All-Star lineups

[matadorph]

C - Geovany Soto
1B - Lance Berkman
2B - Chase Utley
3B - Chipper Jones
SS - Hanley Ramirez
OF - Ryan Braun
OF - Alfonso Soriano
OF - Kosuke Fukudome

NL pitchers:
Aaron Cook
Ryan Dempster
Dan Haren
Tim Lincecum
Ben Sheets
Edinson Volquez
Brandon Webb
Carlos Zambrano

Brad Lidge
Billy Wagner
Brian Wilson
Kerry Wood

NL Reserves:
C - Russell Martin
C - Brian McCann
1B - Adrian Gonzalez
1B - Albert Pujols
2B - Dan Uggla
SS - Christian Guzman
SS - Miguel Tejada
3B - Aramis Ramirez
OF - Matt Holliday
OF - Ryan Ludwick
OF - Nate McLouth

[matadorph]

AL Starters

C - Joe Mauer
1B - Kevin Youkilis
2B - Dustin Pedroia
3B - Alex Rodriguez
SS - Derek Jeter
OF - Ichiro Suzuki
OF - Manny Ramirez
OF - Josh Hamilton
DH - David Ortiz

[matadorph]

AL pitchers:
Justin Duchscherer
Roy Halladay
Cliff Lee
Scott Kazmir
Ervin Santana
Joe Saunders

Joe Nathan
Jonathan Papelbon
Mariano Rivera
Francisco Rodriguez
George Sherrill
Joakim Soria

AL reserves:
C - Jason Varitek
C - Dioner Navarro
1B - Justin Morneau
2B - Ian Kinsler
3B - Joe Crede
SS - Carlos Guillen
SS - Michael Young
OF - J.D. Drew
OF - Carlos Quentin
OF - Grady Sizemore
DH - Milton Bradley

[matadorph]

Soriano and Fukudome. What a joke.

[Desperado]

Looks like another win for the AL...

[Reuben]

Looks like another win for the AL...

Yeah, boy those sure are some crummy players on that NL All-Star team, eh? Chipper, Berkman, Utley, Pujols, Braun, what bums. How can they even hope to win? Is there a mercy rule in the All-Star game?

[Uncle Charlie]

Soriano and Fukudome. What a joke.

Soriano will be backfilled, thankfully.

Lee is in the fan vote bit.  Wright will win that though is my guess, just based on being a NY player.  Burrell will probably backfill Soriano, so maybe Lee is out in the cold.

[mihoba]

Soriano and Fukudome. What a joke.

Cub fans stuffed it. I would put Soto on that list too, although not a blatant as the two Cubbie outfielders. I voted for McCann barely nipping Russell Martin as the starting catcher.

[austro]

Cub fans stuffed it. I would put Soto on that list too, although not a blatant as the two Cubbie outfielders. I voted for McCann barely nipping Russell Martin as the starting catcher.

Soto is definitely worthy. Soriano and Fukudome are jokes. Is Kerry Wood really an All-Star-caliber pitcher?

[mihoba]

Soto is definitely worthy. Soriano and Fukudome are jokes. Is Kerry Wood really an All-Star-caliber pitcher?

Wood has be a pleasant surprise as the closer, a 2.91 era w/ 22 saves, less than a 1.00 whip, and 54 Ks in 43 IP.

[austro]

Wood has be a pleasant surprise as the closer, a 2.91 era w/ 22 saves, less than a 1.00 whip, and 54 Ks in 43 IP.

I guess I've been taking too much pleasure in his occasional troubles.

[matadorph]

Biggest joke of a pick....

Soriano?

Fukudome?

Or Varitek by Terry Francona?

[moriartp]

Varitek making the team has almost certainly sent Pierzynski into spontaneous menstruation.

[austro]

Varitek making the team has almost certainly sent Pierzynski into spontaneous menstruation.

You know, Pierzynski is undoubtedly a douche, but he's been playing fairly well. Certainly a fair sight better than Varitek.

[legs_of_eggs]

You know, Pierzynski is undoubtedly a douche, but he's been playing fairly well. Certainly a fair sight better than Varitek.

This just makes the weaker AL roster even weaker. Seriously, there's 5 NL first baseman who'd make it over Youkilis.

[Reuben]

You know, Pierzynski is undoubtedly a douche, but he's been playing fairly well. Certainly a fair sight better than Varitek.

I guess the players hate Pierzynski. Wait a minute, we already knew that.

The most questionable selection was probably made by the players, who voted Varitek to the team. His .219 batting average is lower than the averages of the All-Star pitchers Zambrano and Aaron Cook of Colorado.

Asked if he was somewhat embarrassed to make the team while struggling at the plate, Varitek said: “There’s a level of that. But this was a player vote, so there’s a level of appreciation, too. It’s still an honor.”

Link

[Limey]

I bet Pierzinski had a parade of players lining up to vote for him.  Eh?  Oh.

[Gizzmonic]

I bet Pierzinski had a parade of players lining up to vote for him.  Eh?  Oh.

Let's check the write-in ballots...for AL catcher, we have a number of ballots that look like this:

Piersis Pryzins Puhrsiz Douchebag

Maybe Pierzinski will make it after all!

[AstroNut]

How many times can you vote in this final voting thing for Lee?

[mihoba]

How many times can you vote in this final voting thing for Lee?

At least five. That was all the validation crap I could stand.

[MusicMan]

That was all the validation crap I could stand.

Lee's good enough, he's smart enough, and goshdarnit, people like him.

[mihoba]

Lee's good enough, he's smart enough, and goshdarnit, people like him.

Vote people! Send the horse to the big apple.

[believin]

How many times can you vote in this final voting thing for Lee?

There is no limit.

[Duman]

It can remember my email address and date of birth but for some reason it can't remember that I don't want their marketing messages.  MLB ticks me off sometimes.

[Arky Vaughan]

It can remember my email address and date of birth but for some reason it can't remember that I don't want their marketing messages.  MLB ticks me off sometimes.

Funny how that works. I just hope I don't get their e-mails in a quantity equal to the number of votes I cast.

[ValpoCory]

Vote people! Send the horse to the big apple.

Doesn't look good for Lee.  Last place as of yesterday.

[MusicMan]

Doesn't look good for Lee.  Last place as of yesterday.

If only he lived in a more diverse media market.

[mihoba]

Corey Hart gets voted into the final spot. I'm kinda shocked it wasn't David Wright.

[Limey]

Corey Hart gets voted into the final spot. I'm kinda shocked it wasn't David Wright.

It's a night game, so I hope he remembers to take his sunglasses.

[Sleepy]

Corey Hart gets voted into the final spot. I'm kinda shocked it wasn't David Wright.

Brewers fans were suddenly more interested in baseball this week.

[ValpoCory]

I hope Carlos gets Soriano's spot.

[Nate in IA]

I hope Carlos gets Soriano's spot.

Holliday already has.

[toddthebod]

I hope Carlos gets Soriano's spot.

I'm not sure the Astros "deserve" 3 all-stars, but I'm with you.  Carlos is having a monster season.

I think I heard JD say earlier this week that this is the first time that the Astros have had 2 players with more than 20 HRs and 70 RBIs before the all-star break.

[toddthebod]

Holliday already has.

Nope.  Holliday was already on the team.  Now he's just taking Soriano's place as a starter.  Hurdle is going to decide who is going to replace Soriano on the roster by Friday. 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/allstar08/news/story?id=3481665

[Nate in IA]

Nope.  Holliday was already on the team.  Now he's just taking Soriano's place as a starter.  Hurdle is going to decide who is going to replace Soriano on the roster by Friday. 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/allstar08/news/story?id=3481665

That's what I get for just reading headlines.  Mea culpa.

[BUWebguy]

That's what I get for just reading headlines.  Mea culpa.

I made the same mistake last night checking headlines. Thanks, Todd, for clearing that up.

[ValpoCory]

No real update yet, except it does not appear that Hurdle will for sure replace one OF (Soriano) with another.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080710&content_id=3104684&vkey=allstar2008&fext=.jsp

"Hurdle will also need to name a replacement for Soriano on the team, and he said he will do that after the results of the Monster 2008 All-Star Final Vote are known Thursday night. He said the choice wouldn't necessarily be the runner-up.

The decision could come as early as Friday, according to Hurdle.

"It's not going to be easy," Hurdle said. "When you pick your All-Star team, there's a whole other All-Star team who was left off the list. That's the reality of it and that's how it will always be." "

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080710&content_id=3106142&vkey=allstar2008&fext=.jsp

[mihoba]

Hurdle has 2 catchers, 2 1B, 2 SS, and 3 OF on the bench already. Adrian Gonzalez, Nate McClouth, and Brian McCann are the LH hitters; Russell Martin, Pujols, Tejada, Uggla, Hart, Aramis, and Ludwick (El Cabello got screwed here) are the RH hitters, with Guzman being the only reserve switch hitter. He also has 12 pitchers at his disposal, including 4 closers.

Will he reward his 1B/3B Atkins? David Wright? Teixiera for another switch hitter? Jose Reyes mainly for a pinch runner?

Or will it be a P? Cole Hamels? Santana?

I'm on pins and needles.

[ValpoCory]

I bet he chooses David Wright, since he has no backup 3B for Chipper.

ETA.  my fault.  not the only 3B.  thanks mihoba.

[mihoba]

I bet he chooses David Wright, since he has no backup 3B for Chipper.

Errormiss?

[Limey]

Errormiss?

WIGGY!

[mihoba]

I just received (along with millions of others) a free one week trial from July 11-18 to MLB.TV for voting in the 2008 ASG final vote as a reward for being a loyal fan.

Offer not valid for current MLB.TV subscribers. May not be combined with any other offer. Blackout rules still apply.

Fuck, I forgot to uncheck the offer box on one vote it seems.

[Nate in IA]

I bet he chooses David Wright, since he has no backup 3B for Chipper.

ETA.  my fault.  not the only 3B.  thanks mihoba.

You win

[ValpoCory]

You win

That was the safe choice.  I guessed that not only based on the false "only 3B assertion" but because of what Hurdle said about not necessarily choosing the 2nd place finisher in that Final Vote.  That told me his mind was made up and he didn't want that accusation.

[Reuben]

That was the safe choice.  I guessed that not only based on the false "only 3B assertion" but because of what Hurdle said about not necessarily choosing the 2nd place finisher in that Final Vote.  That told me his mind was made up and he didn't want that accusation.

meanwhile, Carlos Lee, third in all MLB in ribbies, still not an All-Star.

[ValpoCory]

meanwhile, Carlos Lee, third in all MLB in ribbies, still not an All-Star.

Paging Elias:

I wonder how many players batting .302, with 21 home runs and 76 RBI have ever been left off the All-Star team.

[BUWebguy]

Paging Elias:
I wonder how many players batting .302, with 21 home runs and 76 RBI have ever been left off the All-Star team.

Didn't Hank Greenberg have 100 RBI at the break one year and not make the team? I don't know if he would have had the HR total, but he was probably hitting .300+.

[Reuben]

Paging Elias:

I wonder how many players batting .302, with 21 home runs and 76 RBI have ever been left off the All-Star team.

The way the voting is so screwed up right now, I think just underscores how little regard should be paid to a player's career # of All-Star appearances. Case in point: Jeff Bagwell, 4 All-Star games. Bags suffered because he often had a so-so first half, followed by an amazing second half. Guys like Bobby Bonilla, Tony Fernandez, Gary Sheffield (9 times!), and Travis Fryman have all made more AS teams.

These days, it's not even the first half anymore- it seems like the fans and players make their votes based on who has the best April and May, and guys like Carlos end up getting left off while guys like Ryan Ludwick make it. I just hope that when Bagwell comes up for HOF voting we don't have to hear anybody going "well, he only made 4 All-Star teams..."

[MusicMan]

The tidbit of "Lance Berkman is the first Astro first baseman to start the All Star Game since Jeff Bagwell in 1997" shocked me.

[hostros7]

These days, it's not even the first half anymore- it seems like the fans and players make their votes based on who has the best April and May, and guys like Carlos end up getting left off while guys like Ryan Ludwick Miguel Tejada make it.

FIFY

/Sadly

[ValpoCory]

The tidbit of "Lance Berkman is the first Astro first baseman to start the All Star Game since Jeff Bagwell in 1997" shocked me.

Yep, that was the last time for Jeff at 1B.  The Astros have had other starters (Biggio in 1998 and Jeff Kent in 2004 at 2B, Jeff Bagwell in 1999 at DH, Lance Berkman at CF in 2004, and Roger Clemens at P in 2004).

[ValpoCory]

Didn't Hank Greenberg have 100 RBI at the break one year and not make the team? I don't know if he would have had the HR total, but he was probably hitting .300+.

Yes, 1935, the year he won one of his two AL MVPs.  Ended the season at .328, 36 HR, and 170 RBI for the World Champion Tigers.  He had 103 RBI at the break, and was not on the all-star team. 

He is the only player in history with 90 RBI before the break and not make the All-Star team.  Of course, 1935 was only the 3rd year of the All-Star game, so maybe their were kinks still needing to be worked out.  Of course, the 2008 game still has some kinks needing to be worked out.

Players have had 30+ HR by the break 31 times.  All 31 times the player made the all-star team.

[Kent's Moustache]

It's a night game, so I hope he remembers to take his sunglasses.

[golf clap]

[HudsonHawk]

Yes, 1935, the year he won one of his two AL MVPs. 

Robin Yount won the AL MVP in 1989, but didn't make the All-Star team, not even as the backup, which went to Devon White, who hit .245/.282/.371

[ValpoCory]

Robin Yount won the AL MVP in 1989, but didn't make the All-Star team, not even as the backup, which went to Devon White, who hit .245/.282/.371

What a LaGenius decision. 

I was at that All-Star game.  Bo's home run is still going.