MLB 2004 All-Star voting

[Achtung]

So who are you voting for this year? I guess some people like to pick all the players from their favorite teams, but I go for a combination of the best players as well as a few exciting ones (I still love some great defense).

Anyways here's my list, which could change from time to time as I place votes between now and June 30:

American League
First Base: F. Thomas, CWS
Second Base: P. Reese, BOS
Third Base: H. Blalock, TEX
Shortstop: M. Tejada, BAL
Catcher: I. Rodriguez, DET
Outfielder: C. Beltran, KC
Outfielder: V. Guerrero, ANA
Outfielder: M. Ramirez, BOS

National League
First Base: A. Pujols, STL
Second Base: J. Kent, HOU
Third Base: S. Rolen, STL
Shortstop: R. Clayton, COL
Catcher: M. Piazza, NYM
Outfielder: K. Griffey, Jr., CIN
Outfielder: B. Bonds, SF
Outfielder: S. Sosa, CHI

[655321]

Marquis Grissom is gonna make a very, very strong case for outfield if he keeps this up. Is he simply on fire right now. And Jason Schmidt should start again.

Not that I'm biased or anything. :D

[(TxT)]

Your American League is agreeable except the SS should be Guillen (DET) but the National League needs some help

1B: Pujols, STL
2B: Castillo, FLA
3B: Rollen, LA
SS: J. Wilson, PIT
C: Piazza, NYM (I am a Met fan so I have to put him) / Estrada, ATL
OF: Griffey Jr., CIN
OF: Berkman, HOU
OF: Bonds, SF (I hate him but he deserves it)

[caddawyk]

Outfielder: S. Sosa, CHI

This Cubfan says how can you leave off Moises Alou but put on Sosa who has missed a chunk of the season.
If youre going to put a token Cub on the allstars at least make it one who hasnt been injured.

[caddawyk]

Also Frank Thomas no longer plays first base for the White Sox its Paul Konerko

[(TxT)]

Also Frank Thomas no longer plays first base for the White Sox its Paul Konerko


All-Star game is in Houston so no DH.

[caddawyk]

All-Star game is in Houston so no DH.

I am aware of that...
But my point is that if youre going to take a Whitesox to play 1st base it should actually be the guy playing it for the team.
also the numbers when it comes to hitting arent that much different between the two.
Konerko
15 HR 41 RBi .273 AVg

Thomas
17 Hr 42 RBI ..296 AVG

Not that much in hitting that seperates them and Konerko can actually play defense.well actually those numbers dont tell everything.Thomas actually has some better numbers then Konerko when it comes to OBP and a few other areas.But in truth he really isnt all that better with the Bat to warrant him getting the nod over Konerko.

also there are quit a few guys on the ChiSox who have much better #'s then not only Thomas but the guys that are on that list in their position.
Uribe has much better offensive #'s then both Thomas and Pokey Reese .So if hitting is a major factor for choosing he should be considered.
and the difference between Juan Uribe and Thomas is that Juan not only can hit and play defense he can play 2nd,SS, and 3rd.

Btw.. Willie harris the ChiSox other 2nd Baseman also has much better batting #'s then Reese does.
Not saying either one is a better fielder then Reese is ,but IMO its like giving Thomas the nod over Konerko .

[SoccerFan8270]

I believe Thome should be in the All-Star game. He is playing very well. He also leads the majors in homers.

[WingsFan]

I believe Thome should be in the All-Star game. He is playing very well. He also leads the majors in homers.

There is no way he should be in fourth place in voting at first base.

Here's some stats with 1B NL rankings in parentheses:

.314 avg (5)
26 HRs (1)
55 RBIs (1 tie)
.421 OBP (2)
.720 SLG (1)
1.141 OPS (1)

Plus, he's played six or seven less games than the three ahead of him in voting.

[Metros Striker10]

[QUOTE=Achtung]

American League
First Base: F. Thomas, CWS
Second Base: P. Reese, BOS
Third Base: H. Blalock, TEX
Shortstop: M. Tejada, BAL
Catcher: I. Rodriguez, DET
Outfielder: C. Beltran, KC
Outfielder: V. Guerrero, ANA
Outfielder: M. Ramirez, BOS
[\QUOTE]

This game counts, so Derek Jeter must start at SS. He's without a doubt Mr. Clutch of baseball.


Jeter: 5 All-star games, 1 start: 4/7 (.571), double, HR, 3 RBI, 2000 MVP.

A-Rod: 6 All-Star games, 5 starts: 4/14 (.278), 1 homer, 1 RBI, RBI.

Nomar: 5 All-Star Games, 1 start:1/4 (.143).

Jeter has to be there, even if he comes in late, because that's when he plays best.

[riverplate]

The squads have been announced:

AMERICAN LEAGUE
STARTERS:
C- Ivan Rodriguez (Tigers)
1B- Jason Giambi (Yankees)
2B- Alfonso Soriano (Rangers)
SS- Derek Jeter (Yankees)
3B- Alex Rodriguez (Yankees)
OF- Vladimir Guerrero (Angels)
OF- Manny Ramirez (Red Sox)
OF- Ichiro Suzuki (Mariners)

RESERVES:
C- Victor Martinez (Indians)
1B- Ken Harvey (Royals)
1B- David Ortiz (Red Sox)
2B- Ron Balliard (Indians)
SS- Carlos Guillen (Tigers)
SS- Miguel Tejada (Orioles)
SS- Michael Young (Rangers)
3B- Hank Blalock (Rangers)
OF- Carl Crawford (Devil Rays)
OF- Matt Lawton (Indians)
OF- Gary Sheffield (Yankees)

PITCHERS:
Francisco Cordero (Rangers)
Tom Gordon (Yankees)
Tim Hudson (Athletics)
Ted Lilly (Blue Jays)
Esteban Loaiza (White Sox)
Mark Mulder (Athletics)
Joe Nathan (Twins)
Mariano Rivera (Yankees)
Frankie Rodriguez (Angels)
Kenny Rogers (Rangers)
C.C. Sabathia (Indians)
Curt Schilling (Red Sox)

NATIONAL LEAGUE
STARTERS:
C- Mike Piazza (Mets)
1B- Albert Pujols (Cardinals)
2B- Jeff Kent (Astros)
SS- Edgar Renteria (Cardinals)
3B- Scott Rolen (Cardinals)
OF- Barry Bonds (Giants)
OF- Ken Griffey Jr (Reds)
OF- Sammy Sosa (Cubs)

RESERVES:
C- Johnny Estrada (Braves)
1B- Sean Casey (Reds)
1B- Todd Helton (Rockies)
1B- Jim Thome (Phillies)
2B- Mark Loretta (Padres)
SS- Barry Larkin (Reds)
SS- Jack Wilson (Pirates)
3B- Mike Lowell (Marlins)
OF- Moises Alou (Cubs)
OF- Lance Berkman (Astros)
OF- Miguel Cabrera (Marlins)

PITCHERS:
Armando Benitez (Marlins)
Roger Clemens (Astros)
Eric Gagne (Dodgers)
Tom Glavine (Mets)
Danny Graves (Reds)
Livan Hernandez (Expos)
Randy Johnson (DiamondBacks)
Danny Kolb (Brewers)
Carl Pavano (Marlins)
Jason Schmidt (Giants)
Ben Sheets (Brewers)
Carlos Zambrano (Cubs)

NOTE: Carlos Beltran, because he was traded from one league to the other during balloting, can participate in All-Star activites, but not in the game itself.

Fans will now select a final position player for each team. Voting began Sunday night on the MLB website and will continue through Wednesday evening. Here are the five candidates in each league:

A.L.
Hideki Matsui (Yankees)
Lew Ford (Twins)
Travis Hafner (Indians)
Frank Thomas (White Sox)
Paul Konerko (White Sox)

N.L.
Bobby Abreu (Phillies)
Steve Finley (DiamondBacks)
Jason Kendall (Pirates)
Juan Pierre (Marlins)
Aramis Ramirez (Cubs)

[riverplate]

Fans will now select a final position player for each team. Voting began Sunday night on the MLB website and will continue through Wednesday evening. Here are the five candidates in each league:

A.L.
Hideki Matsui (Yankees)
Lew Ford (Twins)
Travis Hafner (Indians)
Frank Thomas (White Sox)
Paul Konerko (White Sox)

N.L.
Bobby Abreu (Phillies)
Steve Finley (DiamondBacks)
Jason Kendall (Pirates)
Juan Pierre (Marlins)
Aramis Ramirez (Cubs)

Hideki Matsui and Bobby Abreu won the balloting to be added to the team.

In addition, Javier Vasquez (Yankees) has been named to replace Tim Hudson on the A.L. squad.

I'd like to thank everyone for helping out providing information here.

[Lithium858]

I'm glad Mark Lorretta was voted in by his peers. :D

[Metros Striker10]

Nice to see two more Yankee players on the team. I'd perfer Contreras pitching instead of Vasquez. He's definately picked up him game.

[riverplate]

No way could Contreras be justified being put on the team. Vasquez is now 10-5.

Curt Schilling is off the A.L. squad because he's having treatment for a bone bruise on his right ankle. Schilling would have gotten a $50,000 bonus for starting the game. It looks like Joe Torre will give the A's Mark Mulder the start now.

Reports that Barry Bonds had to have his arm twisted (in other words, receive financial compensation) to agree to be in the home run hitting contest. Bonds is saying a story in the San Francisco Chronicle is "flat-out wrong and a flat-out lie, period."

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2004/07/10/SPGG07JCPD1.DTL

[riverplate]

By the way, who else thinks it's as dumb as hell to have pitchers batting in the All-Star game.

They should always use the DH.

[Lithium858]

By the way, who else thinks it's as dumb as hell to have pitchers batting in the All-Star game.

They should always use the DH.
They should use the rule of interleague play and if the All-Star game is in a NL city the pitchers should pitch. Of course that won't go without controversy.

[ProfZodiac]

They should use the rule of interleague play and if the All-Star game is in a NL city the pitchers should pitch. Of course that won't go without controversy.
I think the pitchers will pitch regardless of what city the game is played in.

:D ;)

[WingsFan]

By the way, who else thinks it's as dumb as hell to have pitchers batting in the All-Star game.

They should always use the DH.

Do pitchers ever pitch more than one inning anyway? I think they'll probably be pinch-hit for everytime there spot comes up in the lineup.

[riverplate]

Do pitchers ever pitch more than one inning anyway? I think they'll probably be pinch-hit for everytime there spot comes up in the lineup.

That's one of my points. It would be easier to manage when pitchers come in and out if the managers didn't feel compelled to pinch hit for them everytime they come up. With a DH, they wouldn't have to worry about it. And maybe they wouldn't run out of pitchers the way they have recently.

It's an all-star game. Let the hitters hit and the pitchers pitch. That's what the fans want to see.