bdj610’s 2011 End of Year MLB All-Star Teams…Every Team Needs a Representative

With the pitching staffs set in our last All-Star Team post, the next step is to make sure that every team gets at least one representative. I believe in the All-Star rule that every team, no matter how well or how poorly they did, has at least one person they could tag as an All-Star, based on his performance on the field. If it means that another person gets snubbed, that's sadly the way it goes. It does not matter how many spots there are on an All-Star team, someone always manages to be left out.

Now the pitching staffs from both sides locked in one representative from seven of the NL teams and seven of the AL teams, almost half the teams in either league. So that means in this post, I am going to name nine position players in the NL, and seven in the AL, to each of their respective league's rosters.

In the NL, the Diamondbacks, Braves, Dodgers, Brewers, Padres, Phillies, and Nationals, have representatives. These nine players will ensure that the NL has all 16 teams represented:

• SS Starlin Castro, Cubs (.307, 10 HR's, 66 RBI's, led NL in hits with 207)
• 2B Brandon Phillips, Reds (.300. 18 HR's, 82 RBI's)
• SS Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies (.302, 30 HR's, 105 RBI's)
• OF Mike Stanton, Marlins (.262, 34 HR's, 87 RBI's)
• OF Carlos Lee, Astros (.275, 18 HR's, 94 RBI's)
• SS Jose Reyes, Mets (.337, 7 HR's, 44 RBI's)
• OF Andrew McCutchen, Pirates (.259, 23 HR's, 89 RBI's)
• OF Lance Berkman, Cardinals (.301, 31 HR's, 94 RBI's)
• 3B Pablo Sandoval, Giants (.315, 23 HR's, 70 RBI's)

It looks like the shortstop position is filled, with Castro, Reyes, and Tulowitzki the best three shortstops in the NL. While the trio doesn't exactly scream Dunston/Larkin/O. Smith or even Garciaparra/Jeter/A. Rodriguez, it looks like the SS position could be held by any one of these three players for most of the 2010's. Stanton, Lee, McCutchen, and Sandoval were the best hitters on their respective teams this year (and in "el Caballo's case, probably the only bright spot left after both Hunter Pence AND Michael Bourn were traded in the Astros' annual "playoff push fire sale.")

On the American League side, the Tigers, Angels, Athletics, Yankees, Mariners, Rays, and Rangers, have representatives. These seven players will ensure that the AL has all 14 teams represented.

• OF Adam Jones, Orioles (.280, 25 HR's, 83 RBI's)
• 1B Adrian Gonzalez, Red Sox (.338, 27 HR's, 117 RBI's)
• 1B Paul Konerko, White Sox (.300, 31 HR's, 105 RBI's)
• SS Asdrubal Cabrera, Indians (.273, 25 HR's, 92 RBI's)
• OF Alex Gordon, Royals (.303, 23 HR's, 87 RBI's)
• OF Michael Cuddyer, Twins (.284, 20 HR's, 70 RBI's)
• OF Jose Bautista, Blue Jays (.302, 43 HR's, 103 RBI's)

Because I have nine outfield spots on each side, I have noticed that many players who wind up being the only person on their team to make the list normally is an outfielder. And that might be the case here with these AL picks as now four of the slots are filled.

Now before you start to say, "Where's this guy?" or, "Why didn't my guy make the team?" Please keep in mind that I'm not done filling out the team. These 16 guys are only here so that all 30 teams have a player. The best (trust me) is still yet to come.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama