The Futility Infielder

One Man's All-Star Team: American League

I'm headed to Milwaukee on Wednesday, for a week-long vacation that will include not just the All-Star Game but the whole shebang--the Futures game, the Legends/Celebrity Softball Game, the Home Run Derby, batting practice, and something called the Fan Fest. In honor of my trip, I've petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to include bratwurst in the Food Pyramid as both a fruit and a vegetable, and to create a separate category for Ballpark Snacks.

While I have mixed emotions about partying in Bud Selig's back yard (and his parking lot) while Mr. Bad Rug does his worst to ensure a strike, I'm excited to add another Big Event to my Been There/Done That list. I'm taking this trip as an opportunity to provide my own brand of daily coverage from Milwaukee, sleep and computer gods willing. Maybe I can even write this sucker off...

Today I'll present my picks for the American League All-Star team, with the National League selections to follow later this week. I played by the rules of representing each team, which made for some interesting choices and some admittedly glaring omissions. Seven of my starters, eight reserves, and seven pitchers match Joe Torre's selections, and I've got one twist to offer. So without further delay...

C: Jorge Posada (NYY), A.J. Pierzynski (MIN). Last year, Posada ovetook Pudge Rodriguez as the best all-around catcher in the AL. Though his defense doesn't hold a candle to Pudge's, it's not exactly Piazza-esque, and his offense, even in a relatively down year, is better than solid; Jorgie gets on base, and he hits the ball a long, long way. Pierzynksi has generated a surprising amount of offense and deserves a good chunk of the credit for the Twins finding themselves in first place in spite of several key injuries.

1B: Jason Giambi (NYY), Mike Sweeney (KC), John Olerud (SEA). First base in the AL is packed with studs, so somebody's going to be left crying over spilled Yoo-Hoo. The top-to-bottom difference between Giambi, Sweeney, Olerud, and Jim Thome right now is seven Equivalent Runs. Give Olerud a nod for his defense, Giambi a nod for living up to the New York pressure, and Sweeney a nod for toiling in oblivion and for filling the obligatory Royals' spot on the roster. Sincere apologies to "Three -Gorilla Strong" Jim Thome and to Paul Konerko.

2B: Alfonso Soriano (NYY), Adam Kennedy (ANA). Soriano has emerged not just as a bona fide star, but as an MVP candidate. For all of his well-publicized lack of walks and 7:1 K/W ratio, the kid has a legitimate shot at a 40 HR-40 SB season, not to mention 200 hits (111 at the halfway mark), 400 total bases (202 so far), 100 RBI (he's at 48) and 120 runs scored. After a shaky start, his defense has been solid. If you can find a more exciting all-around player in the AL, put him on your own damn All-Star team. The reserves are a weak field, with last year's golden boy, Brett Boone, returning to earth in an unsurprising fashion. I'll give the nod to Kennedy, who's having a very solid season for the surprising Angels.

SS: Alex Rodriguez (TEX), Derek Jeter (NYY), Nomar Garciaparra (BOS), Omar Vizquel (CLE). There's an embarassment of riches here, but A-Rod has long since separated himself from his peers in terms of his offensive production. Jeter hasn't quite been himself yet, but he's still on pace for 200 hits and 20 homers, and he's 19/20 in stolen bases. Plus his defense is noticeably improved now that he can move to the left again. Garciaparra's finally healthy--enough said. Miguel Tejada's been good, but Joe Morgan's on crack if he thinks Tejada has surpassed all but A-Rod among the AL shortstops. I'll take Vizquel instead, in part because we need to represent Cleveland.

3B: Eric Chavez (OAK), Robin Ventura (NYY), Eric Hinske (TOR), Shea Hillenbrand (BOS). More riches. Robin Ventura's stabilized the left side of the Yankee infield defensively and put up some monster numbers. Eric Chavez has been strong in Oakland after a red-hot start. Eric Hinske and Shea Hillenbrand have had breakout years. Tony Batista has re-emerged as a good hitter. Troy Glaus and Corey Koskie also have a case. No one's head-and-shoulders above anybody else here, but I'll give the nod to Oakland's Chavez because he's on my fantasy team and I see more of him on a day-to-day basis (sort of) than anybody but Ventura.

LF: Manny Ramirez (BOS), CF: Torii Hunter (MIN), RF: Ichiro Suzuki (SEA) Maglio Ordonez (CHW), Randy Winn (TB), Melvin Mora (BAL), Robert Fick (DET). When he's healthy, Ramirez is awesome; his .371 EqA is tops in the AL by 22 points over Jason Giambi. Hunter has starred for the Twins this season with the bat and the glove, and Ichiro has raised his OBP by 50 points, having surpassed last year's walk total by June 11. I'm unabashedly covering my roster requirements with reserves Winn, Mora, and Fick, all of whom have their merits, but none of who are honestly as worthy as Bernie Williams, Johnny Damon, Mike Cameron, or even Garrett Anderson. Those men win three-day vacations for their troubles.

P: Derek Lowe (BOS), Roy Halladay (TOR), Pedro Martinez (BOS), Freddie Garcia (SEA), Barry Zito (OAK), Eddie Guardado (MIN), Kazuhiro Sasaki (SEA), Steve Karsay (NYY), Bartolo Colon (CLE). Count Colon as a selection with an asterisk, the 31st man; in my All-Star game he gets to pitch an inning for each side without costing either team a roster spot. If you've got a more cockamamie idea, I'll help you start your own damn web site. Lowe gets the ball for a spectacular first half that included a no-hitter, and also because I'm willing to test the theory that his arm will be crying for mommy in August as the innings pile up. We'll give him a couple more here. Pedro's leading the league in K's, is 10-2 and third in ERA (behind Lowe and Colon), and while he isn't exactly the one in the catalog right now, he's still better than most of the rest of the league. Halladay's come back from his 10.64 ERA in 2000 and been the one of the brightest spots for the Jays this season. There are a truckload of pitchers around the next rung for consideration; I chose Garcia and Zito over Mark Buehrle, David Wells (even more burly), Jeff Weaver, Jamie Moyer, Ramon Ortiz, Roger Clemens, Mike Mussina... you get the idea. Among closers, Mariano Rivera, Eddie Guardado, Kazuhiro Sasaki, Troy Percival, and Ugueth Urbina all merit consideration. Rivera's recent stint on the DL is enough to keep him at home, but it also offers me a good excuse to reward set-up man Steve Karsay, who's been just as important to the Yanks. From the closers, I'll take Everyday Eddie because he's got more games and innings than the rest of that bunch (living up to the name) and Sasaki because he's allowed only three earned runs.

So that's it. Six Yankees, five Red Sox, four Mariners, three Twins, two A's, two Jays, and one from everywhere else, plus Colon. The Angels certainly deserve better than one representative, but the Yanks, Red Sox, and M's had players on the bubble who didn't make it and had a better case. You can't please all the people all of the time, and I doubt too many Angels fans are reading this...

Postscript: Pedro Martinez opted out of the All-Star Game, saying he preferred to rest his fragile body. In other sports, players such as Karl Malone (who bangs bodies 82 times a year without missing a game, rather than taking the hill once every five days) have been nearly crucified for similar comments and forced to appear at the game under duress. I'll let it slide without the deservedly catty comment, boot his ass off the team, and replace him with Troy Percival (getting the nod over Mark Buehrle) due to pressure from the surprisingly vocal Angels' lobby (see comment).