My NL-All Star team

[crzyjournalist03]

I've been reading a few columns the last few days about the upcoming All-Star team and players who deserve/don't deserve to go. One of the arguments that you always hear for a guy getting left out is that each team has to have a representative. With that in mind, I had some free time and decided to see what I could throw together for All-Star rosters that would have every club represented and minimize controvesy.

For the starters, I took the current All-Star voting as of this week. Here's what I think gives the NL the best roster. Thoughts? Comments? I'll be back with the AL shortly.

NL All-star team

1B Lance Berkman, Astros
2B Chase Utley, Phillies
3B Chipper Jones, Braves
SS Miguel Tejada, Astros
OF Kosuke Fukudome, Cubs
OF Ken Griffey, Jr., Reds
OF Ryan Braun, Brewers*
DH Derek Lee, Cubs**
SP Edinson Volquez, Reds

*Current OF leader Alfonso Soriano is expected out until the All-Star Break; Braun is currently 4th in voting.

**Lee leads the NL in votes cast among non-leaders at their positions

Reserves:

P Tim Lincecum, Giants
P Johan Santana, Mets
P Brandon Webb, Diamondbacks
P Aaron Cook, Rockies
P Cole Hamels, Phillies
P Tim Hudson, Braves
P Carlos Zambrano, Cubs
P Brad Lidge, Phillies
P Kerry Wood, Cubs
P Jon Rauch, Nationals


C Brian McCann, Braves
C Russell Martin, Dodgers
1B Adrian Gonzalez, Padres
1B Albert Pujols, Cardinals
2B Dan Uggla, Marlins
3B David Wright, Mets
SS Hanley Ramirez, Marlins
OF Nate McLouth, Pirates
OF Matt Holliday, Rockies
OF Pat Burrell, Phillies
OF Ryan Ludwick, Cardinals

32nd Man Voting:
1. Dan Haren, Diamondbacks
2. Ryan Howard, Phillies
3. Jorge Cantu, Marlins
4. Ryan Dempster, Cubs
5. Aramis Ramirez, Cubs

Notable omissions: Carlos Lee, Garrett Atkins, Brandon Phillips, Jake Peavy, Takashi Saito, Kevin Gregg

[sahen]

how many years does Griffey Jr. get to be a sentimental pick? he was great, and the 600 homer thing is nice but he isnt even batting .250...way to many outfielders are a lot better than Griffey Jr. nowadays....that said, the fans will prolly still vote him in...

[crzyjournalist03]

Originally posted by sahen
how many years does Griffey Jr. get to be a sentimental pick? he was great, and the 600 homer thing is nice but he isnt even batting .250...way to many outfielders are a lot better than Griffey Jr. nowadays....that said, the fans will prolly still vote him in...

If Griffey somehow gets passed in the voting by someone like Braun, I think that Carlos Lee gets on the team and Griffey stays home.

[sahen]

Originally posted by crzyjournalist03
If Griffey somehow gets passed in the voting by someone like Braun, I think that Carlos Lee gets on the team and Griffey stays home.

Braun should be on the team over Griffey but there are a lot more Red fans than Brewer fans...

[rangerjim]

No starting catcher????????????

[Bull Butter]

Originally posted by rangerjim
No starting catcher????????????

Brad Ausmus:)

[rangerjim]

And I thought I was a top-notch homer

Soto CHC .288 42 rbi's
mccann ATL .306 39
martin LAD .311 31
molina STL .310 43
Ausmus HOU .229 10

[crzyjournalist03]

Originally posted by rangerjim
No starting catcher????????????

Crap...I copied and pasted it all from a Word document where I had done the work, and I missed the first line in the starting lineup:

C Geovany Soto, Cubs

Would a mod mind copying and pasting that above the 1B on the starters for me?

[rangerjim]

Thanks crzy don't worry, I won't mention you did the same thing for the AL. Your secrets safe with me.........

[crzyjournalist03]

Originally posted by rangerjim
Thanks crzy don't worry, I won't mention you did the same thing for the AL. Your secrets safe with me.........

yeah...when I did the NL first, after I copied it, I just started over with the AL by deleting the player names. So since there was no NL catcher, there was no AL catcher.

[Bull Butter]

Originally posted by rangerjim
And I thought I was a top-notch homer

Soto CHC .288 42 rbi's
mccann ATL .306 39
martin LAD .311 31
molina STL .310 43
Ausmus HOU .229 10

It was a joke, thus the smiley face

[crzyjournalist03]

I'm surprised that nobody has really raised any beef about one player being on and another being off my list...I figured these would at least be worth a few pages of discussion...

[sahen]

Originally posted by crzyjournalist03
I'm surprised that nobody has really raised any beef about one player being on and another being off my list...I figured these would at least be worth a few pages of discussion...

i think Carlos Lee will be on the all-star team reguardless of Griffey...but he will be on the bench most likely, he had a great year last year and the managers tend to reward that, this year hasnt been as good but it hasnt be bad eitehr...

[crzyjournalist03]

Originally posted by sahen
i think Carlos Lee will be on the all-star team reguardless of Griffey...but he will be on the bench most likely, he had a great year last year and the managers tend to reward that, this year hasnt been as good but it hasnt be bad eitehr...

I could definitely see him getting chosen over Ludwick on the bench, but Ludwick has played out of his mind and really deserves a shot.

[sahen]

Originally posted by crzyjournalist03
I could definitely see him getting chosen over Ludwick on the bench, but Ludwick has played out of his mind and really deserves a shot.
Ludwick definitely deserves it but you know how those things go...we could both be wrong since it will be the Rockies manager and he might pick a Rocky...we will find out...

[crzyjournalist03]

Originally posted by sahen
Ludwick definitely deserves it but you know how those things go...we could both be wrong since it will be the Rockies manager and he might pick a Rocky...we will find out...

Haha...Willy Tavares!

[crzyjournalist03]

Here is my original prediction for the NL All-Star team, with players who made the roster marked with a * and players on the 32nd man ballot with a ^. At the time of my prediction, Alfonso Soriano was injured, so I had him skipping out. You can essentially replace Griffey's spot in the lineup with Soriano.

NL All-star team
C Geovany Soto, Cubs*
1B Lance Berkman, Astros*
2B Chase Utley, Phillies*
3B Chipper Jones, Braves*
SS Miguel Tejada, Astros*
OF Kosuke Fukudome, Cubs*
OF Ken Griffey, Jr., Reds
OF Ryan Braun, Brewers*
DH Derek Lee, Cubs
SP Edinson Volquez, Reds*

Reserves:

P Tim Lincecum, Giants*
P Johan Santana, Mets
P Brandon Webb, Diamondbacks*
P Aaron Cook, Rockies*
P Cole Hamels, Phillies
P Tim Hudson, Braves
P Carlos Zambrano, Cubs*
P Brad Lidge, Phillies*
P Kerry Wood, Cubs*
P Jon Rauch, Nationals


C Brian McCann, Braves*
C Russell Martin, Dodgers*
1B Adrian Gonzalez, Padres*
1B Albert Pujols, Cardinals*
2B Dan Uggla, Marlins*
3B David Wright, Mets^
SS Hanley Ramirez, Marlins*
OF Nate McLouth, Pirates*
OF Matt Holliday, Rockies*
OF Pat Burrell, Phillies^
OF Ryan Ludwick, Cardinals*

32nd Man Voting:
1. Dan Haren, Diamondbacks*
2. Ryan Howard, Phillies
3. Jorge Cantu, Marlins
4. Ryan Dempster, Cubs*
5. Aramis Ramirez, Cubs*

Missed:
Cristian Guzman, SS Nationals
Ben Sheets, P Brewers
Brian Wilson, P Giants
Billy Wagner, P Mets

Guzman replaces Rauch as the Nats rep. Wagner replaces Santana from the Mets.

Overall, I had 25 of the 31 spots announced correct with 3 of my 5 32nd man players making the team for a total of 28 out of the 31.

[sahen]

nevermind im dumb


Fukudome shouldnt be on the team but WGN and Japan helps a lot...

[Bull Butter]

I think Tim Lincecum should get the starting nod but apparently that's not gonna happen as Bruce Bochy has named Lincecum to start Sunday's game. He may get to throw an inning,though.

This would be a great way to showcase the most exciting pitcher in the NL who a lot of people probably have not seen due to his playing on the West coast.

[crzyjournalist03]

Originally posted by Bull Butter
I think Tim Lincecum should get the starting nod but apparently that's not gonna happen as Bruce Bochy has named Lincecum to start Sunday's game. He may get to throw an inning,though.

This would be a great way to showcase the most exciting pitcher in the NL who a lot of people probably have not seen due to his playing on the West coast.

Volquez has definitely come back to earth over the last three weeks. Lincecum is the best pitcher in the NL right now, and probably deserves to start.