First Month AL All Star Roster

Major League Baseball has opened the fan voting portion of the All Star Game selection process. I figured if it is early enough to begin voting I decided it is early enough to project the rosters.  I based my roster 100% on production through the first month in the 2009 season.  I also used last years All Star rosters as a blueprint choosing 32 total player per league with twelve pitchers and twenty position players.  And of course I was handcuffed by choosing one player from every team.  My AL roster looks like this:

First Base

*Kevin Youkilis   Boston

.402   5HR   18RBI  1SB   22R  .52OBP   

Carlos Pena   Tampa Bay

.269  11HR   27RBI   16R  .358OBP 

Justin Morneau Minnesota

.313  6HR   21RBI   17R   .368OBP

Miguel Cabrera   Detroit

.376  5HR   17RBI   15R    .454OBP

Second Base

*Ian Kinsler   Texas

.330  8HR   23RBI   7SB   21R   .389OBP

Aaron Hill   Toronto

.374  6HR   22RBI   2SB  19R   .416OBP

Robinson Cano   New York

.363  5HR   17RBI  1SB  20R   .394OBP

Third Base

*Evan Longoria   Tampa Bay

.370   7HR   30RBI  1SB  20R  .422OBP

Mike Lowell    Boston

.312  5HR   24RBI   14R  .340OBP

Brandon Inge   Detroit

.316   7HR  18RBI   1SB  19R  .441OBP

Shortstop

*Marco Scutaro   Toronto

.276   5HR   16RBI   1SB   .411OBP

Derek Jeter   New York

.275   4HR   13RBI   5SB  16R    .343OBP

Catcher

*Victor Martinez    Cleveland

.394   5HR   13RBI   17R    .468OBP

Jorge Posada   New York

.293   5HR   20RBI   1SB   10R   .382OBP

Outfield

*Nick Markakis    Baltimore

.363    3HR  24RBI   27RUNS    .455OBP 

*Jason Bay   Boston

.316    5HR   20RBI   3SB   11R   .485OBP

*Torii Hunter   Los Angles

.314    8HR   18RBI    2SB  22R    .371OBP

Adam Jones    Baltimore

.371    5HR    19RBI   4SB  28RUNS   .436OBP 

Carlos Quentin    Chicago

.256    8HR   16RBI    16R   .374OBP

Curtis Granderson    Detroit

.263   8HR  17RBI   3SB   18R   .330OBP

Starting Pitcher

*Zack Grienke    Kansas City

5-0    0.50ERA   44K’s    8BB’s  36.0IP   2CG’s

Felix Hernandez    Seattle

4-0  2.38ERA   36K’s   10BB’s   34.0IP

Roy Halladay   Toronto

5-1   3.68ERA   38K’s   5BB’s   44IP

Mark Buehrle   Chicago

4-0    3.30ERA   19K’s   9BBs    30.0IP

Armando Galarraga    Detroit

3-1    3.07ERA   26Ks    14BB’s  29.1P

Erik Bedard     Seattle

2-1    2.61ERA    32K’s    6BB’s    31.0IP

Relief Pitchers

Joakim Soria    Kansas City

1-0   5SV  5SVO  1.35ERA   9K’s   2BB’s    6.2IP

Jonathan Papelbon    Boston

0-0   6SV  6SVO  1.74ERA    10K’s   6BB’s    10.1IP

Frank Francisco    Texas

1-0   7SV   7SVO   0.00ERA  10K’s   1BB’s   11.2IP

Andrew Bailey     Oakland

3-0   1.53ERA    20K’s    7BB’s    17.2IP

Joe Nathan    Minnesota

1-0   4SV    5SVO    2.00ERA    8K’s   2BB’s    9.0IP

Bobby Jenks    Chicago

0-1     6SV    6SVO    8K’s   4BB’s    9.0IP

* = Starter

All Stats are through Saturday 5/2/09

Starting Lineup

2B Ian Kinsler

RF Nick Markakis

1B Kevin Youkilis

3B Evan Longoria

LF Jason Bay

CF Torii Hunter

CA Victor Martinez

SS Marco Scutaro

SP Zack Grienke

I noticed a few interesting things when I was researching my roster.

1. Toronto has the best offensive middle infield in baseball
2. The AL is loaded with great, power hitting corner infielders
3. Detroit lead all team with four All Stars
4. Shortstop is not a strong position this season in the AL this season
5. Oriole fans aren’t happy to hear it but Erik Bedard is having a dominant season