Yardbarkers Unite! Together We Can Vote In The Most DESERVING All-Star Starters!

In just 24 days baseball will give us the 77th Midsummer Classic. That's right, the MLB All-Star game is less than a month away. I for one am looking forward to watching the best players in the game come together and do battle. However, as it stands right now, there will be some dominant players missing in the starting lineups for both the National and American Leagues when the first pitch is thrown on July 11th in PNC Park in Pittsburgh and that just doesn't sit right with me.

Here are the top 5 vote getters per position (top 15 OF) as of June 13 (American League) and June 12 (National League) according to MLB.com. After each grouping I will offer some comments, who I voted for and who the fans are overlooking.

AMERICAN LEAGUE:

First Base:

1. David Ortiz (BOS) 915,362

2. Jason Giambi (NYY) 626,289

3. Paul Konerko (CWS) 429,572

4. Travis Hafner (CLE) 364,246

5. Chris Shelton (DET) 274,730

Comments: Ortiz has the most homers and RBI's of the first basemen on the ballot. I really don't have a problem with him starting as he is deserving. Giambi also has hit the long ball well. Personally, I don't think he deserves being the starter because others are more worthy. Konerko got my vote as he has the highest batting average (.317) on the ballot (much higher than Ortiz and Giambi) and only has 2 less homers and 7 less RBI's than Ortiz. Hafner would have been my second choice. Shelton has cooled off a lot after that amazing red hot start.

Second Base:

1. Robinson Cano (NYY) 602,637

2. Mark Loretta (BOS) 535,043

3. Tadahito Iguchi (CWS) 499,643

4. Placido Polanco (DET) 268,728

5. Jose Lopez (SEA) 265,692

Comments: I think the choice here has to be Cano. He's who I voted for. He sports a .332 average with some home run power. Loretta is nipping at Cano's heels and he is not as deserving. The remaining three on the list are all very good players but have not put together a solid enough season to deserve the All-Star start. Us Yardbarkers need to mobilize and get out the vote for Cano.

Third Base:

1. Alex Rodriguez (NYY) 1,067,369

2. Mike Lowell (BOS) 468,031

3. Joe Crede (CWS) 341,224

4. Troy Glaus (TOR) 338,899

5. Eric Chavez (OAK) 311,301

Comments: I fear it is already too late as AROD has undeservingly begun to run away with the starting spot. Sure, he has 15 homers and 49 RBI's. But remember, he's hitting a mere mortal .278. I think Lowell, Crede and Glaus call can make a case for the starting gig. Chavez is not deserving. But my vote went to someone not in the top 5. I voted for Hank Blalock (TEX). He has hit for a solid average, displayed good power and has driven in runs. So when you vote please don't vote for AROD.

Shortstop:

1. Derek Jeter (NYY) 1,121,712

2. Miguel Tejada (BALT) 776,442

3. Michael Young (TEX) 293,249

4. Alex Gonzalez (BOS) 249,094

5. Juan Uribe (CWS) 232,635

Comments: Here there really are two players worthy of starting. Jeter and Tejada both have had fine seasons. I voted for Tejada. Both sport high batting averages and RBI totals. Jeter has 13 steals compared to Tejada's 4 and Tejada has 16 homers with Jeter having 5. I chose power over base path speed. I think Young is in the correct spot in the voting. Gonzalez and Uribe both don't deserve to be anywhere near the top 5.

Catcher:

1. Jason Varitek (BOS) 630,657

2. Ivan Rodriguez (DET) 595,132

3. Jorge Posada (NYY) 489,480

4. A.J. Pierzynski (CWS) 370,020

5. Victor Martinez (CLE) 324,575

Comments: What the Hell is wrong with the fans of today? I guess a league-leading .380 batting average only matters if you are in one of the larger markets like New York or Boston or Chicago. I mean seriously, how can people be overlooking Mauer? He's the clear top catcher in baseball and he doesn't break the top 5?!?!?! Unbelievable! And Varitek the top vote getter with that .258 average?!?!?! Pudge Rodriguez should be in the top 5, but the No. 4 or 5 spot is much more appropriate. V-Mart should be in the top 3. This is a travesty! We must mobilize and get everyone we know to vote 25 times for Mauer this week.

Outfielders:

1. Vladimir Guerrero (LAA) 1,115,476

2. Manny Ramirez (BOS) 1,080,426

3. Johnny Damon (NYY) 754,396

4. Ichiro Suzuki (SEA) 677,392

5. Vernon Wells (TOR) 554,409

6. Gary Sheffield (NYY) 466,520

7. Jermaine Dye (CWS) 407,162

8. Scott Podsednik (CWS) 384,119

9. Hideki Matsui (NYY) 362,289

10. Coco Crisp (BOS) 354,181

11. Torii Hunter (MIN) 349,262

12. Trot Nixon (BOS) 323,813

13. Magglio Ordonez (DET) 315,390

14. Grady Sizemore (CLE) 288,314

15. Jonny Gomes (TB) 225,432

Comments: I'm going to start off by saying I voted for Wells (AVG,HR,RBI), Dye (AVG,HR,RBI) and Suzuki (AVG,SB). I am not going to get all upset over who is listed at outfield as there is a lot of good quality talent here but I think Wells and Suzuki's numbers eclipse those of the top three, but VLAD, Manic Manny and Jesus (Damon…my buddies' wife called him that because of his beard in Boston) all play in big markets and benefit from larger fan bases voting for them.

NATIONAL LEAGUE:

First Base:

1. Albert Pujols (STL) 1,442,273

2. Carlos Delgado (NYM) 443,747

3. Ryan Howard (PHI) 352,555

4. Nomar Garciaparra (LAD) 332,668

5. Lance Berkman (HOU) 316,477

Comments: Pujols has already pretty much guaranteed a starting All-Star spot if healthy. He received my vote. All the players in the top five have performed well enough to be deserving to be there.

Second Base:

1. Chase Utley (PHI) 732,592

2. Craig Biggio (HOU) 581,079

3. Jose Castillo (PIT) 284,886

4. Marcus Giles (ATL) 283,313

5. Jeff Kent (LAD) 280,128

Comments: Utley got my vote but it was a tough decision. Ironically, the other guy I was considering heavily was Uggla from Florida and he isn't in the top 5 vote getters. They both have had very similar seasons. Biggio and Kent are classic examples of fans voting for the names they recognize from past seasons and not based off how a player has performed this season. Weeks and Vidro deserve to be in the top 5.

Third Base:

1. David Wright (NYM) 661,184

2. Scott Rolen (STL) 664,412

3. Morgan Ensberg (HOU) 375,651

4. Miguel Cabrera (FLA) 352,951

5. Chipper Jones (ATL) 347,546

Comments: Wright and Cabrera both have had awesome seasons, but Wright got my vote because he has hit more homes and stolen more bases than Cabrera while hitting for a high average. Cabrera's .346 average really should have him No. 2 on this list. I can understand Rolen being No. 2 and Morgan Ensberg being on the list but I feel Atkins deserves to be in the top 5 more than Jones does.

Shortstop:

1. David Eckstein (STL) 540,237

2. Jose Reyes (NYM) 489,781

3. Edgar Renteria (ATL) 483,639

4. Jimmy Rollins (PHI) 426,532

5. Omar Vizquel (SF) 293, 628

Comments: I was surprised to see Eckstein leading the voting. Don't get me wrong, he has hit for a strong average. But when you compare his other numbers up against some of the other guys he just doesn't deserve to be the starter. I can understand Reyes and Renteria being in the top 3 and No. 5 is a good spot for Vizquel. But Rollins average is not high enough to warrant him being in the top 5. The guy I voted for was Lopez (CIN). He has hit for solid average (.281) and power (7) and has stolen quite a few bags (20). I think his all-around offensive game makes him deserving of the top spot….or….at the very least….a top 5 spot.

Catcher:

1. Paul Lo Duca (NYM) 631,896

2. Mike Piazza (SD) 528,110

3. Yadier Molina (STL) 450,995

4. Brad Ausmus (HOU) 360,412

5. Brian McCann (ATL) 321,463

Comments: People seriously need to open their eyes. McCann is hitting .352 and has displayed some power. I voted for him and others should as well. He is clearly the most deserving guy. Lo Duca has been a solid catcher, but is not deserving of the starting spot. Sure, Piazza has hit 8 dingers, but what else has he done? HELLO. WAKE UP PEOPLE. Molina is hitting a paltry .214. Ausmus has had a good season. This one is fixable. Lets get the vote out for McCann.

Outfielders:

1. Andrew Jones (ATL) 813,990

2. Ken Griffey Jr. (CIN) 761,091

3. Carlos Beltran (NYM) 737,830

4. Alfonso Soriano (WAS) 736,907

5. Jim Edmonds (STL) 574,133

6. Jason Bay (PIT) 555,764

7. Bobby Abreu (PHI) 527,356

8. Barry Bonds (SF) 408,579

9. Aaron Rowand (PHI) 401,802

10. Carlos Lee (MIL) 401,503

11. Adam Dunn (CIN) 304,364

12. Pat Burrell (PHI) 261,501

13. So Taguchi (STL) 250,433

14. Jeff Francoeur (ATL) 250,375

15. Xavier Nady (NYM) 246,067

Comments: I voted for Soriano, Holliday and Bay. Holliday deserves to go as he is hitting .347 with 14 homers and 49 RBI's. But he is getting no respect by not even cracking the top 15. Jones is not hitting for a high enough average to be a starter. The same can be said about Griffey Jr. Soriano's 24 homers and 17 stolen bases to go along with a solid .289 batting average make him deserving of a starting spot. Bay has 19 homers to go along with a .299 average and that is enough to make him a good top 3 choice and it would be nice for him to start in front of his home crowd.

MY FINAL PLEA:

I ask everyone here at Yardbarker to mobilize as a group and to get as many people as possible to vote 25 times for the following players: Cano (2B), Mauer (C), Suzuki (OF), Wells (OF), McCann (C), Soriano (OF) and Bay (OF).

Also, I want to hear your thoughts on all of this. So, as always, feel free to reply with your comments. Lets get a discussion going on this that hopefully will be entertaining up until the All-Star game.

Remember, you have until June 29th to vote!