If you haven’t voted yet, you should head over to the MLB website to vote for your favorite MLB All Stars, to give them a chance to play in the 2008 All Star Game, which is set to be held at Yankee Stadium (the last year it will be open to the public) on July 15, 2008. Also known as the Midsummer Classic, the All Star Game voting will be open until July 2, 2008.
Early numbers for the All Star Game show the AL is being dominated by Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees players. This is no surprise since these two ball clubs seem to have the biggest fan base. Still, if you’re a fan of the smaller teams or prefer to choose players by their abilities and not the name on their jerseys (leading AL team Tampa Bay has no player selected for starting positions – for example) then you need to get in your votes.
I love the Tigers, but I know some of them are struggling. I had to consider their abilities on and off the field when voting and I’ll admit I didn’t vote for all Tigers. I want the AL to win the All Star Game so I had to put my personal feelings aside and vote for who I thought would do the best job. The Tigers I did vote for include Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez, who is the best catcher in the MLB. He isn’t always on when it comes to hitting, but when he is, he’s amazing. When it comes to his performance on the field, there isn’t a better catcher in the MLB. He knows how to call pitches, how to throw players stealing bases out and he is consistently good in his role.
I also voted for Magglio Ordonez and Miguel Cabrera. While both struggled early on, they have the power to hit well and do so with consistency. Magglio, especially, is known for his power and hitting ability. He already has a nice batting average this year, coming off winning the AL batting title in 2007. Cabrera thrives in his new role at first base, while Magglio is fairly consistent in right field. I also voted for Curtis Granderson, who can catch one heck of a ball. He’s one of the best outfielders I’ve ever seen and when he’s hot with his bat, he’s on fire!
While I voted for a few more Tigers, these are the main ones I chose and the reasons why I chose them had to do with their ability either hitting or in their prospective positions. In the NL, I don’t really know or care about as many of the players, so I chose home state advantage (I’m originally from Ohio), and voted for the Reds. Coincidentally, all but Ken Griffey Jr. are absent from the list of top contenders.
The current top three choices by position (and top five outfielders) are as follows:
The AL
First Base
1. Kevin Youkilis, Red Sox
2. Justin Morneau, Twins
3. Jason Giambi, Yankees
Second Base
1. Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox
2. Robinson Cano, Yankees
3. Placido Polanco, Tigers
Third Base
1. Alex Rodriguez, Yankees
2. Mike Lowell, Red Sox
3. Miguel Cabrera, Tigers
Short Stop
1. Derek Jeter, Yankees
2. Edgar Renteria, Tigers
3. Michael Young, Rangers
Catcher
1. Jason Varitek, Red Sox
2. Pudge Rodriguez, Tigers
3. Joe Mauer, Twins
Designated Hitter
1. David Ortiz, Red Sox
2. Hideki Matsui, Yankees
3. Jim Thome, White Sox
Top Outfielders
1. Manny Ramirez, Red Sox
2. Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners
3. Vladimir Guerrero, Angels
4. Magglio Ordonez, Tigers
5. Bobby Abreu, Yankees
The NL
First Base
1. Lance Berkman, Astros
2. Albert Pujols, Cardinals
3. Derrek Lee, Cubs
Second Base
1. Chase Utley, Philles
2. Kazuo Matsui, Astros
3. Mark DeRosa, Cubs
Third Base
1. Chipper Jones, Braves
2. David Wright, Mets
3. Aramis Ramirez, Cubs
Short Stop
1. Hanley Ramirez, Marlins
2. Miguel Tejada, Astros
3. Jose Reyes, Mets
Catcher
1. Geovany Soto, Cubs
2. Brian McCann, Braves
3. Yadier Molina, Cardinals
Top Outfielders
1. Alfonso Soriano, Cubs
2. Kosuke Fukudome, Cubs
3. Ken Griffey Jr., Reds
4. Carlos Beltran, Mets
5. Matt Holliday, Rockies
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Written by Dominick Evans - Visit Website
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