Official All Star Ballot

Seems like just yesterday me, Baker and Rubes were counting down the days until pitchers and catchers reported to camp.

Here we are 4 months later and all of a sudden, the season is half over. As most teams are putting their 80th game in the books today, we’re just hours away from the announcements of this year’s All Star starters.

So with that, I offer my own ballot. If you agree/disagree or if you’re Chris Ellner and you just want to give your Royals some love, send over your All Star rosters.

Until then, here’s mine…

NL
C – Russell Martin, Dodgers (leads all NL catchers in hits, runs, rbi, HR)
1B – Prince Fielder, Brewers (more runs, doubles, HR, RBI than Pujols. Note: if this were a hot dog eating contest, Prince is also my pick)
2B – Chase Utley, Phillies (best 2b in the bigs)
3B – Miguel Cabrera, Marlins (more runs, hits, RBI, HRs, higher avg. than David Wright)
SS – Jimmy Rollins, Phillies (one of only 5 guys in history to have double digit HRs, doubles, triples and SBs before the break)
OF – Matt Holiday, Rockies (.348 average leads the NL)
OF – Alfonso Soriano, Cubs (nowhere near projected 40/40 pace, but after a slow start, Sori is hitting .307, 15 HRs, 10 SBs)
OF – Ken Griffey Jr. (I’ll give $1 to the man who thought The Kid would have 21 HRs before the break. Good for Griffey. Might as well give him one more All Star nod before it’s over)
SP – Brad Penny (more wins, innings, quality starts, less walks, less losses, better ERA than Jake Peavy)

Toughest call – SS (That Jose Reyes guy in NY is pretty good. 39 steals and a .317 average are no joke. I still give nod to Rollins)

AL
C – Victor Martinez, Indians (hitting .322, leads all MLB catchers in runs, HRs, RBI)
1B – Justin Morneau, Twins (if you are a fellow member of the Red Eyed Bandits fantasy league, you know how hard it is for me to give the big Cannuck the nod. I waived him after Week 5 last season when he was hitting .220. Who knew?!? What a prick.)
2B – Brian Roberts, Oriolies (I haven’t seen a single B-Rob highlight all year but his numbers dictate I should’ve seen quite a few)
3B – That guy in New York (he’s good)
SS – Orlando Cabrera, Halos (I’m not sure there’s a more unheralded star in baseball than the Wizard of the O.C. Check the numbers. Leads all MLB SS in hits and average)
OF – Magglio Ordonez, Tigers (leads MLB in average (.370); he’s the AL MVP right now)
OF – Vladimir Guerrero, Halos (before the season starts you can pencil his name in this spot year in and year out…might as well start using ink)
OF – Ichiro, Mariners (hit .305 in April, when May ended he was at .336, heading into July, Ichiro is hitting at a .368 clip)
SP – C.C. Sabathia (the big lefty with the crooked cap is 12-2 with a respectable 3.20 ERA. He leads the world in innings pitched thus far and in 129 innings, he’s struck out 116 and walked 17. That’s not a typo. 17 walks in 129 innings.

Toughest call – SP (Johan has been Johan and Beckett has been a surprise, but CC’s toughest competition was actually Oakland ace Dan Haren. Why? How about because only once in his 17 starts has Danny not posted a quality start. That’s 16 out of 17 folks. He’s got a 1.91 ERA! If Oakland gave him any run support, this kid could easily be 14-2 instead of 9-2 and he’d be our starter.

And just for kicks, here's your official All Star Game prediction...

AL 11, NL 8

W: John Lackey
L: Ben Sheets

MVP: Ichiro