With only 32 players selected to each roster for the All-Star Game, there are bound to be glaring omissions when the best players in the world take the field at Yankee Stadium on July 15.
Voting continues until July 2. Ballots were distributed at the 30 MLB ballparks and minor-league clubs that are in-season during the balloting period. Starters, reserves and pitchers will be revealed on July 6, and one final player for each team will be selected by fans on MLB.com in the days leading up to the game.
Don’t be part of the problem; be part of the solution. Be an educated voter and pick the best players to be the starters. (After all, the result decides home-field advantage in the World Series.)
First base
Who should get your vote: Boston’s Kevin Youkilis is a solid hitter on the league's best team, hitting for power (13 homers, 50 RBI) and average (.313). Justin Morneau of the Twins (12 homers, 63 RBI, .306) is also worthy of consideration.
Who will win: Youkilis is leading the voting by about 300,000 votes entering the final week, and Morneau is second. No issues here.
Worthy backup candidates: Casey Kotchman, Angels.
Second base
Who should get your vote: Ian Kinsler of the Rangers is hitting .323 with 13 homers as of June 1, best in the league in both categories among second basemen. 2007 Rookie of the Year Dustin Pedroia is also having a solid first half (.304, 8 HR, 37 RBI).
Who will win: Pedroia leads by a little under 200,000 votes, with Kinsler in second. Both deserve to make the team.
Worthy backup candidates: Placido Polanco, Tigers; Brian Roberts, Orioles.
Shortstop
Who should get your vote: Remember the years when this was the most competitive position in baseball, with Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Nomar Garciaparra and Omar Vizquel? Now it's Jeter and ... and ...
Who will win: Jeter. No contest.
Worthy backup candidates: Orlando Cabrera, White Sox; Michael Young, Rangers.
Third base
Who should get your vote: The Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez missed a month, but is producing as well as always (.322, 15 home runs).
Who will win: Rodriguez.
Worthy backup candidates: Mike Lowell, Red Sox; Joe Crede, White Sox; Evan Longoria, Rays.
Catcher
Who should get your vote: Joe Mauer is having a good year for the resurgent Minnesota Twins (.321 average, .406 on-base percentage, 32 RBI). Other typical candidates, such as Jorge Posada ans Victor Martinez, have all missed a considerable number of games because of injury. Mauer leads Jason Varitek by about 150,000 votes entering the final week. Varitek is a great catcher having an off year at the plate (.225 through June 30).
Who will win: Mauer.
Worthy backup candidates: Jorge Posada, Yankees; Gerald Laird, Rangers.
Outfielders
Who should get your vote: I'll go with an outfield nobody saw coming before the season. Josh Hamilton is an MVP candidate in Texas, hitting better than .300 with 19 homers and 79 RBI through June 29. Jermaine Dye of the White Sox has been red hot in June, with nine homers and 26 RBI. He's at .306 with 18 homers overall. And for the third spot, how about Carlos Quentin of the White Sox? He hasn't stopped hitting since being traded from the Diamondbacks in the offseason (.288 with 19 homers and 61 RBI in the first half).
Who will win: Hamilton will have one of the spots, but the fans are going with Manny Ramirez and Ichiro in the other two spots. Ramirez hit his 500th homer in the first half and has 16 homers, so no major beef there. Ichiro Suzuki started very slowly and has raised his average to .297 as of June 30. The Mariners have to have somebody on the team, but Ichiro doesn't deserve to start this year. The Angels' Vladimir Guerrero is in fourth entering the final week of voting.
Worthy backup candidates: Grady Sizemore, Indians; Carl Crawford, Rays; Torii Hunter, Angels; Nick Markakis, Orioles.
Designated hitter
Who should get your vote: Hideki Matsui is having a nice year for the Yankees, hitting .323. With voting leader David Ortiz announcing he won't play because of his lingering wrist injury, Matsui is the obvious choice.
Who will win: Ortiz will still win the voting, but Matsui is second by a large margin.
Worthy backup candidate: Aubrey Huff, Orioles.
