Baseball Digest Daily :: Your 2008 AL and NL All-Star Game Rosters (and Commentary)

C - Joe Mauer
1B - Kevin Youkilis
2B - Dustin Pedroia
3B - Alex Rodriguez
SS - Derek Jeter
OF - Josh Hamilton
OF - Manny Ramirez
OF - Ichiro Suzuki
DH - David Ortiz (Injured)

AL Reserves - J.D. Drew, Jason Varitek, Joe Crede, Carlos Quentin, Grady Sizemore, Carlos Guillen, Justin Morneau, Milton Bradley, Ian Kinsler, Michael Young, Dioner Navarro

AL Pitchers - Scott Kazmir, George Sherrill, Roy Halladay, Mariano Rivera, Jonathan Papelbon, Justin Duchscherer, Joe Nathan, Joakim Soria, Cliff Lee, Francisco Rodriguez, Ervin Santana, Joe Saunders

NL Starters

C - Geovany Soto
1B - Lance Berkman
2B - Chase Utley
3B - Chipper Jones
SS - Hanley Ramirez
OF - Ryan Braun
OF - Alfonso Soriano
OF - Kosuke Fukudome

NL Reserves - Brian McCann, Aramis Ramirez, Matt Holliday, Dan Uggla, Miguel Tejada, Russell Martin, Nate McLouth, Albert Pujols, Ryan Ludwick, Adrian Gonzalez, Cristian Guzman

NL Pitchers - Aaron Cook, Tim Lincecum, Dan Haren, Ben Sheets, Carlos Zambrano, Brandon Webb, Ryan Dempster, Brian Wilson, Edinson Volquez, Kerry Wood, Brad Lidge, Billy Wagner

Since the fans vote in the starters, I'm not going to comment on those players. Whether you believe they deserved to be there or not is irrelevant. That's the fans voice and their only chance to voice their opinion about the players they want to see. The same can't be said about the pitchers and reserves!

Let me be the first to say this...Jason Varitek being chosen for the All-Star Game is an absolute joke! I mean, you're going to tell me he deserved to be in this game more than A.J. Pierzynski. I can live with Joe Crede, but Evan Longoria deserved to be in the game. And how is it possible that neither John Danks or Gavin Floyd make the team???

In the National League, I don't have as many problems. But I have one BIG problem...Brian Wilson...are you kidding me??? Wouldn't Cole Hamels be a better choice? And even if you hate Jose Reyes, I'm sorry, he's better than Miguel Tejada. Then there are Pat Burrell and Xavier Nady who were blatantly left off the team.

**Sigh**...so goes the All-Star Game I guess...

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Comments

Re: Your 2008 AL and NL All-Star Game Rosters (and Commentary)

by cardsfan53 on Sun 06 Jul 2008 03:40 PM EDT | Profile | Permanent Link

what about dumb fans(?) voting in Ichiro and Fukudome?? I think i see a pattern there. Varitek is a joke............IROD would have been more logical. Wilson got in because someone from SF had to go I suppose.

Re: Re: Your 2008 AL and NL All-Star Game Rosters (and Commentary)

by Brian Joseph on Sun 06 Jul 2008 04:38 PM EDT | Permanent Link

Giants had Lincecum. Both Varitek and Wilson were elected based on a Player's Ballot conducted... and the fans get a bad rap, eh? I would have rather saw Brandon Lyon on the team than Wilson. And Varitek must be really popular with the players because his numbers just don't add up.

On the plus side, I know I didn't put him on my final list but I'm glad to see Scott Kazmir make the team... I really think he deserved it and the Rays deserved at least two All-Stars with the season they are having. Maybe Longoria will make three but I have to say Jermaine Dye is one name really missing.

To vote for Pat Burrell -- text [N1] to 36197... not that I am trying to help give him support or anything. The guy really deserves to go though.

BTW... maybe give the fans a bit of credit for their last minute push of Ryan Braun... he picked up enough votes to push Ken Griffey Jr. off of the All-Star team and in the fan's support, he almost moved into first place in overall voting in the National League... talk about a ground swell of support!

Hopefully, I'll get a chance to talk to Josh Hamilton, Ian Kinsler or Michael Young after the game... or Milton Bradley but he left today's game injured so I don't know if he'll be available.

Re: Re: Re: Your 2008 AL and NL All-Star Game Rosters (and Commentary)

by Joe Hamrahi on Sun 06 Jul 2008 05:13 PM EDT | Profile | Permanent Link

I agree Brian. Leaving Dye and Burrell off their respective teams is inexcusable.

Re: Your 2008 AL and NL All-Star Game Rosters (and Commentary)

by Anonymous on Sun 06 Jul 2008 09:05 PM EDT | Permanent Link

Burrel is on the team look here http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ys-allstarrosters070608&prov=yhoo&type=lgns . Also, Brian Wilson is a joke, he is the reason my fantasy team sucks balls. He consistently blows saves, but he still keeps his job as closer. Longoria is also on the team as well as Dye. Also, Sherrill isn't that great.

Re: Re: Your 2008 AL and NL All-Star Game Rosters (and Commentary)

by Joe Hamrahi on Sun 06 Jul 2008 09:20 PM EDT | Profile | Permanent Link

Burrell and Dye are Final Vote candidates, not chosen reserves. That means the fans need to vote for them in a last round of voting on MLB.com. There are 5 candidates for each league. Only one from the AL and one from the NL will get in.

Re: Re: Your 2008 AL and NL All-Star Game Rosters (and Commentary)

by Brian Joseph on Mon 07 Jul 2008 12:04 AM EDT | Permanent Link

Yeah... not sure why Yahoo posted the rosters that way... confusing to anyone not following the results. Dye, Longoria and Burrell still need help to get there.

Sherrill isn't great but he isn't bad and the Orioles needed a representative. It was him or Roberts.

Re: Re: Your 2008 AL and NL All-Star Game Rosters (and Commentary)

by Anonymous on Mon 07 Jul 2008 06:27 AM EDT | Permanent Link

Yes, Wilson has saved 15 in a row. He isn't the reason your fantasy team sucks....I imagine that is the owner's fault.

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