My All Stars

As I mentioned before, All-Star game voting is currently underway. Get yourself to mlb.com, or any of the other places to get a ballot, and pick your team. If you need some help, here’s what my ballot looks like.

National League
1B Lance Berkman (Astros)
2B Chase Utley (Phillies)
SS Hanley Ramirez (Marlins)
3B David Wright (Mets)
C Russell Martin (Dodgers)
OF Matt Holliday (Rockies)
OF Ryan Braun (Brewers)
OF Chris Young (Diamondbacks)

Wow. Every player is from a different team. That’s interesting. Does that imply that the NL is wide open? As for reasons… Berkman is having a monster year to push him ahead of the likes of Howard, Pujols, and Fielder who are slumping. Utley may be the MVP this year. Ramirez might be the best player in the NL…why can’t the Red Sox get players like him? David Wright got the nod over Chipper Jones mostly because the game is in NY this year. Russell Martin is the best catcher in the NL. Holliday could have been the MVP last year, and is keeping it up. Braun simply looked amazing in Fenway last weekend, so that’s enough for me. Chris Young might be a little…ok…Young. But, he’s a star in the making, and I couldn’t find a player to vote for over him. Besides, the NL’s best team should have a player somewhere.

American League
1B Kevin Youkilis (Red Sox)
2B Dustin Pedroia (Red Sox)
SS Michael Young (Rangers)
3B Miguel Cabrera (Tigers)
C Jason Varitek (Red Sox)
DH David Ortiz (Red Sox)
OF Magglio Ordonez (Tigers)
OF Grady Sizemore (Indians)
OF Manny Ramirez (Red Sox)

Quite a few Red Sox ended up on the team, but that’s certainly OK with me. Youkilis is having a great year at the plate, and is still playing a stellar first base. None of the usual suspects at the position are thrilling me. Dustin Pedroia is having a solid start to the season. He’s among the league leaders in a few hitting categories. I could have gone with Kinsler, but didn’t. At Shortstop, Michael Young deserves some recognition. I know that there’s no way Jeter doesn’t start the game at Yankee Stadium, but I couldn’t bring myself to actually vote for him. At third, injuries to ARod and Lowell open the door for Cabrera based on reputation alone. At catcher, Varitek has been having a great start, including catching a no-hitter. A weak field can’t overcome that. David Ortiz could lead all players in votes again this year, so that was an easy vote. In the outfield, I wasn’t overwhelmed by anybody. I like the way Sizemore plays. Magglio could have been MVP last year, and has a great bat. Manny’s just Manny. I could have voted for Crawford, Hunter, or Guerrero, but didn’t. The likes of Jones or Gomez are too raw for my liking. I’ve never been a fan of Ichiro, so I couldn’t vote for him either. So, I went with the three I went with.

There’s my ballot. What does yours look like?