Starters, Subs and Some Strange Selections

The rosters for the 82nd All-Star Game have been announced and, as always, there are some deserving guys who were left off the team, as well as some questionable picks among those who did make it.  But before we get going, I have to preface everything by saying that, for the most part, the fans nailed it this year.  All those morons who complain about the number of Yankees and Red Sox on the team or say that the fans shouldn't be the ones picking the starters yet still max out all 25 of their online votes can't really dispute that.  There might be one questionable starter in each league (Derek Jeter and Placido Polanco), but that's really about it.  And deserving guys like Jose Reyes, Matt Kemp and Alex Avila pulled it out in the end (no doubt thanks to those fans who save all 25 of their votes for Thursday night).

The questionable selections are mostly courtesy of our friend Bruce Bochy, aka the manager of the World Champion San Francisco Giants and this year's National League all-star team.  The all-star pitching staffs consist of 13 guys, eight picked by the players and five picked by the manager.  The five pitchers Bochy picked included the token Padre (Heath Bell) and the token National (Tyler Clippard), which means he was left with three spots...and all three of those selections were Giants starters.  Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain, not really any complaints.  While their numbers aren't that great this season, they were two of the main people responsible for the Giants winning the World Series last year, so they both get a pass.  But this year's Omar Infante Award (least deserving All-Star selection) goes to Ryan Vogelsong.  Who?  Can you say nepotism to the extreme?

Vogelsong has good numbers, but so do a whole bunch of National League players that are on other teams and people have actually heard of.  Just to throw a few names out there: Atlanta's Tommy Hanson, Milwaukee's Yovani Gallardo, Florida's Anibal Sanchez (who could've easily been the token Marlin), Jaime Garcia of the Cardinals.  Or how about Arizona's Ian Kennedy?  You know, a guy from the team that's hosting the game!  The Phillies and Giants are the two best teams in the National League, but they shouldn't both have 60 percent of their starting rotations going to Phoenix (OK, the Phillies should).

Albert Pujols not winning the fan vote probably pissed off whatever NL first baseman that would've been the injury replacement, but that's a small issue that isn't really worth talking about.  Chipper Jones was chosen as the backup third baseman, a nice gesture in what's probably his final season.  The only questionable player selection was the Reds' Jay Bruce, who has good power numbers (18 HR, 51 RBI), but he's hitting only .265.  The Pirates' Andrew McCutchen was snubbed for the second straight year and should've gone over Bruce.  In fairness, Bochy used three of his four position player choices on token selections (the Cubs' Starlin Castro, the Marlins' Gaby Sanchez and Arizona's Justin Upton), so he was left with only one spot.  He gave that to the Mets' Carlos Beltran, who's deserving, but probably not as much as McCutchen or the Dodgers' Andre Ethier (who's on the Final Vote ballot).

In the American League, they have the starting and backup DH, which gave manager Ron Washington only two position players that he can add.  So after taking Michel Cuddyer (Twins) and Matt Wieters (Orioles, although my choice would've been Adam Jones) to fulfill the one from every team rule, he didn't have places for guys like Paul Konerko, Mark Teixeira, Victor Martinez or Dustin Pedroia (although, that might be rectified on the Final Vote).  Otherwise, I really have no issues with the AL squad.  Sure Russell Martin only looked like an All-Star in April and hasn't since, but he's the only questionable guy in the lot.

My favorite All-Star selection?  Easily Michael Young.  The guy who was so completely screwed over by his team in the off-season responded by making the All-Star team at yet another position (that makes three).  He's technically the backup DH (the most necessary position on any baseball team), but I highly doubt that Young enters the game as a pinch hitter for David Ortiz.  With Young, the AL has three guys (Cuddyer, Howie Kendrick) who fit that utility role (it'll become four if Ben Zobrist wins the Final Vote).

Among the pitchers, the only real "snub" is CC Sabathia, who's tied for the Major League lead with 11 wins.  Washington's five pitching picks were two token selections (Oakland's Gio Gonzalez and Kansas City's Aaron Crow), Tigers closer Jose Valverde (the AL Omar Infante Award winner), and left-handed starters David Price of Tampa Bay and C.J. Wilson of the Rangers.  Of course, CC's pitching Sunday and wouldn't be able to pitch anyway, but that makes the fact he wasn't selected even stupider.  If a starting pitcher starts on Sunday, he's automatically replaced on the roster.  Thus, Washington easily could've picked CC, then named Wilson as the replacement.  Felix Hernandez and Justin Verlander are also scheduled to start on Sunday, so that could open up spots for guys like Jon Lester or Michael Pineda.

Speaking of Michael Pineda (at least his team), it's hard to picture an All-Star Game without Ichiro.  Technically he's not a snub since his numbers don't really support a selection, but no Ichiro and no Albert is just weird.  Another future Hall of Famer that WILL be in Phoenix is Derek Jeter.  Criticize his selection all you want.  Jeter should be there.  Sometimes guys make the All-Star team based on reputation alone.  It's never a problem when that happens.  Besides, if not for his recent trip to the DL, he'd be the only active player with 3,000 career hits (he still might get there by the All-Star break).  3,000-hit fever was going to hit Phoenix one way or another.  Jeter comes back tomorrow, so he should be available to play in the All-Star Game.  I just hope he doesn't bring Trenton's hideous Fourth of July uniform (see below) with him.