The 2011 All-Star Rosters Have Been Announced...What Do You Think???

The MLB All-Star Game rosters have been announced. Here are the players who are going:

American League Starters (with 2011 Topps Card # and retail team set if applicable)

1B-Adrian Gonzalez, Red Sox (#425, BOS14)
2B-Robinson Cano, Yankees (#130, NYY16)
3B-Alex Rodriguez, Yankees (#50, NYY3)
SS-Derek Jeter, Yankees (#330, NYY1)
OF-Jose Bautista, Blue Jays (#216, TOR1)
OF-Curtis Granderson, Yankees (#433, NYY12)
OF-Josh Hamilton, Rangers (#650, TEX1)
C-Alex Avila, Tigers (#497, DET15)
DH-David Ortiz, Red Sox (#315, BOS2)

American League Pitchers

P-Josh Beckett, Red Sox (#610, BOS16)
P-Gio Gonzalez, Athletics (#30, OAK11, selected by MGR)
P-Felix Hernandez, Mariners (#530, SEA2)
P-David Price, Rays (#61, TBR2, selected by MGR)
P-James Shields, Rays (#311, TBR4)
P-Justin Verlander, Tigers (#355, DET13)
P-Jered Weaver, Angels (#75, ANG11)
P-C. J. Wilson, Rangers (#323, TEX8, selected by MGR)
RP-Aaron Crow, Royals (#633, selected by MGR)
RP-Brandon Leauge, Mariners
RP-Chris Perez, Indians (#159, CLE10)
RP-Mariano Rivera, Yankees (#42, NYY2)
RP-Jose Valverde, Tigers (#594, DET14, selected by MGR)

American League Reserves

1B-Miguel Cabrera, Tigers (#150, DET1)
2B-Howard Kendrick, Angels (#118, ANG9)
3B-Adrian Beltre, Rangers (#302 with the Red Sox, TEX14)
SS-Asdrubal Cabrera, Indians (#522, CLE11)
OF-Michael Cuddyer, Twins (#21, MIN3, selected by MGR)
OF-Jacoby Ellsbury, Red Sox (#351, BOS7)
OF-Matt Joyce, Rays (#55, TBR16)
OF-Carlos Quentin, White Sox (#389, CWS4)
C-Russell Martin, Yankees (#114 with the Dodgers, NYY9)
C-Matt Wieters, Orioles (selected by MGR)
DH-Michael Young, Rangers (#320, TEX9)

American League Final Man Candidates

OF-Alex Gordon, Royals (#262, KCR7)
OF-Adam Jones, Orioles (#396, BAL2)
1B-Paul Konerko, White Sox (#93, CWS16)
C/DH-Victor Martinez, Tigers (#218, DET16)
2B-Ben Zobrist, Rays (#27, TBR11)

National League Starters

1B-Prince Fielder, Brewers (#410, MIL4)
2B-Rickie Weeks, Brewers (#266, MIL13)
3B-Placido Polanco, Phillies (#89, PHI16)
SS-Jose Reyes, Mets (#380, NYM5)
OF-Lance Berkman, Cardinals (#144 with the Yankees, STL15)
OF-Ryan Braun, Brewers (#1, MIL2)
OF-Matt Kemp, Dodgers(#375, LAD5)
C-Brian McCann, Braves (#415, ATL4)

National League Pitchers

P-Matt Cain, Giants (#570, SFG4, selected by MGR)
P-Roy Halladay, Phillies (#300, PHI2)
P-Cole Hamels, Phillies (#460, PHI4)
P-Jair Jurrjens, Braves (#72, ATL3)
P-Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers (#275, LAD3)
P-Cliff Lee, Phillies (#103 with the Rangers, PHI1)
P-Tim Lincecum, Giants (#590, SFG2, selected by MGR)
P-Ryan Vogelsong, Giants (selected by MGR)
RP-Heath Bell, Padres (#178, SDP6, selected by MGR)
RP-Tyler Clippard, Nationals (#74, WAS6, selected by MGR)
RP-Joel Hanrahan, Pirates (#644, PIT8)
RP-Jonny Venters, Braves (#619, ATL12)
RP-Brian Wilson, Giants (#210, SFG16)

National League Reserves

1B-Gaby Sanchez, Marlins (#59, FLA5, selected by MGR)
1B-Joey Votto, Reds (#5, CIN1)
2B-Brandon Phillips, Reds (#630, CIN14)
3B-Chipper Jones, Braves (#169, ATL2)
SS-Starlin Castro, Cubs (#655, CHC1, selected by MGR)
SS-Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies (#400, COL15)
OF-Carlos Beltran, Mets (#515, NYM15, selected by MGR)
OF-Jay Bruce, Reds (#191, CIN2)
OF-Matt Holliday, Cardinals (#490, STL7)
OF-Hunter Pence, Astros (#45, HOU1)
OF-Justin Upton, Diamondbacks (#40, ARI1, selected by MGR)
C-Yadier Molina, Cardinals (#90, STL9)

National League Final Man Candidates

OF-Andre Ethier, Dodgers (#240, LAD1)
1B-Todd Helton, Rockies (#220, COL2)
P-Ian Kennedy, Diamondbacks (#39, ARI6)
OF-Michael Morse, Nationals (#518, WAS15)
OF-Shane Victorino, Phillies (#495, PHI10)

Notes:
º Injured, will not participate
ºº Elected not to participate
ª Named as replacement

If you notice, not counting those injured, there will be two 34-man rosters here (including the Final Man winners). Last year, a new rule was implemented to allow for one "re-entry" player...somebody who can go leave the game and then possibly later on get back in at another position. Previously, only catchers were allowed to leave the game and be re-inserted later. But unlike last year (when Omar Infante (NL) and Ty Wigginton (AL) were selected), I don't see any potential utility candidates on either roster.

This year, three players do not have any cards from either the eponymous Topps set or the retail sets.  In one case, it could be by choice.  Matt Wieters has yet to appear on any Topps cards since his debut.  This was due to the ultra-exclusive deal he signed with another card company.  Although past history with Topps and these situations (see Hideki Matsui for example and his lack of Topps cards in his first few years in the majors) eventually works out, nobody except the heads of the Topps Company knows if and when he shows up on a Topps card. (For those who follow me on twitter - @bdj610 if you want to follow me -, I posted a tweet to @toppscards about this).  Brandon League, the closer for the Mariners also does not have a card in 2011 for some reason (he does have two cards in Topps' history).  Ryan Vogelsong hasn't been on a Topps card since 2006.  To alleviate their slights, I will be using the team cards to fill-in for them.  Vogelsong and League are scheduled to appear in the 2011 Topps Update Series (#US94 and #US197 respectively).  No word on Wieters (although there are a ton of TBD's).

Gaby Sanchez and Starlin Castro were both named to the 2010 Topps All-Star Rookie Team.  In Topps' infinite wisdom, both players have TWO cards in this year's set (#'s 59 and 312 for Sanchez; #'s  247 and 655 for Castro).  I have included the cards with the Rookie Cup above because there really was no need for a second card of each player (unless you're a player collector and like having two cards).  With 11 players named to last year's team, that means there are 22 cards for the members of the ASRT.  That's 11 cards too many and could have gone to players who were now relegated to the Update Set (that's another post for another day).

On a final note, news has come out that as many as four pitchers on the AL side may have to be replaced due to being scheduled to pitch on Sunday or other issues.  The rule for pitchers is that if they are set to pitch on the last day before the All-Star break, they become ineligible to appear in the game.  They still get to participate in the All-Star festivities, are still officially All-Stars, but just won't play.  Felix Hernandez, James Shields, and Justin Verlander are affected by this.  Also, Brandon League could possibly skip the festivities because he and his wife are expecting any day now, and MLB (and rightfully so) has implemented a paternity leave of abscence.  If this is correct, then the M's will need someone to come in and pitch as a replacement (Michael Pineda anyone???).

Let's hear the answers to these questions:

Who do you think should have been chosen that wasn't (not even for the Final Man ballot)?

Of the players selected, who shouldn't be going to the game?

Were the guys you wanted from your team chosen?

If not, then who should have represented your team?

Let the debates begin.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama