Friday, June 20, 2008

MLB All-Star Predictions

Before I list my all star choices I want to make 2 quick points. First, fans are stupid. AL fans apparently think the only 2 teams that can be voted on are the Yankees and Red Sox (thanks ESPN), and NL fans are so dumb they are trying to put overrated jap Kosuke Fukudome and geriatric dinosaur Ken Griffey Jr. into their lineup. Its about time we stop fan voting, because its making all baseball fans look like total idiots. The second point is that the NL is absolutely loaded with talent while the AL has gotten old really fast. Only a few years ago everyone was saying how the AL was so much better, but one look at these rosters and you can see that the balance of power has definitely shifted to the Senior Circuit. With that said, lets take a look at how the all-star rosters should look, if retards weren't allowed to vote that is.

AMERICAN LEAGUE STARTERS

C - Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins (.335, 2hr, 28 rbi)
1b - Justin Morneau, Minnesota Twins (.306, 11 hr, 56 rbi)
2b - Ian Kinsler, Texas Rangers (.308, 10 hr, 42rbi, 18sb)
3b - Alex Rodriguez, NY Yankees (.335, 14hr, 41rbi, 8sb)
SS - Michael Young, Texas Rangers (.281, 52r, 6hr, 36rbi)
OF - Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers (.321, 19hr, 74rbi)
OF - Manny Ramirez, Boston Red Sox (.295, 15hr, 49rbi)
OF - Carlos Quentin, Chicago White Sox (.271, 17hr, 56rbi)
SP - Cliff Lee, Cleveland Indians (10-1, 76k, 2.55 ERA)

AMERICAN LEAGUE BENCH

C - AJ Pierzynski, Chicago White Sox (.308, 4hr, 26rbi)
1b - David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox (.252, 13hr, 53rbi)
2b - Brian Roberts, Baltimore Orioles (.284, 5hr, 29rbi, 20sb)
3b - Kevin Youkilis, Boston Red Sox (.305, 11hr, 44rbi)
SS - Orlando Cabrera, Chicago White Sox (.274, 6hr, 30rbi, 8sb)
OF - Milton Bradley, Texas Rangers (.330, 15hr, 48rbi)
OF - BJ Upton, Tampa Bay Rays (.291, 5hr, 39rbi, 22sb)
OF - Grady Sizemore, Cleveland Indians (.266, 17hr, 40rbi, 17sb)
B - JD Drew, Boston Red Sox (.327, 13hr, 43rbi)

SP - Roy Halladay, Toronto Blue Jays (8-6, 86k, 3.09 ERA)
SP - Shawn Marcum, Toronto Blue Jays (5-4, 86k, 2.65 ERA)
SP - Josh Beckett, Boston Red Sox (7-4, 89k, 3.87 ERA)
SP - Scott Kazmir, Tampa Bay Rays (6-2, 61k, 1.76 ERA)
SP - Joe Saunders, Anaheim Angels (10-3, 46k, 3.06 ERA)
CL - Francisco Rodriguez, Anaheim Angels (28sv, 2.25 ERA)
CL - Mariano Rivera, NY Yankees (20sv, 0.79 ERA)
CL - Jonathan Papelbon, Boston Red Sox (21sv, 1.95 ERA)


NATIONAL LEAGUE STARTERS

C - Brian McCann, Atlanta Braves (.305, 13hr, 42 rbi
1b - Adrian Gonzalez, San Diego Padres (.293, 20hr, 63rbi)
2b - Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies (.294, 22hr, 62rbi)
3b - Chipper Jones, Atlanta Braves (.394, 16hr, 45rbi)
SS - Hanley Ramirez, Florida Marlins (.294, 15hr, 17sb)
OF - Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers (.288, 20hr, 55rbi)
OF - Lance Berkman, Houston Astros (.366, 20hr, 59rbi)
OF - Nate McLouth, Pittsburgh Pirates (.295, 15hr, 51rbi)
SP - Edinson Volquez, Cincinnati Reds (9-2, 105k, 1.64 ERA)

NATIONAL LEAGUE BENCH

C - Geovany Soto, Chicago Cubs (.282, 12hr, 43 rbi)
1b - Derrek Lee, Chicago Cubs (.289, 14hr, 44 rbi)
2b - Dan Uggla, Florida Marlins (.288, 21hr, 52rbi)
3b - David Wright, NY Mets (.278, 12hr, 54 rbi)
SS - Jimmy Rollins, Philadelphia Phillies (.289, 6hr, 15sb)
OF - Ryan Ludwick, St. Louis Cardinals (.305, 16hr, 55rbi)
OF - Carlos Lee, Houston Astros (.268, 15hr, 53 rbi)
OF - Jason Bay, Pittsburgh Pirates (.287, 14hr, 37rbi)
B - Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals (.347, 16hr, 42rbi)

SP - Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants (8-1, 95k, 2.21 ERA)
SP - Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies (7-4, 91k, 3.23 ERA)
SP - Brandon Webb, Arizona Diamondbacks (11-3, 82k, 3.27 ERA)
SP - Ryan Dempster, Chicago Cubs (8-2, 81k, 2.76 ERA)
SP - Ben Sheets, Milwaukee Brewers (8-1, 77k, 2.84 ERA)
CL - Brad Lidge, Philadelphia Phillies (18sv, 0.90 ERA)
CL - Kerry Wood, Chicago Cubs (18sv, 2.45 ERA)
CL - Matt Capps, Pittsburgh Pirates (16sv, 2.88 ERA)

What is incredible with these rosters is how deep and talented the NL is. There's a good chance their second unit is better than the AL's starters, and some of the starting pitching I had to leave off the NL is just mind-boggling (Santana, Hudson, Zambrano, Oswalt, Haren). It was hard to find 2 good catchers and shortstops in the AL, while certain positions in the NL going 4 or 5 deep with worthy all-stars (1b, SS, 2b).

3 comments:

Andrew Adamson said...

Predictions shouldn't the title of this post, because then it's what you think will happen. It should be titled Furry's All-Star Buffoonery.

Andrew Adamson said...

Also thanks for giving Ben Sheets a spot. He's is a baller.

Anonymous said...

Yankee and Red Sox fans all need to be put to sleep like old animals...or have their fingers cut off prior to all-star balloting season.