Posted on 06/27/2007 10:56:22 AM PDT by Charles Henrickson
Who are your picks for this year's All-Star Game in San Francisco? 32 players on a side, and each team must be represented. Voting at mlb.com ends Thursday night at midnight.
I weigh three factors: this year, last year, and career. Here are my picks, with 18 position players and 14 pitchers (9 starters, 5 relievers) on each side:
NATIONAL LEAGUE
C: RUSSELL MARTIN (LAD), Bengie Molina (SF)
1B: ALBERT PUJOLS (STL), Prince Fielder (MIL), Dmitri Young (WSH)
2B: CHASE UTLEY (PHI), Orlando Hudson (ARI)
SS: JOSE REYES (NYM), Edgar Renteria (ATL), Hanley Ramirez (FLA)
3B: MIGUEL CABRERA (FLA), David Wright (NYM)
OF: ALFONSO SORIANO (CHC), KEN GRIFFEY (CIN), MATT HOLLIDAY (COL), Carlos Lee (HOU), Eric Byrnes (ARI), Barry Bonds (SF)
P: JAKE PEAVY (SD), Brad Penny (LAD), John Smoltz (ATL), Ben Sheets (MIL), Brandon Webb (ARI), Roy Oswalt (HOU), Aaron Harang (CIN), Ian Snell (PIT), Cole Hamels (PHI); Francisco Cordero (MIL), Takashi Saito (LAD), Trevor Hoffman (SD), Billy Wagner (NYM), Brian Fuentes (COL)
AMERICAN LEAGUE
C: JORGE POSADA (NYY), Victor Martinez (CLE)
1B: JUSTIN MORNEAU (MIN), Mark Teixeira (TEX), David Ortiz (BOS)
2B: PLACIDO POLANCO (DET), Brian Roberts (BAL)
SS: DEREK JETER (NYY), Orlando Cabrera (LAA), Carlos Guillen (Det)
3B: ALEX RODRIGUEZ (NYY), Troy Glaus (TOR)
OF: VLADIMIR GUERRERO (LAA), ICHIRO SUZUKI (SEA), MAGGLIO ORDONEZ (DET), Carl Crawford (TB), Torii Hunter (MIN), Grady Sizemore (CLE)
P: DAN HAREN (OAK), Justin Verlander (DET), Josh Beckett (BOS), Johan Santana (MIN), C. C. Sabathia (CLE), John Lackey (LAA), Kelvim Escobar (LAA), Mark Buehrle (CHW), Gil Meche (KC); Francisco Rodriguez (LAA), J. J. Putz (SEA), Jonathan Papelbon (BOS), Scot Shields (LAA), Rafael Betancourt (CLE)
But see this story from when it happened, two years ago:
CLEVELAND — Cleveland Indians reliever Rafael Betancourt said Friday that while he accepts punishment for violating Major League Baseball’s drug policy he will continue his appeal to get the word “steroids” dropped from the official record.
The right-hander was suspended July 8 for 10 days after testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance.
“I don’t care about the suspension or the money they took,” Betancourt said. “Just clear my name from that word.”
Betancourt, on the disabled list since June 30 with a shoulder injury, does not dispute testing positive, though he says he has not been told exactly what substance was detected during a mid-May test.
“I was tested twice in 2003, twice last year and nothing,” he said. “Now, they say I test positive.”
The test could be the result of an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicine Betancourt got while pitching winter ball in his native Venezuela.
“I ask myself, ‘How did this happen?’” he said. “Back home, I bought some Voltaren — this is something that anybody can buy, even a 10-year-old kid. After I pitched, I would take one pill.”
Betancourt equated the drug to Americans taking Advil or Tylenol. He said that once he got to spring training, he took medicine only prescribed by the Indians.
He did acknowledge that conditions in Venezeula are vastly different.
“Sometimes, I’m afraid to drink the water,” he said. “But that is why I am upset. I have always respected this game.”
Three guys are leading who I don't think should *start* but still should be on the team: Ortiz, Fielder, and Wright.
So all in all, the fans are doing a good job.
Left out a word: There are only TWO players leading in fan balloting right now who I don’t think deserve. . . .
I would never go with Soriano. He’s an overpaid primadonna. Lousy fielder and strikes out alot.
I've watched and heard a number of Cubs' games recently. Soriano is a dynamic player, a real talent. Power and speed from the leadoff spot. And he's made a bunch of excellent throws from the outfield to cut down runners. Soriano definitely is an All-Star. If you don't have him start, who would you put in his place? Carlos Lee?
good picks. I’d say you got most of ‘em right
But I'm also probably a little biased against Reyes, as a Met. In a different way, Rey Ordonez was sainted by the NY media as the human highlight film. He ended up with fairly pedestrian fielding stats. I promise to come around on Reyes if he keeps up his pace through the year, but his caught stealing percentage is troublesome, and SB's are his claim to superiority.
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