The American League and National League All-Star Teams were announced earlier today. Here are the players who were elected by the fans in each league:
AL
DH – David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox
C – Alex Avila, Detroit Tigers
1B – Adrian Gonzalez, Boston Red Sox
2B – Robinson Cano, New York Yankees
SS – Derek Jeter, New York Yankees
3B – Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees
OF – Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays
OF – Curtis Granderson, New York Yankees
OF – Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers
NL
C – Brian McCann – Atlanta Braves
1B – Prince Fielder, Milwaukee Brewers
2B – Rickie Weeks, Milwaukee Brewers
SS – Jose Reyes, New York Mets
3B – Placido Polanco, Philadelphia Phillies
OF – Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers
OF – Lance Berkman, St. Louis Cardinals
OF – Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers
The rest of the AL and NL rosters can be found here.
Ryan Braun is a question mark after he strained his calf yesterday against the Twins. Ditto for Jose Reyes after he tweaked a hamstring in yesterday’s game against the Yankees. His crosstown counterpart, Derek Jeter is set to return from the DL tomorrow but has had a subpar season. I’m not sure why Rangers manager Ron Washington (who is at the helm of the AL team) didn’t pick his own shortstop, Elvis Andrus to the team.
My sister Sarah will be ecstatic that Tim Lincecum has been picked to the NL All-Star Team. Much to my surprise, she began watching all his starts after reading a New York Times Magazine profile on him. Now I talk baseball with my sister. As Casey Stengel often asked, “Who would have thunk it?”
The All-Star Team selection is, of course, unfair. Deserving players invariably get left off. Now there is a chance for one player from each league to be added to the roster. But it is never enough. Even if they expanded the rosters to forty, it wouldn’t be enough.
Even though I’m a Red Sox fan, I would have preferred to see Jon Lester named to the team than Josh Beckett. I also think speed is undervalued. Michael Bourn of the Houston Astros and Andrew McCutchen of the Pittsburgh Pirates are base stealing demons and Gold Glove caliber centerfielders. But neither man will be going to Phoenix. McCutchen’s teammate, Kevin Correia has won 11 games but has nothing to show for it. Then again roster spots have a way of opening up.
The 2011 All-Star Game will be played on July 12th.
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