Puneet Singh
For simple reason that AS voting is a popularity contest there are players who will not make the team this year. Here are the best of bunch who will more than likely miss the game this year, unless the managers opt to take them.
AL
C: Jorge Posada. New York Yankees
He missed three weeks this year due to a hammy injury. With Joe Mauer being Joe Mauer and SAWX nation having all their households vote like no tomorrow for Jason Varitek, Posada is the odd man out even though his numbers (.267 avg 10 homers 33 RBIs) to Variteks (.234 avg 11 homers 32 RBIs) even though Posada has played in 10 less games.
1B: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers and Justin Mourneau, Minnesota Twins
It really hurts me to know that Cabrera more than likely will be staying home this time even though he is batting .331 with 16 homers and 47 RBIs. End of the day he will continue to be a triple crown threat like he has been for the last three years and will continue to be years coming.
Mourneau not making the All-Star team would be an ABSOLUTE crime. But this looks likely the case with Youkilis, Teixeira and Pena all either having better years or getting the support of their fans. Mourneau is hitting .309 with 19 homers and 67 RBI, is a former AL MVP and reining home run derby champ. Not too many boast a pedigree like he does.
2B: Aaron Hill. Toronto Blue Jays
With Dustin Pedroia and Ian Kinsler being household names and Robinson Cano and Brian Roberts coming from huge fan bases along with Kinsler and Pedroia, it looks like Hill is the odd man out. Pity because his numbers are better than everyone elses. .301 avg 19 homers and 56 RBIs are tops in the AL. Finally blossoming at age 27.
SS: Marco Scutaro. Toronto Blue Jays
With Jason Bartlett having a great year and Derek Jeter having a good year as well looks like Scutaro is the odd man out, giving Toronto two big snubs. With Michael Young having another good year and the ability to play all over the infield, he'll like get the call over Marco, making his decent year at a shallow position, obsolete.
3B: Brandon Inge. Detroit Tigers
With Evan Longoria owning that 3rd base position for years to come and Alex Rodriguez still putting up solid numbers on one hip, Inge's decent year will more than likely go unnoticed, kind of the Branyan case where he is playing full time at one position getting full time at bats. Batting .275 with 18 homers and 52 RBIs, Inge is on pace for 31 homers and 114 RBIs; breakout year.
OF: Curtis Granderson, Detroit Tigers and Johnny Damon New York Yankees.
-Developing themes.
Granderson is having another solid year and on pace for 20 doubles 20 homers and 20 steals. Players like Josh Hamilton and Vladamir Guerrero are getting voted in solely on popularity but have missed significant time due to injuries; almost all of the 1st half of the season.
Johnny Damon is having a career renaissance for the Yankees this year. At age 35, Damon is batting .288 with 15 homers and 47 RBIs putting him on pace for 32/101; both of which would be career highs. He falls into the same problem as Granderson, where they both fall behind Carl Crawford, Vlad, Hamilton, Ichiro, Jason Bay and a few others in one category or another. Nothing to take away from Damon though who's having a fine year and has come up with countless big hits for the Bronx Bombers this year.
SP: Andy Petitte. New York Yankees.
He's reminding me of Mike Mussina from last year. Quietly winning games and finding ways to get it done. Problem is, between the young guns of Slowey, Verlander, Greinke, and King Felix and then the studs of Halladay, Beckett, Sabathia and even Tim Wakefield who's won 10 games, it seems like Petitte is gonna miss the cut sadly.
Anyone notice, majority Tigers and Yanks?
NL
C: Russell Martin. Los Angeles Dodgers
Simply put, Bengie Molina is having a GREAT year as is his brother Yadier. They will more than likely get the call as All-Star catchers maybe Brian McCann stealing one spot. Martin fell off hard this year and is struggling given the expectations of him to have a breakout year posting a .246 avg with 1 home run and 21 RBIs; simply not All-Star caliber. Where he has been All-Star caliber this year is handling that pitching staff, building confidence in Clayton Kershaw and taking Hiroki Kuroda and Randy Wolf to higher expectations.
1B: Ryan Howard. Philadelphia Phillies.
Prince Fielder, Albert Pujols, Adrian Gonzalez are all having significantly better years than Howard. While Howard is batting .263 with 20 home runs and 60 RBIs putting him on pace for yet another 40 HR 120 RBI year, so is Fielder who is hitting for a higher average with more RBIs (.309 21 HRs 75 RBIs; projected 43 HRs 135 RBIs). How about Pujols who hits anything in the zone? Pujols is so locked and loaded that, you could throw him your best pitch and it seems like he is still going to send it to the 2nd deck. And for a team that has absolutely no one to help him on offense, Adrian Gonzalez is carrying and dragging the Padres with him. He deserves some plaudits, considering he doesn't have the luxury of an All-Star SS, 2B, CF, and LF in Rollins, Utley, Victorino and Ibanez.
2B: Brandon Phillips. Cincinnati Reds
People love Chase Utley so much. So he's going to get the nod. Dan Uggla is Dan Uggla according to the Marlins announcer and Orlando Hudson is 100% deserving his spot. Phillips is currently at .268 with 11 homers and 52 RBIs and with injuries to Joey Votto and Jay Bruce being inconsistent, Phillips at times has had to carry to Reds anemic offense.
SS: JJ Hardy. Milwaukee Brewers.
Hanley Ramirez is the hands down number one SS in all of baseball. So he's got this spot on lock for the next 12-15 years. Rollins will get in based on the PHact that Fillies PHans are PHuckheads. Rollins was benched for the past five games for Philadelphia and his numbers have tailed off heavily. Hardy on the other hand has had a modestly productive year. His numbers for a SS .228 8 home runs and 32 RBIs are towards the better portion and he missed some time here and there for his wrist injury.
3B: Jorge Cantu. Florida Marlins
David Wright is the consensus pick for his high average, popularity and overall ability. Pablo Sandoval of the San Francisco Giants has simply been destroying the lining off the ball thus far, so no one can question the manager if they pick him. Cantu is having another quietly solid season batting .287 with 9 homers and 47 RBIs in a Marlins lineup that just boasts Hanley, Uggla and himself. On pace for 20 homers and 100 RBIs.
OF: Manny Ramirez. Los Angeles Dodgers
Let's be honest; would it REALLY be an All-Star game without Mannymania? If you really want fun, who else can lift the spirits of millions of fans in less than 3 months? Ask Dodger fans who their savior was last year. Two Words: Manny Ramirez. Now I know that whole "steroids" and he hasn't played all year thing will come up, but let me throw this at you? Josh Hamilton has missed most of this year with an injury, do you want him to play? If you want him to suit up, then Manny certainly deserves some love too.
SP: Aaron Cook, Colorado Rockies and Chris Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals.
I feel bad for Cook. He started off slow but has really hit his stride again and is now at 8-3. His team mate though, Jason Marquis is at 10 wins and with all the young guns of the NL, Santana, Cain, Billingsley, Wainwright, Duke, Gallardo, Lincecum, Cueto, Haren and Josh Johnson, who needs a stinkin' bullpen?!
If Carpenter could've been a little healthier this year I would've pleaded my case like Johnny Cochran to get him on the squad. Unfortunately, 5 wins and injuries coupled with the young arms will force the "Roy Halladay of the NL" to miss out on it this year.
And there you have it folks; these are your lineups for the 2009 All-Star Snub Team. Thoughts, comments, opinions? Feel free to post, chat, argue; whatever may start a good conversation.
