The fans will speak today when starters for the 81st
All-Star Game are announced along with the rest of the rosters for the upcoming Midsummer Classic in Anaheim, Calif.
I will speak now as well, listing my choices and providing the reasons for the picks.
The people’s choice (fan vote) was taken from the final update of ballots in the American and National leagues on June 28-29. Statistics are through Friday.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
First Base
The candidates: Justin Morneau, Minnesota (.343, 16 HRs, 52 RBIs), Miguel Cabrera, Detroit (.337, 20 HRs, 68 RBIs), Paul Konerko, Chicago (.294, 20 HRs, 57 RBIs).
People’s choice: Morneau
The right choice: Cabrera
The reason: Morneau is a fine choice but Cabrera has the edge in homers and RBIs and his batting average isn’t too far behind.
Second base
The candidates: Robinson Cano, New York (.347, 16 HRs, 54 RBIs), Dustin Pedroia, Boston (.292, 12 HRs, 41 RBIs), Howie Kendrick, Los Angeles (.271, 7 HRs, 50 RBIs).
People’s choice: Cano
The right choice: Cano
The reason: There isn’t any other pick here. Cano has overshadowed all of the Yankees’ big hitters and all of the competition at this position.
Shortstop
The candidates: Elvis Andrus, Texas (.292, 0 HR, 24 RBIs, 22 SBs), Derek Jeter, New York (.282, 8 HRs, 39 RBIs), Alex Gonzalez, Toronto (.263, 14 HRs, 41 RBIs).
People’s choice: Jeter
The right choice: Jeter
The reason: No one has strong enough numbers to question a start for Jeter, one of the most popular players in the game – maybe if Andrus had a few home runs, and, certainly, if Gonzalez had a better batting average.
Third base
The candidates: Adrian Beltre, Boston (.346, 12 HRs, 53 RBIs), Michael Young, Texas (.314, 11 HRs, 51 RBIs), Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay (.292, 12 HRs, 55 RBIs).
People’s choice: Longoria
The right choice: Beltre
The reason: All three are enjoying seasons worthy of the All-Star nod, but Beltre’s average is too good to pass on. Notice the absence of perennial All-Star Alex Rodriguez (.278, 12 HRs, 57 RBIs), whose batting average is holding him back.
Catcher
The candidates: John Buck, Toronto (.266, 13 HRs, 40 RBIs), Joe Mauer, Minnesota (.297, 3 HRs, 34 RBIs), Victor Martinez, Boston (.289, 9 HRs, 38 RBIs).
People’s choice: Mauer
The right choice: Mauer
The reason: Mauer and Martinez have dealt with injuries that have kept their numbers down, but Mauer is the better defender, so he gets the nod.
Outfield
The candidates: Josh Hamilton, Texas (.340, 19 HRs, 59 RBIs), Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle (.331, 3 HRs, 24 RBIs, 21 SBs), Carl Crawford, Tampa Bay (.318, 7 HRs, 39 RBIs, 29 SBs), Vernon Wells, Toronto (.275, 19 HRs, 48 RBIs), Alex Rios, Chicago (.312, 13 HRs, 44 RBIs, 22 SB).
People’s choice: Hamilton, Crawford, Suzuki
The right choice: Hamilton, Crawford, Rios
The reason: Hamilton is a lock, but there’s plenty of competition for the final two spots, even outside the list of candidates above. You can’t go wrong with any of them, but Rios has the power that Ichiro doesn’t possess.
Designated hitter
The candidates: David Ortiz, Boston (.254, 17 HRs, 53 RBIs), Vladimir Guerrero, Texas (.334, 18 HRs, 70 RBIs), Jose Guillen, Kansas City (.276, 14 HRs, 50 RBIs).
People’s choice: Guerrero
The right choice: Guerrero
The reason: This is an easy one. Vlady’s got the edge in every department.
Starting pitcher
The candidates: David Price, Tampa Bay (11-4, 2.42 ERA), Clay Buchholz, Boston (10-4, 2.45), Jered Weaver, Los Angeles (8-3, 2.82).
The right choice: Price
The reason: It’s going to come down to Price or Buchholz, but Price is right with one more win and a little lower ERA.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
First base
The candidates: Joey Votto, Cincinnati (.314, 19 HRs, 57 RBIs), Albert Pujols, St. Louis (.306, 19 HRs, 59 RBIs), Adrian Gonzalez, San Diego (.295, 16 HRs, 51 RBIs).
People’s choice: Pujols
The right choice: Votto
The reason: Pujols is certainly worthy of the start, but Votto’s numbers are a little better. Philly’s Ryan Howard (.294, 15 HRs, 55 RBIs) is edged out of the top three by Gonzalez’s superior OPS.
Second base
The candidates: Martin Prado, Atlanta (.337, 7 HRs, 36 RBIs), Brandon Phillips, Cincinnati (.309, 10 HRs, 27 RBIs), Rickie Weeks, Milwaukee (.270, 13 HRs, 47 RBIs).
People’s choice: Chase Utley, Philadelphia (.277, 11 HRs, 37 RBIs)
The right choice: Prado
The reason: Utley is having an all right season, but he doesn’t deserve to be among the top three candidates, let alone the starter. It should be Prado with a strong push from Weeks.
Shortstop
The candidates: Hanley Ramirez, Florida (.302, 13 HRs, 52 RBIs, 15 SBs), Jose Reyes, New York (.277, 6 HRs, 32 RBIs, 19 SBs), Rafael Furcal, Atlanta, (.335, 3 HRs, 25 RBIs, 12 SBs).
People’s choice: Ramirez
The right choice: Ramirez
The reason: If not hampered by injuries, Furcal might be making a stronger case.
Third base
The candidates: David Wright, New York (.312, 14 HRs, 63 RBIs, 13 SBs), Scott Rolen, Cincinnati (.302, 17 HRs, 56 RBIs), Placido Polanco, Philadelphia (.318, 5 HRs, 27 RBIs).
People’s choice: Polanco
The right choice: Wright
The reason: Both Wright and Rolen deserve it over Polanco, who is fortunate to be among the top three candidates.
Catcher
The candidates: Miguel Olivo, Colorado (.316, 11 HRs, 39 RBIs), Ronny Paulino, Florida (.305, 3 HRs, 28 RBIs), Brian McCann, Atlanta (.257, 9 HRs, 33 RBIs).
People’s choice: Yadier Molina, St. Louis (.229, 3 HRs, 30 RBIs)
The right choice: Olivo
The reason: If the fans follow through with the Molina pick, it’s a joke. He isn’t even one of the top three candidates in a weak field at this position.
Outfield
The candidates: Ryan Braun, Milwaukee (.294, 11 HRs, 49 RBIs, 11 SBs), Andre Ethier, Los Angeles (.318, 12 HRs, 47 RBIs), Corey Hart, Milwaukee (.286, 18 HRs, 60 RBIs), Carlos Gonzalez, Colorado (.294, 13 HRs, 48 RBIs, 12 SBs), Josh Willingham, Washington (.277, 15 HRs, 45 RBIs).
People’s choice: Braun, Ethier, Jason Heyward, Atlanta (.251, 11 HRs, 45 HRs)
The right choice: Braun, Ethier, Hart
The reason: Heyward is having a solid rookie season but it’s not worthy of an All-Star start.
Starting pitcher
The candidates: Josh Johnson, Florida, (8-3, 1.82 ERA), Ubaldo Jimenez, Colorado (14-1, 1.83), Adam Wainwright, St. Louis (11-5, 2.34).
The right choice: Jimenez
The reason: Outside of dominant numbers, Jimenez also has a no-hitter on his resume this season.
Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136
or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.
