2008 All-Star Snubs and Flubs: NL Edition

Yesterday, Major League Baseball announced its rosters for the 2008 All-Star Game to be played on July 15 at Yankee Stadium. If you missed it, check out our dissection of the American League All-Star roster.

Now we're going to take a look at the National League roster, to see who doesn't deserve to go and who got shafted. We don't have quite as many problems with the NL Roster as we did with the AL roster; that likely has something - if not everything - to do with the fact that the Yankees and Red Sox aren't in the NL. So let's jump right in.

Here is the NL All-Star roster:

Starters

C - Geovany Soto, CHC
1B - Lance Berkman, HOU
2B - Chase Utley, PHI
SS - Hanley Ramirez, FLA
3B - Chipper Jones, ATL
OF - Ryan Braun, MIL
OF - Kosuke Fukudome, CHC
OF - Alfonso Soriano, CHC

Pitchers

Aaron Cook, COL
Ryan Dempster, CHC
Dan Haren, ARI
Brad Lidge, PHI
Tim Lincecum, SF
Ben Sheets, MIL
Edinson Volquez, CIN
Billy Wagner, NYM
Brandon Webb, ARI
Brian Wilson, SF
Kerry Wood, CHC
Carlos Zambrano, CHC

Reserves

C - Russell Martin, LA
C - Brian McCann, ATL
1B - Adrian Gonzalez, SD
1B - Albert Pujols, STL
2B - Dan Uggla, FLA
3B - Aramis Ramirez, CHC
SS - Christian Guzman, WAS
SS - Miguel Tejada, HOU
OF - Matt Holliday, COL
OF - Ryan Ludwick, STL
OF - Nate McLouth

Initial Impressions
We have a lot of Cubs going to New York, but I'm OK with that. Unlike the Red Sox and Yankees who litter the AL roster, the Cubs are in first place. Another thing I notice is that the NL roster looks a lot better than the AL roster. It's kind of an interesting dynamic between the NL and the AL - in my opinion, the NL has better star players, and more of them, making them the favorites in a game like this. However, I think overall the AL is much deeper with talent, which in the end makes the AL the slightly superior league in regular play.

But the biggest question - where are all the New York Mets???

The Flubs
Let's start with Geovany Soto. Like I said above, there aren't too many problems with the NL roster, so I'm going to be picky with a lot of these choices. I like Soto a lot and he should definitely be in New York next week. But I have Russell Martin (.305, 9 HR, 42 RBI, 9 SB) ranked slightly ahead of Soto (.289, 15 HR, 52 RBI). But the Cubs had a great first half, and that probably gave Soto the decisive edge. Brian McCann has also put together a solid year (.293, 15 HR, 48 RBI), but like the fans, I put him just behind Soto.

First Base
Next, First Base. It's hard to find flubs here - again, you've gotta be picky. You can't argue against the starter, Lance Berkman, who's put up .349, 22 HR, 69 RBI, and 12 SB. But the reserves is where things get complicated because there are so many deserving players. I have Adrian Gonzalez, who will be in New York, come in as my #2 NL first baseman with some gaudy numbers, .284, 22 HR, 70 RBI. Right behind him, I have Derrek Lee (.306, 15 HR, 53 RBI, 4 SB), who didn't make the All-Star team. So who made it over Lee? Albert Pujols, who I have ranked as my #6 NL first baseman. Usually, that would scream FLUB! to me. But I actually don't have any problems with Pujols going because its tough to argue against .350, 18 HR, 48 RBI, and 3 SB. The other players I have ranked ahead of Pujols are Ryan Howard, whose .223 average is likely keeping him away from the midsummer classic, but its his 23 homeruns and 70 RBI that have me sweet on him, and Mark Teixeira, whose average is below average for him, but the 16 homeruns and 66 RBI are still solid.

Second Base
No flubs at second base, the voters got this one dead on - Chase Utley (.294, 24 HR, 67 RBI, 9 SB) to start, with Dan Uggla (.289, 23 HR, 58 RBI, 4 SB) coming off the bench.

Third Base
Again, you have to be picky to find problems at third base. Chipper Jones (.388, 18 HR, 50 RBI, 2 SB) is right where he should be, and that's starting at the hot corner for the NL. Aramis Ramirez, who will be on the bench, has also put together a very solid year, with .283, 15 HR, and 60 RBI. But where's David Wright??? More on this in the snubs...

Shortstop
If we had AL-like voting here in the NL, we'd see someone like Jose Reyes or even Jimmy Rollins starting at shortstop. But thank God, we don't have Yankees and Red Sox fans flooding the ballot boxes here. As a result, we have the RIGHT choice with Hanley Ramirez (.304, 21 HR, 43 RBI, 21 SB) getting the starting nod at shortstop. On the bench, we have Tejada - who, while he has had a nice year (.283, 10 HR, 44 RBI, 7 SB), it's not quite the year Jose Reyes has had (.297, 9 HR, 38 RBI, 31 SB). Christian Guzman also cracked the All-Star roster as Washington's lone representative. I guess I can't knock Guzman since the Nationals have to send SOMEBODY.

Outfield
FINALLY! We've got some bona fide flubs! And I'm talking all 3 of the starting outfielders! Let's start with Ryan Braun. He's had a great first half - .284, 21 HR, 59 RBI, 8 SB - but I'd put him on the bench in this game, because I've got 4 outfielders ranked above him. The real crime? 3 of those 4 didn't make the roster - more on them in the snubs below. Next, we have K-Fuk, who seems to be benefiting from the Ichiro factor. I have 11 NL outfielders ranked ahead of the Japanese import - I even have guys like Corey Hart and Fred Lewis ranked ahead of Fukudome. How can you pick a guy whose line reads .287, 7 HR, 35 RBI, 8 SB to START, while you leave a guy (Pat Burrell) with a line of .279, 21 HR, 53 RBI in the cold? Finally, I'm befuddled - yes, befuddled - by the fact that Alfonso Soriano gets the start in this game. Here's one guy who I actually have ranked BEHIND Fukudome. In fact, I've got Soriano ranked as my #35 NL outfielder. Unfortunate for Soriano, he's injured and he won't be playing in the All-Star game; fortunately for us, however, we'll probably see someone like Burrell or Carlos Beltran get the deserving nod.

As for the reserves - I reluctantly agree with Nate McLouth. McLouth had an amazing first couple of months, but has really cooled off since then. Matt Holliday has been excellent, hitting .343 with 14 HR, 49 RBI, and 11 SB. Looks like the line of an All-Star starter, to me...Finally, Ryan Ludwick (.290, 17 HR, 58 RBI, 4 SB) has had a nice year so far, but like McLouth, is capitalizing off of a hot couple of months.

Pitchers
I certainly see more problems with the NL pitching than I did with the AL pitching. Why is Aaron Cook here? He'd be fine if the Rockies needed their one representative, but they're already adequately represented by Matt Holliday. The 11 wins are nice, but the 3.66 ERA and 64 K's makes me wonder why the NL couldn't find anyone better. Ryan Dempster is another guy I kind of scratch my head over. It's not that he's having a bad year (9-3, 3.24 ERA, 93 K's), but I think they could have found someone better. Finally, Brian Wilson should NOT be here as long as Lincecum will be representing the Giants. I understand Wilson has an NL-leading 24 saves, but that 4.37 ERA suggests Giants fans should be thanking their lucky stars they're only 5 games out of first, not sending Wilson to New York as an All-Star.

The Snubs

First Base
I have Derrek Lee (.306, 15 HR, 53 RBI, 4 SB) ranked as my #3 NL first baseman, but he couldn't crack a tough group of Berkman, Gonzalez, and Pujols. That really is a brutal group. Mark Teixeira (.276, 16 HR, 66 RBI) also deserves some attention. I'm also surprised the Philly fans didn't get Ryan Howard into this game, whose batting average may leave a lot to be desired, but those 23 homeruns and 76 RBI are top-notch.

Second Base
Utley and Uggla were spot on, but Brandon Phillips also deserves some consideration, after putting up .292, 14 HR, 56 RBI, and 18 SB in the first half.

Shorstop
One of the biggest snubs here, which is surprising because he plays for New York. I have Jose Reyes ranked as my #2 shorstop, right behind All-Star starter Hanley Ramirez. I'd take Reyes' .297, 9 HR, 38 RBI, and 31 SB over Tejada and Guzman any day of the week.

Third Base
Obviously, it's hard to argue against Chipper starting this game. But if you were to argue against it, David Wright (.286, 16 HR, 66 RBI, 9 SB) would be your best case in point. So how does he not even make the team? Better yet, how does he put up those numbers, PLAY IN NEW YORK, and not make the team? Where are all the Mets fans? Are they still in shock after last year's collapse? How do the Red Sox get guys like Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz in the starting lineup, while the Mets can't get Reyes and Wright even on the bench?

Outfield
Just about anyone would have been a better selection than K-Fuk and Soriano. But the guys who deserved legitimate consideration are Carlos Beltran - HELLO? NEW YORK?!?!? (.264, 13 HR, 58 RBI, 14 SB), Jason Bay (.285, 17 HR, 45 RBI, 6 SB), Pat Burrell (.279, 21 HR, 53 RBI), and Carlos Lee (.292, 19 HR, 67 RBI, 4 SB). And, hell, if we're going to be completely irrational about some of our All-Star selections, why not consider Ken Griffey, Jr. as the "feel good" selection?

Pitchers
Perhaps the most glaring omission here is the absence of Cole Hamels (9-5, 3.22 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 110 K's). I'd take Hamels over Cook and Wilson without hesitation. And what about Francisco Cordero (4-1, 18 saves, 2.43 ERA, 44 K's) and Jon Rauch (4-2, 17 saves, 2.44 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 40 K's)? Tim Hudson is another guy who deserves some consideration, after posting a 9-6 record with a 3.19 ERA and 73 K's. Finally, where's Johan Santana? I can't even blame the Mets fans for this one. His 7-7 record may be a bit disappointing, but what's wrong with the 2.96 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 109 K's?