First off, thanks for all the well wishes. I’m doing fine, nothing is wrong; just needed some time off. I’m still on hiatus, but the All-Star teams have been announced and I just had to say something. First I’ll give you my picks, then I’ll kibbitz about the actual picks, then I’ll go back into my cave for another week before getting up to collect more nuts and berries.
My All-Star Teams
I have to admit, I don’t really care too much about the All-Star game. It used to be a meaningless exhibition game which was occassionally fun to watch because almost everyone got to play. Now it rather bizarrely determines home-field advantage for the World Series, which means a lot of guys selected won’t even get to stand up, let alone step onto the playing field. I don’t know who this was supposed to create more interest for, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t me. Whatever.
I chose 30 guys for each squad, with each Major League team represented; the first player at each position (first three outfielders) is the starter.
National
Hitters
C Javy Lopez, Atl; Ivan Rodriguez, Fla
1B Todd Helton, Col; Jim Thome, Phi;
Richie Sexson, Mil
2B Jose Vidro, Mon; Jeff Kent, Hou*
3B Mike Lowell, Fla; Scott Rolen, StL;
Sean Burroughs, SD
SS Edgar Renteria, StL; Rafael Furcal, Atl;
Alex Gonzalez, Fla
OF Barry Bonds, SF; Albert Pujols, StL;
Jim Edmonds, StL; Luis Gonzalez, Ari;
Richard Hidalgo, Hou; Brian Giles, Pit;
Jose Guillen, Cin
DH Gary Sheffield, Atl
Pitchers
SP Kevin Brown, LA; Russ Ortiz, SF;
Shawn Chacon, Col*; Woody Williams, StL;
Jason Schmidt, SF; Mark Prior, ChC;
Hideo Nomo, LA
RP John Smoltz, Atl; Eric Gagne, LA;
Octavio Dotel, Hou; Armando Benitez, NYM
* injured
Guys who just missed the cut: Mike Lieberthal, Phi; Paul LoDuca, LA; Ryan Klesko, SD; Ray Durham, SF; Marcus Giles, Atl; Aaron Boone, Cin; Orlando Cabrera, Mon; Steve Finley, Ari; Guillermo Mota, LA
Guys who made it because of the 1-per team rule and who would have gone in their stead without it: Armando Benitez, NYM (Mota); Richie Sexson, Mil (Durham); Sean Burroughs, SD (Lieberthal); Jose Guillen, Cin (Finley)
American
Hitters
C Jason Varitek, Bos; Jorge Posada, NYY
1B Carlos Delgado, Tor; Mike Sweeney, KC*;
Jason Giambi, NYY
2B Bret Boone, Sea; Alfonso Soriano, NYY
3B Hank Blalock, Tex; Bill Mueller, Bos
SS Alex Rodriguez, Tex; Nomar Garciaparra, Bos
OF Manny Ramirez, Bos; Trot Nixon, Bos;
Milton Bradley, Cle; Melvin Mora, Bal;
Garret Anderson, Ana; Dmitri Young, Det;
Eric Byrnes, Oak; Aubrey Huff, TB
DH Edgar Martinez, Sea; Frank Thomas, CWS
Pitchers
SP Roy Halladay, Tor; Jamie Moyer, Sea;
Esteban Loaiza, CWS; Mark Mulder, Oak;
Pedro Martinez, Bos
RP Brendan Donnelly, Ana; Shigetosi Hasegawa, Sea;
Keith Foulke, Oak; Eddie Guardado, Min;
Mike MacDougal, KC
* injured
Guys who just missed the cut: Tim Hudson, Oak; C.C. Sabathia, Cle; Mariano Rivera, NYY; Greg Myers, Tor; Kevin Millar, Bos; Michael Young, Tex; Todd Walker, Bos; Troy Glaus, Ana; Corey Koskie, Min; Vernon Wells, Tor
Guys who made it because of the 1-per team rule and who would have gone in their stead without it: Eddie Guardado, Min (Hudson); Mike MacDougal, KC (Sabathia)
The Actual All Star Teams
National
For complete rosters, check out ESPN or some other similar source. I’ll just tell you where I think they went wrong (stats through games of July 6).
Hitters
Jose Vidro .327/.416/.510 Marcus Giles .282/.359/.460 Mike Lowell .284/.355/.594 Scott Rolen .285/.390/.536 Ivan Rodriguez .296/.377/.496 Mike Lieberthal .326/.390/.443 Paul LoDuca .303/.361/.430 Jose Guillen .350/.404/.650 Brian Giles .311/.448/.532 Richard Hidalgo .312/.389/.552 Rondell White .285/.338/.493
Marcus Giles over Jose Vidro is a mistake. Scott Rolen vs Mike Lowell is a virtual wash. I rewarded Lowell for all the homers. Aaron Boone as a reserve at 3B is iffy, for reasons I’ll get into in a moment. Paul LoDuca was right on the cusp, in my mind, although I have a hard time distingushing him from Mike Lieberthal, which is why I’m not sure it’s fair to bring one and not the other. And given that Ivan Rodriguez is having a slightly better season than both (and has a much better career record), I don’t think there’s room for either. LoDuca is a defensible pick, but I don’t believe it’s the right pick. Preston Wilson I don’t have a real problem with, although I think some people still don’t quite understand the impact of Coors Field. Andruw Jones didn’t make the cut in my book either, but his defensive ability and track record probably make him a more sensible pick than Jose Guillen (especially if you’ve already blown your obligatory Red on Boone).
The one guy that I cannot believe was selected to the team, and this is why I don’t like the choice of Boone, is Rondell White. No disrespect to White, who is making both the Yankees and me look extremely bad right now, but how does he get in over the likes of Richard Hidalgo, Brian Giles, and Jose Guillen (whose batting average is higher than White’s on base percentage)? I know you have to bring someone from the Padres, but if not Sean Burroughs, then why not Mark Loretta or even Jake Peavy? Heck, Ryan Klesko is probably a better option. I don’t get it.
Pitchers
Hideo Nomo 9-7, 2.71 ERA, 1.11 WHIP Kerry Wood 8-6, 3.36 ERA, 1.21 WHIP Billy Wagner 2.47 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 22 SV Octavio Dotel 1.99 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 17 H, 3 SV
As for the pitching staff, I like Nomo over Kerry Wood, but Wood strikes out a ton of guys, so many people mistake him for a great pitcher. Not a horrible pick, but not the right pick either. Octavio Dotel vs Billy Wagner is very close. Wagner gets the saves, so he gets the call. Randy Wolf is a deserving choice, and I don’t have a real problem with him over, say, Alex Gonzalez if you want an extra pitcher. All in all, I can’t really complain a lot about the pitching staff.
[Late note: I have just learned that Mike Williams is the Pirates' lone representative. Yes, the one with the 6.29 ERA, 21 BB, and 15 SO in 34.1 IP. Williams is the second worst reliever on his own team (thanks to Brian Boehringer and his 7.24 ERA), but because the Bucs keep handing him the ball in the ninth, he's somehow managed to accumulate 24 saves despite the horrible numbers. Anyway, all that stuff I say about Hideki Matusi below--well, most of it still applies. But Williams' inclusion on an All-Star team this year in a game that allegedly now carries meaning is an absolute farce.]
American
For complete rosters, check out ESPN or some other similar source. I’ll just tell you where I think they went wrong (stats through games of July 6).
Hitters
Jason Varitek .297/.360/.581 Jorge Posada .254/.396/.500 Ramon Hernandez .270/.329/.464 Bret Boone .310/.368/.579 Alfonso Soriano .300/.354/.527 Bill Mueller .330/.402/.559 Troy Glaus .260/.359/.488 Melvin Mora .361/.457/.591 Milton Bradley .346/.451/.534 Trot Nixon .318/.408/.567 Garret Anderson .308/.338/.582 Eric Byrnes .313/.379/.541 Aubrey Huff .307/.366/.548 Carl Everett .272/.354/.533 Magglio Ordonez .284/.355/.521 Hideki Matsui .311/.371/.467
Jorge Posada over Jason Varitek is a mistake (although not a huge one), but Posada’s a Yankee so he gets the nod. Alfonso Soriano over Bret Boone is also a mistake; Soriano is also a Yankee. Troy Glaus, stud that hey may be, doesn’t deserve it this year. And his inclusion likely led to the omission of Bill Mueller, which is a real shame. Mueller may never get another opportunity, and there weren’t many more deserving this season. Ichiro Suzuki is probably a mistake, though with his defense and popularity, I can see it. Hideki Matsui is an absolute joke and, incidentally, an excellent example of why this game is still meaningless. There is absolutely no way he should be starting over the likes of Trot Nixon, Milton Bradley, Melvin Mora, or Garret Anderson (to say nothing of guys like Eric Byrnes, Aubrey Huff, or Magglio Ordonez). I can count on one finger the number of things Matsui does better than those guys: play home games in New York. Terrible, terrible choice.
For the reserves, Ramon Hernandez over Jason Varitek makes no sense, unless Varitek has said he wouldn’t play. Carl Everett over Trot Nixon or Milton Bradley I can see. I don’t like it, but it’s a lot more fathomable than sticking Matsui out there.
Pitchers
Lance Carter 4.17 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 14 SV (6 BS) Pedro Martinez 6-2, 2.53 ERA, 1.07 WHIP Mike Mussina 10-5, 3.29 ERA, 1.06 WHIP
The pitching staff, admittedly, was tough to put together. The selection of Lance Carter is goofy. Aubrey Huff was a better candidate from the Devil Rays, and Carter’s inclusion keeps Pedro Martinez off the team (or, if his lack of wins bugs you, the equally deserving Mike Mussina). C.C. Sabathia is a worthy choice, and he definitely would have made my team had I chosen to take an extra pitcher (actually, had I not mistakenly thought that the rosters were set at 30 players, I certainly would have added Sabathia).
Well, those are one man’s thoughts. What are yours? See ya next week. Be good…
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