[Lefty Noob]

This comes from the Chicago Sun-Times: "By the time the fan and player voting ended, Guillen was left with getting an AL-leading six Sox players into the July 11 midsummer classic in Pittsburgh -- none of whom was voted in by the fans as a starter." How? How do no players from the defending World Series wind up starting in the All-Star Game? I don't get it.

[MJHMarc]

This is a very odd and rather un-usual occurance in the MLB. I guess the White Sox didn't have the required support from their fans. Don't forget that Chicago is split in half (Cubs | White Sox) so they didn't have that many fans to start off with. I am sorry if that offended anyone, but it was not intended to be a derogatory remark.

The reason Jim Thome and Paul Konerko didn't save themselves a spot as the AL's starting first-baseman is because David Ortiz who is a DH, is hogging up the first-base spot. I am sure that those sluggers will appear in the game though.

They deserve the spots, though.

[legend]

Thome and Konerko are both blocked by Ortiz, as Marc noted.
Joe Crede at third, with a .303 average and 16 homers plus 57 RBI is blocked by A-Rod. A good case could be made for Jermaine Dye in the outfield, with a .311 average, 20 homers and 57 RBI, but again you have Ichiro, Manny, and Vladimir Guerrero.

[MJHMarc]

There is a very little chance that Jermaine Dye would squeeze into the AL All-Star outfield spot. Ichiro Suzuki saves himself a spot every year, instead of bringing his team into the Playoffs. Manny Ramirez and Vladimir Guerrero just lock up their positions because of their potential MVP statistics and overriding fan support.

I am overly shocked that Jose Contreras didn't get the AL Starting Pitcher position, as expected.

[ThePundit]

If you look at the Yankees Championship teams in the late 90's, they had very few all stars that were voted in. True, Torre named a million Yankees as reserves but they didn't have any "stars" at their positions. (Jeter was a rookie in 96 and always lost out to A-Rod). Bernie Williams, Paul O'Neil, Tino, Girardi.... Sometimes, the whole is better than the sum of its parts.

[Sports Fan]

Originally Posted by MJHMarc

There is a very little chance that Jermaine Dye would squeeze into the AL All-Star outfield spot. Ichiro Suzuki saves himself a spot every year, instead of bringing his team into the Playoffs. Manny Ramirez and Vladimir Guerrero just lock up their positions because of their potential MVP statistics and overriding fan support.

I am overly shocked that Jose Contreras didn't get the AL Starting Pitcher position, as expected.

Kenny Rogers is going to start the All-Star game? He gets lit up and the National League wins.

[ThePundit]

Originally Posted by Sports Fan

Kenny Rogers is going to start the All-Star game? He gets lit up and the National League wins.

I hear you Sports fan. Brad Penny is just as unglamoroous. All of these marquis starting pitchers in this game and this is the best they can come up with? Mr. Rogers vs. Penny....MLB continues to show it can't do anything right.

[Sports Fan]

Originally Posted by ThePundit

I hear you Sports fan. Brad Penny is just as unglamoroous. All of these marquis starting pitchers in this game and this is the best they can come up with? Mr. Rogers vs. Penny....MLB continues to show it can't do anything right.

I was really surprised that the 2 starting pitchers in this All-Star game didn't get lit up. ( But both of them did allow a home run ) Which brings me to the question, How did Vlad ever hit that ball?