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Who I'd Pick for the AL All-Star Team

By Tom Dakers

 

I've, over the years, kind of lost interest in the All-Star game, because, with the fan vote it isn't so much an All-Star team it's become an All-Popular team, filled with too many Red Sox and Yankees. But I find it a fun exercise to pick out the players that I think should be on the All-Star team. When picking, I'm not so interested in the pitchers with the most wins, because wins are not just caused by the pitcher, the offense has some to do with it. And with batters I'm not as worried about RBI because again RBI aren't totally dependent on the player that gets them.

So the All-Star team is 33 members strong this year (too many but we'll use that number too). I know they used 13 pitchers on teams but I think 11 pitchers are plenty for one game. So I'll go with 22 batters and 11 pitchers, and we'll make sure to take at least one from each AL team. First listed at each position would be the starter.

We start after the Jump.

Catchers:

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Joe Mauer 58 216 47 84 12 1 14 45 34 29 1 1 .389 .465 .648

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Victor Martinez 81 310 53 94 19 1 14 57 42 42 0 0 .303 .382 .506

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Mike Napoli 57 191 28 55 10 0 10 30 26 50 2 3 .288 .376 .497

The catchers in the AL are a pretty weak group, but they really need 3. Martinez has split time at catcher and first base but is clearly the second best choice. Napoli just beats out Jorge Posada for the 3rd spot.

First Base:

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Justin Morneau 82 313 56 101 22 1 21 69 41 53 0 0 .323 .399 .601

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Kevin Youkilis 68 243 49 72 20 1 14 47 43 65 4 1 .296 .417 .560

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Russell Branyan 73 265 48 78 15 1 21 46 39 88 2 0 .294 .390 .596

Branyan just beats out Miguel Cabrera. Youk's numbers are dropping like a stone but he still deserves a spot. Nice to have a Canadian in the starting lineup.

Second Base:

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Aaron Hill 83 363 51 107 13 0 20 59 21 55 3 1 .295 .334 .496

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Ian Kinsler 80 328 60 83 17 2 20 53 37 46 16 2 .253 .331 .500

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Ben Zobrist 75 224 43 63 15 4 16 46 44 48 8 3 .281 .400 .598

Zobrist has played more games in the outfield than at 2B but listing him at 2B makes more sense. I like Hill's batting average better than Kinsler's so I'm giving him the starting spot. 

Shortstop:

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Jason Bartlett 62 226 45 81 16 3 8 37 16 37 17 1 .358 .401 .562

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Derek Jeter 76 315 52 99 15 0 10 35 38 40 17 3 .314 .393 .457

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Marco Scutaro 84 336 61 94 25 1 6 35 56 41 7 4 .280 .381 .414

Bartlett has clearly been the best of the short stops this year, but Jeter is having his best season in years. We all know Scoot is great. 

Third Base:

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Evan Longoria 78 286 45 83 25 0 16 64 34 73 2 0 .290 .369 .545

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Scott Rolen 72 272 44 89 25 0 6 32 25 32 4 1 .327 .389 .485

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Michael Young 78 319 46 100 26 1 10 33 30 54 4 1 .313 .371 .495

It isn't homerism that gives Rolen a place on my team, he is terrific. 

Left Field:

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Adam Lind 81 316 49 98 25 0 18 57 35 57 1 1 .310 .384 .560

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Carl Crawford 82 330 56 105 16 3 8 38 27 52 41 7 .318 .376 .458

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Johnny Damon 77 296 61 84 19 3 16 49 38 55 8 0 .284 .368 .530

I put Lind in with the LFers since there wasn't a DH category and he is clearly the best. Damon just beats out Jason Bay.

Center Fielders:

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Torii Hunter 76 280 56 86 19 1 17 65 33 50 13 3 .307 .382 .564

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Adam Jones 75 298 52 91 17 2 12 46 22 61 6 3 .305 .361 .497

Jones is deserving but in part gets it because I need an Oriole. 

Right Fielders:

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Ichiro Suzuki 74 328 41 118 16 3 6 21 16 28 17 5 .360 .393 .482

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG
2009 - Shin-Soo Choo 81 296 49 89 16 1 12 53 48 76 13 0 .301 .406 .483

Choo's numbers were a surprise to me, anyone that gets on at the .406 pace should make the team.

Starting Pitchers:

W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2009 - Zack Greinke 10-4 17 17 5 2 0 0 121.1 109 35 27 4 19 120 2.00 1.05

W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2009 - Roy Halladay 10-2 16 16 3 1 0 0 116.0 109 38 36 10 17 98 2.79 1.09

W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2009 - Kevin Millwood 8-6 18 18 2 0 0 0 124.0 118 50 46 15 42 74 3.34 1.29

W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2009 - Edwin Jackson 6-4 17 17 1 0 0 0 114.2 90 39 33 9 33 93 2.59 1.07

W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2009 - Jered Weaver 9-3 17 17 3 1 0 0 114.1 95 42 40 12 34 95 3.15 1.13

W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2009 - Mark Buehrle 8-2 16 16 0 0 0 0 107.2 97 40 37 12 24 62 3.09 1.12

W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2009 - Felix Hernandez 8-3 17 17 1 1 0 0 116.2 103 40 34 8 34 114 2.62 1.17

I needed a Tiger and a White Sox so Edwin Jackson and Mark Buehrle fill needs as well as having great seasons. Doc or Greinke could be picked as starter, but I have three Jay starters already.

W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2009 - Andrew Bailey 4-1 37 0 0 0 9 4 48.2 30 11 11 3 19 57 2.03 1.01

W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2009 - Jonathan Papelbon 1-1 36 0 0 0 20 2 36.0 31 7 7 4 17 35 1.75 1.33

W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2009 - Joe Nathan 1-1 35 0 0 0 22 2 33.1 18 5 5 2 7 43 1.35 .75

W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2009 - J.P. Howell 4-2 40 0 0 0 6 4 38.2 26 8 7 1 16 46 1.63 1.09

Bailey gets a spot because I needed a Oakland A. I picked more starters than relievers because I feel starters are more valuable than relievers and with the few innings relievers throw by the middle of the year it is hard to say which ones are most deserving. 

Anyway, for what it is worth, that's the list. 

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