve Four Starters

With all the fan votes finally counted and the MLB players have turned-in their selections, the All-Star teams were announced today, with no missing chads.

Over the last few years the Texas Rangers have only put in the minimal one player, sometimes two, and it always seems to be Michael Young.

Young is back again this season, for the sixth time of his career, as a reserve behind Yankee great Derek Jeter.  Jeter ran away with the fan votes, but amongst the Major League players Young beat out Jeter 470-463 votes.

I understand having Jeter start the All-Star game at Yankee Stadium, for the last year of its usage.  And Michael is the type of player that doesn't care about the start, he will enjoy being on the team.

Milton Bradley was able to make his way onto the All-Star team as an outfielder, but Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona, who is the AL All-Star team manager, has already stated that Bradley will start as the DH over the injuried David Ortiz.

With no surprise, Josh Hamilton is a starter in the outfield for the American League.  The April and May Player of the Month seemed to be a no-doubt for the past month, and he joins Manny Ramirez and Ichiro Suzuki as starters.

My biggest problem with the selections was that of the second baseman starter, Red Sox's Dustin Pedroia edged off Ian Kinsler in the fan voting by a slim 34,243 votes.  In the player votes Kinsler blew away Pedroia 389-215.

Ian Kinsler on the season leads the AL in hitting at .332, runs at 79, and extra-base hits at 48.  Ian has 28 doubles, 4 triples, 14 home runs, 53 RBI, and 23 stolen bases.

Dustin Pedroia is currently hitting .313, 60 runs, 35 extra-base hits, 25 doubles, 1 triple, 9 home runs, 39 RBI, and 9 stolen bases.

Don't get me wrong, Pedroia is having an All-Star type season, but he shouldn't be the starter.

The good news is that both players are making their first career appearances in the midsummer classic and this could be chapter one of many head-to-head battles for a starting position in the future.  Similar to the old battles of Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, and Nomar Garciaparra.

The only other argument that I could make, but won't is Vicente Padilla has All-Star caliber numbers, but I won't make an argument about a Ranger pitcher making the All-Star team.