2008 MLB All-Star Rosters Announced: AL Flubs and Snubs

The 2008 MLB All-Star rosters were announced today. The All-Star Game will be played on July 15, 2008 at Yankee Stadium, with the league winner securing home field advantage in the World Series. We'll take a look at these rosters, and pick them apart - Who doesn't deserve to go? Who got the snub? Because we know most of our readers likely suffer from ADD, we'll do this in two parts. This article will address the American League roster, and later we'll address the National League roster.

So here's how the AL roster looks:

Starters
C - Joe Mauer, MIN
1B - Kevin Youkilis, BOS
2B - Dustin Pedroia, BOS
SS - Derek Jeter, NYY
3B - Alex Rodriguez, NYY
OF - Josh Hamilton, TEX
OF - Manny Ramirez, BOS
OF - Ichiro Suzuki, SEA
DH - David Ortiz, BOS

Pitchers
Justin Duchscherer, OAK
Roy Halladay, TOR
Scott Kazmir, TB
Cliff Lee, CLE
Joe Nathan, MIN
Jonathan Papelbon, BOS
Mariano Rivera, NYY
Francisco Rodriguez, LAA
Ervin Santana, LAA
Joe Saunders, LAA
George Sherrill, BAL
Joakim Soria, KC

Reserves
C - Dioner Navarro, TB
C - Jason Varitek, BOS
1B - Justin Morneau, MIN
2B - Ian Kinsler, TEX
SS - Michael Young, TEX
3B - Joe Crede, CWS
3B - Carlos Guillen, DET
OF - J.D. Drew, BOS
OF - Carlos Quentin, CWS
OF - Grady Sizemore, CLE
DH - Milton Bradley, TEX

One look at this roster - particularly the starters - and you'll notice that this AL team has a Boston/New York feel to it, as 6 of the starters come from the Red Sox and Yankees. Which would be fine, if they all got there by merit. But not all of them did - they got there because All-Star voting is a popularity contest, providing further evidence why fans shouldn't be given the exclusive right to vote. I mean, seriously, there are 6 All-Stars in the Red Sox lineup? Really? Six of them?!? And this is before Jacoby Ellsbury will be added in as the Fan's Final Vote, because I'm sure he will be. Ok, maybe that's an exaggeration. It could be Mike Lowell.

Who Doesn't Deserve to be There?
Let's start with Red Sox 1B, Kevin Youkilis. Sure, maybe he can find a spot as a reserve on this roster. But if we're going by merit, how does the Greek God of Walks get the nod over Justin Morneau? Morneau has hit for a slightly better average, and he's knocked in 12 more runs than Youkilis. Morneau also doesn't have some of the same table-setters as Youkilis has, and he certainly doesn't have the same kind of protection batting behind him.

Next up is Boston 2B Dustin Pedroia. Sure, he's had a nice first half - .313 average, 9 HR, 39 RBI, and 9 SB. But there are a handful of other AL second basemen who have had a comparable, if not better first half - and most of them didn't even make it as reserves. What about Brian Roberts (.293, 6 HR, 31 RBI, 22 SB)? Or B.J. Upton (.275, 6 HR, 42 RBI, 26 SB)? And how on earth does Ian Kinsler NOT get that starting position?!? How is a line of .328 average, 14 HR, 53 RBI, and 23 SB's NOT good enough to get the nod over Pedroia?

Next we have Derek Jeter. Look, I understand this game is being played in Yankee Stadium, and that this is the last season to be played in Yankee Stadium, and I understand what Derek Jeter has meant to this franchise. Maybe that alone gives him the starting nod. But he does not start this game because of his production. I've got three AL shortstops (Michael Young, Orlando Cabrera, and Jhonny Peralta) ranked ahead of Jeter - only 1 made (Young) made the roster as a reserve.

Manny Ramirez. Notice a trend here? Any other year I'd have no qualms about Manny making the All-Star team, because any other year he deserves it. This year's .279 average with 16 HR and 53 RBI, however, just aren't up to snuff. I've got 10 AL outfielders ranked ahead of Manny - only 6 of them made the All-Star team. In fact, I've got Manny as the lowest rated OF on this AL squad; usually, you're "worst" player doesn't start the game.

Ichiro Suzuki. I don't mind Ichiro getting a spot on this roster (thanks to his 34 SB), but he shouldn't be starting this game. Not over a guy like Grady Sizemore, who has a shot at putting up a 40 HR-40 SB season. That right there blows my mind - how does a potential 40-40 guy get stuck on the bench?

Finally, David Ortiz. The fact that Ortiz not only made the squad, but made it as a starter is overwhelming evidence that fan voting is terrible. I know David Ortiz is injured, so he won't be playing, anyway. I'm still just as disgusted. I know he doesn't play on the east coast, but what about Milton Bradley? Hell, just about everyone on the reserves deserved to be named a starter over Ortiz.

There are some reserves that should get the boot, as well. Well, just one, actually. Jason Varitek - I'm sorry, a .219 average hardly screams "All-Star."

Who Got Snubbed?
C - A.J. Pierzynski probably deserves a spot over Dioner Navarro, and certainly over Jason Varitek. Even Ivan Rodriguez deserves some consideration. And if we're going to take Varitek's .219 average, why not Mike Napoli? His .204 average is pretty pathetic, but those 12 homeruns are more than Navarro (4) and Varitek (7) combined.

1B - Jason Giambi has put together a solid first half. I'm not too torn up over this one, because there's more than a good chance Yankees fans will vote him in as the final All-Star. I'd also like to include Miguel Cabrera and Casey Kotchman here, but they just haven't done enough to really argue they deserve spots over Youkilis and Morneau.

2B - B.J Upton has had a great first half - .275 average, 6 HR, 42 RBI, and 26 SB. Did I mention the Rays are leading the AL East? Yeah, there's a team in that division that's not from Boston or New York. Wanna know something else? There's a couple other teams in that division, too. Brian Roberts plays for one of them. In fact, he's put together an All-Star caliber year at second base - I put his .293, 6 HR, 31 RBI, 22 SB first half above Pedroia's. But the real crime? I still don't get how Ian Kinsler does not start this game...

3B - Here's one position the voters got right...well, somewhat right. Surprisingly, it's the New York choice (Alex Rodriguez) I'm fine with, but the Chicago choice (Joe Crede) and Detroit choice (Carlos Guillen) I have problems with. I've got Aubrey Huff (.279, 17 HR, 53 RBI), Evan Longoria (.281, 15 HR, 50 RBI, 6 SB), and Adrian Beltre (.250, 16 HR, 44 RBI, 7 SB) ranked ahead of both Carlos Guillen (.292, 8 HR, 44 RBI, 7 SB) and Joe Crede (.260, 15 HR, 46 RBI). Hell, I've even got Boston 3B Mike Lowell (.302, 13 HR, 54 RBI) ahead of Crede. Kansas City 3B Alex Gordon (.255, 11 HR, 42 RBI) also deserves some attention.

SS - I already mentioned these above in my slamming of Derek Jeter. Orlando Cabrera has put up respectable numbers (.269, 6 HR, 35 RBI, 12 SB), and Jhonny Peralta has been mashing the ball for 12 HR. I put them both ahead of Jeter's subpar year. Still, it's Michael Young who should be starting this game.

OF - The grossest mistake made here is having Grady Sizemore on the bench. As I mentioned above, this guy has a shot at a 40-40 year. But there are a couple guys in particular who have good arguments in their favor, but weren't given the nod. The first one is Nick Markakis, who has put together a solid year: .293, 12 HR, 44 RBI, and 8 SB. The other guy is Carl Crawford, who plays for the AL East leading Rays and is hitting .285, 8 HR, 46 RBI, 22 SB. Other guys who deserve some consideration are Jermaine Dye and Bobby Abreu, both of whom I have ranked ahead of starter Manny Ramirez.

Pitchers - Not too many problems here, and I think it has a lot to do with the fact that these are not picked by the fans. I think Seattle starter Felix Hernandez deserves strong consideration. But I'm sure Seattle management doesn't mind the snub, as it will give young King Felix a little time to rest and recover from an ankle injury.