MLB All-Star Game 2011: How the American League Roster Should Look

With all-star voting ending in just a few days, I have taken it upon myself to try to get a last-minute push for the most deserving all-star candidates. On Monday, I presented my National League Roster, and now it’s time for the American League squad.

Starters

As was the case with the National League, we begin with the folks that should be getting your votes:

C: Alex Avila, DET (.303/.373/.545, 156 OPS+, 10 HR, 45 RBI)

1B: Adrian Gonzalez, BOS (.361/.415/.611, 177 OPS+, 16 HR, 71 RBI)

2B: Howie Kendrick, LAA (.303/.361/.484, 139 OPS+, 8 HR, 26 RBI)

3B : Alex Rodriguez, NYY (.300/.377/.513, 139 OPS+, 13 HR, 51 RBI)

SS: Asdrubal Cabrera, CLE (.293/.344/.489, 134 OPS+, 12 HR, 44 RBI)

OF: Matt Joyce, TBR (.310/.373/.533, 158 OPS+, 10 HR, 38 RBI)

OF: Curtis Granderson, NYY (.276/.360/.572, 149 OPS+, 21 HR, 55 RBI)

OF: Jose Bautista, TOR (.325/.468/.655, 206 OPS+, 23 HR, 48 RBI)

DH: David Ortiz, BOS (.311/.391/.581, 162 OPS+, 17 HR, 48 RBI)

Team by Team

Next, we have to make sure that every team is represented:

NYY – CC Sabathia, SP (10-4, 3.25 ERA, 122 IP, 93 K, 1.221 WHIP)

BOS – Josh Beckett, SP (6-2, 1.86 ERA, 92 IP, 79 K, 0.924 WHIP)

TOR – Ricky Romero, SP (7-7, 2.74 ERA, 111.2 IP, 96 K, 1.155 WHIP)

TBR – James Shields, SP (8-4, 2.29 ERA, 121.2 IP, 117 K, 0.962 WHIP

BAL – Zach Britton, SP (6-5, 3.19 ERA, 93 IP, 56 K, 1.247 WHIP) 

CLE – Carlos Santana, C (.228/.359/.407, 117 OPS+, 10 HR, 33 RBI)

DET – Justin Verlander, SP (10-3, 2.38 ERA, 128.2 IP, 124 K, 0.839 WHIP)

MIN – Scott Baker, SP (5-5, 3.39 ERA, 98.1 IP, 92 K, 1.210 WHIP)

KCR – Alex Gordon, OF (.293/.362/.482, 136 OPS+, 9 HR, 44 RBI)

CHW – Paul Konerko, 1B (.324/.394/.588, 167 OPS+, 21 HR, 60 RBI) 

LAA – Jared Weaver, SP (9-4, 1.97 ERA, 123.1 IP, 106 K, 0.932 WHIP)

OAK – Gio Gonzalez, SP (6-5, 2.59 ERA, 94 IP, 90 K, 1.298 WHIP)

TEX – Alexi Ogando, SP (7-3, 2.87 ERA, 91 IP, 65 K, 1.033 WHIP)

SEA – Michael Pineda, SP (7-4, 2.45 ERA, 95.2 IP, 94 K, 1.003 WHIP)

And finally, we make our roster, filling the holes as they come.

Complete Roster

C (2)

Avila

Santana

1B (4)

Miguel Cabrera, DET (.330/.450/.573, 188 OPS+, 15 HR, 52 RBI)

Mark Teixeira, NYY (.247/.358/.538, 139 OPS+, 23 HR, 58 RBI)

Gonzalez

Konerko

2B (3)

Ben Zobrist, TBR (.268/.349/.474, 135 OPS+, 9 HR, 40 RBI, plays anywhere)

Dustin Pedroia, BOS (.276/.391/.400, 117 OPS+, 6 HR, 34 RBI)

Kendrick

3B (2)

Kevin Youkilis, BOS (.275/.394/.494, 142 OPS+, 11 HR, 55 RBI)

Rodriguez

SS (2)

Jhonny Peralta, DET (.308/.358/.524, 146 OPS+, 12 HR, 45 RBI)

Cabrera

OF (5)

Jacoby Ellsbury, BOS (.303/.365/.461, 125 OPS+, 9 HR, 39 RBI)

Granderson

Joyce

Bautista

Gordon

DH (1)

Ortiz

P (14)

Felix Hernandez, SEA (8-6, 3.19 ERA, 121.2 IP, 1.162 WHIP)

Phillip Humber, CHW (7-4, 2.89 ERA, 96.2 IP, 59 K, 0.972 WHIP)

Trevor Cahill, OAK (8-5, 3.09 ERA, 107.2 IP, 80 K, 1.291 WHIP)

Mariano Rivera, NYY (1-1, 1.78 ERA, 20 SV, 0.989 WHIP, 7.7 K/9)

Beckett

Shields

Romero

Sabathia

Verlander

Pineda

Britton

Baker

Weaver

Ogando

Snubs

Here are the best of the rest (feel free to let me have it in the comments if you think I forgot someone):

Brett Gardner (NYY), David Robertson (NYY), Robinson Cano (NYY), Justin Masterson (CLE), Denard Span (MIN), Carlos Quentin (CHW), Bobby Abreu (LAA), Billy Butler (KCR),  CJ Wilson (TEX), Matt Harrison (TEX), Adrian Beltre (TEX) Michael Young (TEX), Victor Martinez (DET), Casey Kotchman (TBR), Erik Bedard (SEA), Jeremy Hellickson (TBR)

Starting Lineup 

2B – Kendrick

CF – Granderson

RF – Bautista

1B – Gonzalez

LF – Joyce

3B – Rodriguez

DH – Ortiz

C – Avila

SS – Cabrera

P – Verlander

Team Representation

Red Sox – 6

Yankees – 5

Tigers – 4

Rays – 3

Blue Jays – 2

Indians – 2

White Sox – 2

Angels - 2

Mariners – 2

Athletics - 2

Orioles – 1

Royals – 1

Twins – 1

Rangers – 1

Final Notes

 - Statistics are through Monday, June 27.

- Texas is leading the AL West, but I just have them sending one all-star, Alexi Ogando. Josh Hamilton, despite being injured for half the season, was garnering a lot of support. One snub, Michael Young, is on pace to reach 200 hits for the sixth time in his career. 

- Victor Martinez is second in the league in batting average and top-10 in on-base percentage, but he was snubbed for lack of power and not playing the field. A catcher for most of his career, a case can be made that he should back up his teammate Alex Avila at the all-star game. In doing so, he would replace the man whose presence made it possible for the Indians to trade him away. 

- Yes, the Yankees and Red Sox have 11 all-stars between them. At least this roster should appease the main stream sports media, from whom I have learned that baseball games don’t count unless they involve the Yankees or Red Sox.  

- As was the case with the NL squad, I was reluctant to pick relievers (just three overall), seeing as they throw far fewer innings than their starting counterparts. Aside from being less valuable, a reliever can very quickly see his numbers inflate between selection day and the all-star game like Derrick Turnbow in 2006.