OK, let's see your All-Star teams

[irishtenor]

Switch the DH (Martinez for Thomas)and add Hasegawa (SEA)as RP.

[ChairmanoftheBored]

You almost matched my NL card...except I had Corey Patterson in the outfield (replace Luis Gonzalez)and Mike Lowell starting at 3b.

[ChairmanoftheBored]

AL ball is icky.

[SuperVillain]

just flat-out drop Benitez(NYM) (arguably the worst closer in the majors) and reaplace Lowell (FLA) with Ty Wigginton (NYM).

btw, there are 5 ex-Mets on your list: Jeff Kent (HOU), Preston Wilson (COL), Hideo Nomo (LA), Octavio Dotel (HOU), Melvin Mora (BAL), and a potential 6th in Rey Ordonez (TB) had he not gotten injured. yes, we looooove to give away talent.

[Charles Henrickson]

Switch the DH (Martinez for Thomas). . . .

That one could go either way. The Big Hurt's numbers this year, as far as On-Base Percentage and Slugging Percentage, are ahead of Edgar's. And if you compare career numbers, Thomas comes out ahead there, too. Do you realize that out of all the players who have ever played baseball, Frank Thomas ranks 8th all-time in the most meaningful offensive stat, OPS (On-base Plus Slugging)? Thomas for his career has a .999 OPS!!! That's right after Hornsby and ahead of Mantle, DiMaggio, and Musial! Of course, the numbers in this era are way inflated, but even so. . . . BTW, Martinez does quite well too in career OPS, .952, which is 17th.

Finally, I give the edge to Thomas because the All-Star Game is being played at U.S. Cell Block Stadium, and it is customary to highlight the host team's players a little bit.

. . . and add Hasegawa (SEA) as RP.

Hmmm, Martinez, now Hasegawa. . . . You aren't a Mariners fan by any chance, are you? :-)

Actually, Hasegawa would not be a bad choice at all. But whom would you drop? For my relievers in each league, I included one set-up man, Dotel in the NL and Donnelly in the AL. And if I'm comparing Donnelly to Hasegawa, I give the edge to the Angel: an even teeny-tinier ERA and opponents BA, and more holds.

[Charles Henrickson]

I had Corey Patterson in the outfield (replace Luis Gonzalez). . . .

Corey Patterson is close to being an All-Star but not quite. Maybe next year. Gonzo has better numbers this year and has been absolutely excellent the last few years. Besides, who else would be your D'back representative if not Gonzo?

. . . and Mike Lowell starting at 3b.

That one could go either way. The offensive numbers for Lowell and Rolen are close, but Rolen was better last year and is clearly better defensively (the defending Gold Glover).

[Charles Henrickson]

. . . just flat-out drop Benitez(NYM) (arguably the worst closer in the majors) and replace Lowell (FLA) with Ty Wigginton (NYM).

The only reason I put Benitez on the team was because I had to have a Met. And almost all the Mets stink this year. Replace Lowell with Wiggington? Are you kidding? It would be a crime if Lowell is not on this team; he's having a fantastic year. And Wiggington is only slightly better than mediocre and has never done anything before.

[ChairmanoftheBored]

I would guess that Schilling will probably get the call if Gonzo doesn't make it.

I hate the fact that every team has to send a player to the mid-summer classic....I think it diminishes the title of "all Star", at least moreso than fan voting does.

[irishtenor]

As you have found out, I am a Mariners fan. I would love to see my men in every position:>)

[irishtenor]

NL is old, very old. Why would anyone want to let pitchers bat?

[ChairmanoftheBored]

I think what it comes down to for me is not watching pitcher's bat, but watching the managers play chess games with that slot. The bunt is a beautiful thing to me...the double switch is sweet music.

Much better then swinging and swinging and swinging until one team out swings the other.

[irishtenor]

I agree with all of that, and I enjoy a good pitcher's duel. A 1-1 ballgame is not boring to me. But I grew up in the Northwest, and the only game around has been AL. I've got to go with what I have. If you follow the Mariners at all, you will notice that we do bunt a lot, at least for an American League team.

[Charles Henrickson]

I like the Mariners. They have four players who definitely ought to be on the All-Star team this year: Bret Boone (2b), Ichiro Suzuki (OF), Edgar Martinez (DH), and Jamie Moyer (SP). Then they have two others who are outside possibilities: Meche (SP) and Hasegawa (RP). And while he's not quite at All-Star level this year, I've always liked Olerud the first baseman. He's one of a number of good, but not quite All-Star, players on that team. They must be a fun team to follow.

[Charles Henrickson]

I would guess that Schilling will probably get the call if Gonzo doesn't make it.

I think it's got to be Gonzalez. He is clearly their best hitter this year. (Finley, another outfielder, has been good, but not as good.) And Schilling has missed a lot of time this season. He has only four wins and has missed almost half his normal starts. No other D'back pitcher has anything close to All-Star numbers this year.

[irishtenor]

They are, but very frustrating right now. Losing a lot of games in the last inning. Two of them on Grand Slams! By the way, if you ever get a chance to hear a Mariners game called by Dave Neihause, you know you have heard a gem of a broadcast. He is by far the best radio play by play man around.

[ICX]

Omitting Dontrelle Willis is a sin.

[xp38]

The actual lineups as voted by the fans....

AL

C J. Posada

1B C. Delgado

2B A. Soriano

SS A. Rodriguez

3B T. Glaus

OF M. Ramirez

OF H. Matsui

OF I. Suzuki

DH E. Martinez

NL

C J. Lopez

1B T. Helton

2B M. Giles

SS E. Renteria

3B S. Rolen

OF A. Pujols

OF B. Bonds

OF G. Sheffield

[Charles Henrickson]

Omitting Dontrelle Willis is a sin.

Then I am the chief of sinners. Willis has appeared in 11 games in his career. That's not nearly enough to justify him being an All-Star. He hasn't proven himself yet.

[Charles Henrickson]

Right now at mlb.com you can cast the "Final Vote" for the last reserve on each team. I'm voting for Frank Thomas and Geoff Jenkins. Balloting continues until 6 p.m. ET on Wednesday, July 9.