Picking the NL All-Stars

I thought it may be fun to play the role of manager for the MLB All-Star Game. There are still a couple more weeks to go in fan balloting and before the teams are announced but I thought it would be worth it to fill them out as I see fit. I'm picking the teams on the basis of the actual rules that exist so there have to be 21 position players and 13 pitchers on each team. Every team has to be represented and that includes teams that really aren't Major League quality (yes, I'm talking to you, Baltimore). And for the starters, I'm going with the guys currently leading the fan balloting.

A few things I have to say though: I don't agree with every team being represented. I don't think fans should have any say whatsoever in who starts. And I really, really, really don't think this silly game should determine who gets to host Games 1, 2, 6 and 7 of the World Series. Of all the things that have happened under Bud Selig's watch, including the steroid use that he looked the other way on, that decision bothers me the second most (after failing to strike a new collective bargaining agreement that led to the cancelation of the 1994 World Series).

Let's start with the National League.

STARTERS
1B Albert Pujols, St. Louis
2B Chase Utley, Philadelphia
3B Placido Polanco, Philadelphia
SS Hanley Ramirez, Florida
C Yadier Molina, St. Louis
OF Ryan Braun, Milwaukee
OF Jason Heyward, Atlanta
OF Andre Ethier, Los Angeles

Comments: I don't see how Polanco should be starting ahead of either David Wright or Ryan Zimmerman (or Scott Rolen, or even David Freese). Same goes for Yadier Molina, although it's really a down year for catchers and his defense is so good and his ability to call a game is so good that it isn't a complete abomination.

INFIELDERS
1B Adrian Gonzalez, San Diego
1B Joey Votto, Cincinnati
2B Martin Prado, Atlanta
2B Kelly Johnson, Arizona
3B David Wright, New York
3B Scott Rolen, Cincinnati
SS Juan Uribe, San Francisco

Comments: Debated between Wright and Zimmerman and though I think Zimmerman is slightly better, I didn't have any other Mets on the team (amazing, given their record relative to the rest of the NL). Now I could have gone with Zimmerman over Rolen but I wanted to give the Reds a few position players to reflect the quality of their offense this season. I thought about going with Brandon Phillips instead of Rolen as another Red but I needed to get a Diamondback on the team so Phillips is out and Kelly Johnson in. I definitely could have gone with Phillips over Prado but Prado leads the NL in hits and given the new rule allowing one player to be brought back into the game in case of injury, I figured someone who can play a lot of positions would be beneficial so Prado got the edge. Amazing as this is, Juan Uribe is third among all shortstops in Wins Above Replacement, trailing only Troy Tulowitzki (not on the team because of his broken wrist) and Hanley Ramirez. And that's in all of baseball, meaning he has a better WAR than even Derek Jeter. So he's a deserving choice, although he wouldn't be here if Tulowitzki were healthy.

CATCHERS
Ivan Rodriguez, Washington
Miguel Olivo, Colorado

Comments: Terrible year for catchers. Olivo is having the best offensive season of any NL catcher and leads in homers so he goes. I probably should have gone with Brian McCann instead of Pudge but Pudge, despite missing time injured, is hitting over .330. Plus, I want him on the team to catch one of my pitching choices. Stay tuned on that one.

OUTFIELDERS
Corey Hart, Milwaukee
Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh
Colby Rasmus, St. Louis
Andres Torres, San Francisco

Comments: I debated between Rasmus, Torres, Hart, Jonny Gomes, Josh Willingham, Aubrey Huff and Marlon Byrd. McCutchen was a lock because he's the only Pirate even remotely deserving of a spot. I went with Rasmus because he's fourth in the NL in OPS (and second among outfielders behind Ethier), Hart because he leads the NL in homers and Torres because he's second in WAR. Byrd actually leads all NL outfielders in WAR I couldn't justify placing two Cubs on the team (especially when there is only one Met). I really considered leaving off Hart since he really only had a couple of hot weeks but am keeping him on. For now.

RELIEF PITCHERS
Leo Nunez, Florida
Billy Wagner, Atlanta
Jonathan Broxton, Los Angeles

Comments: I debated about how many closers to include and ended up omitting the deserving Francisco Rodriguez and going with just three relievers in order to accomodate an extra starter. Plus, the NL is loaded with high-end starters. So K-Rod doesn't make the cut, nor do Ryan Franklin, Brian Wilson or San Diego's setup ace Luke Gregerson. I love the season Wagner and Nunez are having and by any calculation, standard or advanced, Broxton has been the best reliever in the NL (and probably all of baseball).

STARTING PITCHERS
Ubaldo Jimenez, Colorado
Adam Wainwright, St. Louis
Chris Carpenter, St. Louis
Carlos Silva, Chicago
Matt Cain, San Francisco
Roy Oswalt, Houston
Josh Johnson, Florida
Roy Halladay, Philadelphia
Stephen Strasburg, Washington

Comments: I don't care that Strasburg only has three career starts. This is an All-Star Game and the most exciting player in baseball right now is Strasburg. He is the only player in the sport people are tuning in to watch and the All-Star ratings will dive one he leaves the game (Bud Selig should tell Charlie Manuel to save him until, say, the sixth inning to keep eyeballs). His stuff is beyond electric and his performance, through three starts, is incredible. Unless he completely falls apart his next couple of starts, I want him on the team (and that's why Pudge is on the team, so he can catch him). Oswalt is the only thing close to a deserving member of the Astros, Ubaldo is quite obviously the starter (he might be my choice as midseason MVP) and Silva has had an improbably strong year given the mess he was in Seattle and the mess his team in Chicago has become.