All Star Game

I write this tonight because I felt like it was time for a baseball blog, and not just a Tigs blog.  As we all know the MLB All Star game is in Arizona in aprox 3 weeks.  It's supposed to be a who's who as far as talent goes especially since the MLB game actually means something (Home Field advantage) unlike the other pro sports All Star games.

I realize that it is supposed to be for the fans, and that is why we get the chance to vote in our favourite players to the occasion, but I can't help but think that something has to be done to fix this.  As of right now 8/9 starting spots would go to the AL East.  (5 NYY, 2 Bos, and 1 TOR)  I have no problem with  7 of the 9 selections, but the 2 that really bother me and think that it's absolutely ridiculous and just a popularity contest are Russell Martin and Derek Jeter.  Martin started out the season hot, but last I looked (Yesterday) was hitting a cool .238, and Jeter who is on the DL is hitting about .260 with 2 HR!

If I'm a player I want the best people out there who can help my league win so that I could have home field advantage in the WS.  The 2 people who should be in those starting roles are Alex Avila at Catcher from the Tigs and Asdrubal Cabrerra at SS from the Tribe.  Avila is hitting .305 9HR and 41 RBI while throwing out around .35% of the would be basestealers!  Cabrera is hitting .296 with 12 HR and 43 RBI and is as smooth a SS as I've seen in a long time.

If it were up to me this would be my starting lineup for the AL ASG:

1) Granderson-OF NYY
2) Cabrera-SS CLE
3) Bautista-OF TOR
4) Gonzalez-1B BOS
5) Rodriguez-3B NYY
6) Ortiz-DH BOS
7) Hamilton-OF TEX
8) Cano- 2B NYY
9) Avila-C Det

SP) Hernandez Sea

I only saw Hernandez because Verlander is scheduled to pitch the Sunday before the ASG so he will be unavailable to pitch during the game.

The subs I would take are as follows

C) Wieters-BAL
C) Olivo-SEA
1B) Konerko-CWS
1B) Cabrera-DET
2B) Pedroia-BOS
2B) Zobrist- TB
3B) Beltre-TEX
3B) Gordon- KC
SS) Andrus-TEX
SS) Aybar- LAA
OF) Ellsbury-BOS
OF) Quentin-CWS
OF) Ichiro-SEA
OF) Cruz- TEX
DH) Cuddyer-MIN
DH) Martinez-DET

P) Ogando-TEX
P) Verlander-DET
P) Pineada-SEA
P) Cahill-OAK
P) Shields-TB
P) Beckett-BOS
P) Weaver-LAA
P) Price-TB
P) Gonzalez-OAK
P) Sabathia-NYY
P) Rivera-NYY
P) Valverde-DET
P) Perez-CLE
P) Sipp- CLE
P) Downs-LAA
P) Alburquerque- DET

So there ya have it, what would be my AL All Star team.  Some very good players are left off of it for the simple fact that every team has to be represented at the game.
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