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     Move over Tom Clayton.  I saw your opinions on the 2009 All-Star game. Many of the choices are obvious and therefore we agree on many. I am going to lay out my picks for each 33 man team. I don’t suggest that I am smarter than the fans and my opinion should trump all. So, I will yield to the fan voting and include who was leading at each position. This means don’t yell at me for the starters, that’s the fans fault. I also will abide by MLB rules and include someone from each team. And since this game “counts” I will try to assemble a team that has each position covered appropriately, not just the 33 best players. The object is to win of course.

    So here goes, if I were Charlie Manuel or Joe Maddon this is who I would have on my team.

                             AL                                                                 NL

C                Joe Mauer, Minn                         Yadier Molina,  StL

1B              Kevin Youkilis, Bos                 Albert Pujols,  StL

2B             Dustin Pedroia,  Bos                 Chase Utley,   Phil

3B             Evan Longoria,  TB                   David Wright,   NYM

SS              Derek Jeter,   NYY                     Hanley Ramirez,   Fla

CF            Josh Hamilton, Tex                 Carlos Beltran,  NYM  injured

                                                             replaced by Juan Pierre,  LAD

LF            Jason Bay,  Bos                                  Raul Ibanez,  Phi

RF            Ichiro Suzuki,    Sea                        Ryan Braun,  Milw

SP              Roy Halladay,   Tor                        Tim Lincecum,  SF

                                                           Bench

C            Victor Martinez,  Cle                            C        Brian McCann,  Atl

1B         Justin Morneau,  Minn                       1B      Prince Fielder,  Milw

1B         Mark Teixeira,   NYY                           1B     Ryan Howard,  Phil

1B         Miguel Cabrera,   Det                           1B      Adrien Gonzalez,  SD

2B        Aaron Hill,         Tor                               2B      Brandon Phillips,  Cin

2B        Ian Kinsler,  Tex                                     3B    Mark Reynolds,  Ari

3B         Brandon Inge,   Det                             3B     Pablo Sandoval,  SF

SS          Alexei Ramirez,   CWS                        SS      Miguel Tejeda,  Hou

OF          Torii Hunter,     LAA                           SS       Ryan Theriot,  ChiC

OF         Adam Lind,    Tor                                 OF       Brad Hawpe,  Col

OF          Carl Crawford,  TB                             OF          Adam Dunn,  Wash

OF          Jermaine Dye,   CWS                        OF          Justin Upton,  Ari

P            Zach Greinke,      KC                           P             Johan Santana,   NYM

P            Tim Wakefield,  Bos                          P                Matt Cain,  SF

P            Felix Hernandez,  Sea                       P               Jason Marquis,  Col

P            Kevin Millwood,   Tex                      P                Dan Haren,  Ari

P            Jered Weaver,   LAA                        P                Yovani Gallardo,   Milw

P             Dallas Braden,   Oak                         P                Zach Duke,  Pitt

P            Mark Buehrle,   CWS                        P                 Johnny Cueto,  Cin

P           Joe Nathan,   Minn                            P                   Heath Bell,   SD

P             Jon Papelbon,  Bos                          P             Francisco Rodriguez, NYM

P            Mariano Rivera,   NYY                   P                Francisco Cordero,  Cin

P             George Sherrill,  Balt                     P                Ryan Franklin,  StL

P           Brian Fuentes,  LAA                         P                 Brian Wilson,   SF

I think Adam Jones, Nick Markakis, and Brian Roberts all could be considered.  Roberts might be in over Kinsler or Hill, but probably not. Jones and Markakis will compete with Lind and Dye for the last OF positions, but in the end we might be looking at George as our only rep this year.