Odd Thoughts

All-Star Time Already?

MLB.com has decided that two weeks into the season is a good time to start All-Star voting. I think it's a bit early. So, to validate that thought, I cast my first ballot by voting for the statistical leaders at every position. Here's how that first ballot looked:

American League:
C, Javy Lopez
1B, Mike Sweeney
2B, Bret Boone
3B, Hank Blalock
SS, Michael Young
OF, Jermaine Dye
OF, Matt Lawton
OF, Carlos Beltran

National League:
C, Charles Johnson
1B, Albert Pujols
2B, Marcus Giles
3B, Aramis Ramirez
SS, Jack Wilson
OF, Barry Bonds
OF, Moises Alou
OF, Richard Hidalgo

Out of the entire group, only four of them are likely to be starters (Boone, Pujols, Giles, and Bonds). Lopez, Blalock, and Beltran will probably make the team, and while its conceivable that some of those others will make the team, I probably cast the only vote Jack Wilson will receive in his career. Two weeks is just not enough time to begin determining what players deserve to go.

On another All-Star note, we're in luck this year since the game is in Houston - a National League park. That way they won't use that stupid DH, and we'll finally get to see dream matchups like reigning NL Cy Young winner Eric Gagne pitching to reigning AL Cy Young winner Roy Halladay. Can you imagine the excitement that will come from that one at bat alone? I mean, wow! The relief pitcher coming to face Halladay, a guy who . . . well . . . probably hasn't picked up a bat all year. In general, I can go either way on the DH, but the All-Star game seems like a good place to just use the DH regardless of the league affiliation of the home team.

As for the way I will likely cast most of my votes in the AL:
Ivan Rodriguez at C: this will be close race with Javy Lopez and Jorge Posada; it's hard to say who'll win
Mike Sweeney/Carlos Delgado at 1B: I'd love for Sweeney to win, but I'll switch to Delgado because he'll stand a better chance of beating Jason Giambi.
Bret Boone at 2B: he probably won't have much competition now that Alfonso Soriano is in Texas.
Hank Blalock/Eric Chavez at 3B: Same case as first base; I'll go for the guy that can beat A-Rod (which really can't be done).
Miguel Tejada at SS: There's really no way the fans will pass up on getting to elect Derek Jeter.
Carlos Beltran, Vladimir Guerrero, and Ichiro in OF: Guerrero and Ichiro will get voted in, but Beltran will get snubbed by the Japanese voters who'll surely elect Hideki Matsui.

In the NL, I'll go with:
Paul Lo Duca at C: I always vote for him, but Mike Piazza will get the nod.
Albert Pujols at 1B: No contest.
Marcus Giles at 2B: Probably no contest.
Mike Lowell at 3B: Scott Rolen will win, but he's rubbed me the wrong way since the Philadelphia days.
Edgar Renteria at SS: Like Carlos Beltran above, Renteria will get left out for Kazuo Matsui.
Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey (provided he's healthy), and Brian Giles in OF: Bonds is in, but the rest of the spots are up for grabs; I predict Andruw Jones and Sammy Sosa.

I'll save the "Who Deserves it Post" when those facts can be reasonably determined - sometime around the end of June.

Posted by at April 21, 2004 07:48 PM