2009 AL All Star Team (Ours and Theirs)

By , 7/6/2009 9:30 am

A quick note before I post these: my All Star selections are not bound by that silly “Every Team Needs One Representative” constraint that MLB uses.  This rule alone tends to cause some wacky All-Star choices every season.  I refer to it as the Scott Cooper Clause.

Without further ado, here are your American League All-Stars, along with my All-Star selections.  Names in blue font are guys who should not be on the All-Star team (in my opinion).  Names in red font are snubs.

The MLB All-Stars

The Dewey’s House All-Stars
American League American League
Starters Starters
C Joe Mauer, MIN C Joe Mauer, MIN
1B Mark Teixeira, NYY 1B Kevin Youkilis, BOS
2B Dustin Pedroia, BOS 2B Aaron Hill, TOR
SS Derek Jeter, NYY SS Jason Bartlett, TB
3B Evan Longoria, TB 3B Evan Longoria, TB
OF Jason Bay, BOS OF Torii Hunter, LAA
OF Ichiro Suzuki, SEA OF Ichiro Suzuki, SEA
OF Josh Hamilton, TEX OF Juan Rivera, LAA
Pitchers Pitchers
P Andrew Bailey, OAK P Andrew Bailey, OAK
P Josh Beckett, BOS P Josh Beckett, BOS
P Mark Buehrle, CWS P Mark Buehrle, CWS
P Brian Fuentes, LAA P J.P. Howell, TB
P Zack Greinke, KC P Zack Greinke, KC
P Roy Halladay, TOR P Roy Halladay, TOR
P Felix Hernandez, SEA P Felix Hernandez, SEA
P Edwin Jackson, DET P Edwin Jackson, DET
P Joe Nathan, MIN P Joe Nathan, MIN
P Jonathan Papelbon, BOS P Jonathan Papelbon, BOS
P Mariano Rivera, NYY P David Aardsma, SEA
P Justin Verlander, DET P Justin Verlander, DET
P Tim Wakefield, BOS P Kevin Millwood, TEX
Reserves Reserves
C Victor Martinez, CLE C Victor Martinez, CLE
1B Justin Morneau, MIN 1B Justin Morneau, MIN
1B Kevin Youkilis, BOS 1B Russell Branyan, SEA
2B Aaron Hill, TOR 2B Ian Kinsler, TEX
SS Jason Bartlett, TB SS Derek Jeter, NYY
3B Michael Young, TEX 3B Scott Rolen, TOR
OF Carl Crawford, TB OF Carl Crawford, TB
OF Curtis Granderson, DET OF Jason Bay, BOS
OF Torii Hunter, LAA OF Adam Lind, TOR
OF Adam Jones, BAL OF Adam Jones, BAL
OF Ben Zobrist, TB OF Ben Zobrist, TB

The oddest selection is of course Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton, who has only played in 35 games and has an OPS almost identical to that of Julio Lugo.  As happy as I am for Pedroia and Wakefield, neither really have the numbers to warrant an All-Star berth.  Wakefield’s circumstances are extenuating, but I was really surprised to see both him and Beckett (also borderline) on the squad.

Teixeira is having a strong year, but a handful of guys have been slightly better.  The same can be said for Mariano Rivera, although at this point I think he (like Wakefield) is entitled to be given the benefit of the doubt when it comes down to a few innings pitched and a few tenths of a run in ERA.

The selection of Michael Young over Scott Rolen is a terrible injustice.  Young is a defensive butcher who isn’t fit to be playing the infield on a beer league softball team (-20.6 UZR/150 at third base this season).  Rolen, on the other hand, is one of the best defensive third basemen who ever lived, and is having a terrific year in the sunset of an often overlooked career.

Stay tuned for the National League All-Star analysis.

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