2011 MLB All-Star Game: Alex Rodriguez and the AL's Leading Vote-Getters

Each year the best of the best in the MLB head out in July to take part in the All-Star game—and each year, at least a dozen players who don't really deserve to be there participate.

Voting for the game is almost finished, and most positions are set.

So who gets voted to start this year and who SHOULD have been voted in?

Ballot vote totals as of June 28.

Catcher: Russell Martin (2.7 Million Votes), Alex Avila (2.4 Million Votes)

Russell Martin and Alex Avila are both deserving to participate in the festivities.

Arguably, Avila should be ahead of Martin though. His average is a full .70 points higher, he has an extra homer (10:9) and his peripheral stats are higher (Runs, RBI).

The only category Martin leads in is steals (7:3). Martin plays on a better offense in a better hitters park, so everything considered, Avila should get the nod.

Considerable Players with Less Flashy Names: Carlos Santana (AVG/HR/RBI) .225/11/35, J.P. Arencibia .226/11/35.

Vote Winner: Martin

Real Winner: Avila

First Base: Adrian Gonzalez (4 Million Votes)

Adrian Gonzalez leads Mark Teixeira by more than a million votes, but is it really that clear cut?

In this world where power is scarce, what's more important: batting average or power?

While Tex does have the advantage in homers (24:16), his other stats are just far too much of a drop-off to really keep him in contention. Gonzalez leads him in average (.357:.246) runs (56:48) and RBI (71:62).

Both players play in excellent lineups, so it's hard to give one an advantage just because of his supporting cast.

The better question is, why isn't Paul Konerko higher in the voting? He currently sits fifth behind Gonzalez, Teixeira, Miguel Cabrera and MITCH MORELAND.

Konerko is a perfect match of power and BA, despite being what seems to be 50 years old (seriously, he's been around forever) with a .318/21/60 line.

In this case, the fans are correct in voting in Gonzalez, but Konerko should be right behind him—NOT 3 million votes back.

Considerable Players with Less Flashy Names: Adam Lind (55 games played) .314/16/49

Vote Winner: Adrian Gonzalez

Real Winner: Adrian Gonzalez

Second Base: Robinson Cano (4.7 Million Votes)

Cano leads second-place vote-getter Dustin Pedroia by 1.6 million votes and deservedly so.

Cano's line of .290/14/49 is tops for second basemen. Pedroia's numbers are a fair drop-off at .273/6/34, though he does have a wide lead in steals at 15:6.

Not much question here, though a dark-horse candidate is L.A. Angels second baseman Howie Kendrick. He's one of the few second basemen batting over .300 (.304), has eight homers, 40 runs scored and eight SB.

Though these stats aren't anywhere near enough to warrant overtaking Cano, being buried on the West Coast has Kendrick out of the top five in voting.

Considerable Players with Less Flashy Names: Ben Zobrist .268/9/40

Vote Winner: Robinson Cano

Real Winner: Robinson Cano

Third Base: Alex Rodriguez (3.7 Million Votes)

Perennial starter candidate A-Rod currently leads Texas slugger Adrian Beltre by roughly 800,000 votes, but is it deserved?

Possibly. Rodriguez and Beltre have such similar stat-lines it is hard to give a definite "yes," but a few peripherals distinguish A-Rod as the front-runner.

Both sluggers are nearly identical in power numbers, as Rodriguez's line is at .304/13/51 and Beltre's is at .262/14/56.

A-Rod has the advantage in two main categories: steals (4:0) and average (.304:.262).

Taking defense into account gives Beltre a big leap, as he is widely recognized as an excellent fielder. But this year Rodriguez has looked rejuvenated on the field. After being cleared to train at full strength he has come back lighter and healthier than previous years, and his defense has been much more sound.

Considerable Players with Less Flashy Names: None

(Evan Longoria and Kevin Youkilis aren't exactly unknowns.)

Vote Winner: Alex Rodriguez

Real Winner: Alex Rodriguez

Shortstop: Derek Jeter (3.4 Million Votes), Asdrubal Cabrera (2.9 Million Votes)

This is where the fans really take a big credibility hit; the sad part is, it's been this way for years.

Year in and year out Jeter gets voted in, despite being, at best, an average player (this year, way below average).

Cabrera leads Jeter in nearly every facet of the game: average (.292:.260), homers (13:2), runs (52:39), RBI (46:20) and steals (12:7). This is without even going into defensive metrics, where as everyone knows, Jeter is atrocious.

Jeter should simply not be anywhere near the top five in voting, much less leading. With a bit of voting left and not much difference, perhaps the numbers will correct themselves.

Shortstop is a very close position this year, as many players are having excellent years.

Considerable Players with Less Flashy Names: J.J. Hardy (188 at-bats) .303/11/30, Jhonny Peralta .310/12/46

Vote Winner: Derek Jeter (Probably)

Real Winner: Asdrubal Cabrera

Outfield: Jose Bautista (5.2 Million Votes), Curtis Granderson (4.5 Million)

The AL outfield has two players cemented in and a two-way battle for the third starting spot; only 120,000 votes separate Josh Hamilton and Jacoby Ellsbury.

Bautista and Granderson have both put up gaudy numbers and are very deserving of their starting spots, so the real question is, not only who of Hamilton and Ellsbury is more deserving, but are they deserving at all?

Hamilton has played in limited time and slugged to a .297/8/36 line, despite only having 172 at-bats. He even managed to do it all while having blue eyes! The trouble with Hamilton has always been his health, and it's hard to reward a guy who never manages to stay healthy.

Jacoby's game, while being completely different from Hamilton's, is at a peak. He's added power to his game (9 homers, 22 doubles) to go along with his table-setting ways (.299 average, 55 runs, 25 steals).

Based on stats accrued, Hamilton shouldn't be anywhere near the top of this list, though his MVP season and that home run derby show he put on a few years ago are still fresh in the fans' minds.

The other options are pick and choose. You can go the way of power with Carlos Quentin (.257/17/49) or Nelson Cruz (.241/18/43), or overall game with Melky Cabrera (.278/9/43, 10 steals) or Adam Jones (.294/13/46, 5 steals).

Either way, Jacoby leads the pack as the top choice, and the fans could have certainly picked worse (see: Derek Jeter).

Vote Winner: Josh Hamilton

Real Winner: Jacoby Ellsbury

Designated Hitter: David Ortiz (4.2 Million Votes)

There isn't much debate as to who should start at DH.

David Ortiz has resumed his mashing of yesteryear and leads second-place Michael Young by 2 million votes.

Young's numbers are solid at .322/7/53, though the power numbers just aren't there compared to Ortiz's line of .311/17/48.

In a big spot in a big game you would just rather have that home run potential, and that's why Ortiz is the right choice.

Considerable Players with Less Flashy Names: Victor Martinez .335/6/46

Vote Winner: David Ortiz

Real Winner: David Ortiz

Overall, AL fans only really missed one glaring vote at shortstop; the others were close, and arguments could be made on either side.

The AL team looks to be full of star players this year, and they should put up a good fight against a solid NL team for World Series home-field advantage.