The Hardest All-Star Vote

Which All-Star voting method do you employ?

The Cesar Izturis Method -- Pick a player without bonafides based on 12 good weeks, regardless of the rest of his career arc. Izturis was an '05 honoree after hitting .345 through June 1. He batted .173 the rest of the way without power or speed and ended the season at little more than replacement level.

The Jason Giambi Method -- Just choose the best players regardless of their accomplishments so far that year. Giambi batted .237 with 12 homers in the first half of '03, then slammed 29 in the second half and finished the season with a .939 OPS, 48% above league average.

The Derek Jeter Method -- Exercise your franchise for the retiring hero whose production took a wrong turn at Aging Street and isn't going to find its way back, just because you want to see him start one more time. 

The Cespedes-Puig Method -- Go for the glitz, the glam! The All-Star Game is just entertainment!

The Braindrizzling Method -- Mix two cups of Giambi with one cup of Izturis and season with a soupcon of Puig. There is no one on my ballot struggling in the first half. There is no one on my ballot who hasn't done it before. Rookies have to wait their turn unless their turn has turned.

My AL ballot:
1B - Miguel Cabrera, Detroit
2B - Robinson Cano, Seattle
SS - Alexi Ramirez, White Sox
3B - Adrian Beltre, Texas
C - Sal Perez, KC
OF - Mike Trout, Anaheim
OF - Jose Bautista, Toronto
OF - Michael Brantley, Cleveland
DH - Victor Martinez, Detroit

Cabrera is the first baseman unless he steps on his glove and breaks his hand four games into the season and doesn't play again. Everyone else has done it before, to varying degrees. You could have gone Josh Donaldson of Oakland at third and someone else, say all-around Alex Gordon of KC, as the third outfielder. 

Others -- Nelson Cruz, Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Abreu, Jose Altuve, Melky Cabrera, to name a few -- deserve consideration, but not as starters. And of course Derek Jeter and Paul Konerko are retiring stars who should be selected in some other capacity because they clearly aren't contenders at their positions today.

My NL ballot:
1B - Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona
2B - Chase Utley, Philadelphia
SS - Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado
3B - Todd Frazier, Cincinnati
OF - Giancarlo Stanton, Miami 
OF - Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh
OF - Yasiel Puig, Los Angeles

Any ballot not including Tulo, Giancarlo and Cutch should be incinerated. Puig and Milwaukee's Gomez are both good third outfield choices; I don't trust Dee Gordon, but if he's for real, he's a fine choice at short with his defense and his 40 steals. And Anthony Rendon of Washington is a stud at...um...third? second? first? 

Third was a tough choice: Frazier is having the best half year and has hit well before. If David Wright's pedigree is more your cup of tea, have a swig of that.

But wait, I haven't selected an NL catcher. Well you try choosing just one from this group:

Evan Gattis, Atlanta -- .290 with 16 bombs and passable defense in his first full-time duty.
Jonathan Lucroy, Milwaukee -- .334 with 37 extra-base hits
Devin Mesoraco, Cincinnati -- .310 and 14 jacks in only 48 games
Yadier Molina, St. Louis -- .280 and his Yadierness behind the dish
Buster Posey, San Fran -- .293 with power and an MVP trophy sticking out of his pocket 

What an embarrassment of riches at backstop. I put Lucroy on my team; he's a budding star and will vindicate the choice. But the bigger question is which two don't make the squad at all? 

Catchers authored a dismal .687 OPS last year, worst by position except for shortstops and 13% below league mean, including pitchers. These five are averaging .872, 24% clear of league average. That's the difference between five guys who bat .230 with four home runs and this quintet, averaging .300 with 11 jacks. 

Something to savor at the halfway mark.

Who Doesn't Belong On Your All-Star Ballot

Many Americans vote for their President, US Senator and House member without much thought. They vote for the guy they like, or listen to one speech and make up their minds or enter the voting booth not sure and pull one lever or another based on whim.

But the MLB All-Star ballot, that's a sacred rite! So, okay, there's not much point in treating the vote as if lives depend on it.

On the other hand, it's reasonable to avoid blatant injustice if you can. So let's take a look at the All-Star ballot. Here's mine:

AL
1B - Chris Davis, BAL -- maybe the first half MVP
2B - Robinson Cano, NY -- the best player having the best season
SS - Jed Lowrie, OAK -- in a close vote
3B - Miguel Cabrera, DET -- any questions?
DH - David Ortiz, BOS -- there's really no one else
C - Joe Mauer, MIN -- no contest
OF - Mike Trout, ANA -- best in the majors
OF - Adam Jones, BAL -- because he slugs and plays center
OF - Alex Gordon, KC -- he does it all

NL
1B - Joey Votto, CIN -- the best player having the best season
2B - Matt Carpenter, StL -- No track record, but he's by far the best this season
SS - Troy Tulowitzki, COL -- he's hurt, but give him the honor and then replace him with Segura
3B - David Wright, NY -- head and shoulders above the crowd
C - Yadier Molina, StL -- his defense gets the nod over Posey
OF - Shin-soo Choo, CIN -- he just gets on and on and on
OF - Andrew McCutchen, PIT -- stud's getting it done again
OF - Domonic Brown, PHI -- gave him the nod over Gerardo Parra

Others whom you might have reasonably selected:
Paul Goldschmidt, AZ at NL 1B -- He's unlikely to maintain his .300+ average while Votto will
Jason Kipnis, CLE at AL 2B -- A breakout with the bat, but Cano does that every year
Dustin Pedroia, BOS at AL 2B -- He's got the track record but lacks Cano's power and durability
Marco Scutaro, SF at NL 2B -- Another nice season, but w/o power pales compared to Carpenter
Jhonny Peralta, DET at AL SS -- Hitting better than Lowrie and both are defensively suspect
Jean Segura, MIL at NL SS -- Hard to vote for a player based on 80 games when there's a real option
Buster Posey, SF at NL C -- You know he'll keep hitting like this; Molina probably won't
Brett Gardner, NYY at AL OF -- Splitting hairs left him off
Gerardo Parra, AZ, at NL OF -- See above note
Carlos Gonzalez, COL at NL OF -- Denver casts a shadow on his big numbers 
Michael Cuddyer, COL at NL OF -- The hitting streak will end for this .805 OPS lifetime hitter
Ryan Braun, MIL at NL OF -- missing the power and maybe the credibility
Torii Hunter, ANA; Coco Crisp, OAK; Michael Bourn, CLE at AL OF -- good players getting it done in '13.

Here are some players who will get votes but whom you can't reasonably vote for: 

Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Texeira, Curtis Granderson, Bryce Harper, Matt Kemp or anyone else who's sat this spring more than he's stood.

Yasiel Puig, because of the small sample size. The Puig phenomenon belongs at the game but he shouldn't replace someone who has earned the start all year.

Evan Longoria or Manny Machado. They're raking and deserve to be in Flushing, but voting for anyone besides Miguel Cabrera should freeze your account and void your ballot.

Edwin Encarnacion, James Loney or anyone at AL first base besides Chris Davis. If hitting .330/.404/.704 with 28 homers doesn't earn your vote, no one does.

Melky Cabrera because you thought M. Cabrera on the ballot meant Miguel and you don't know that Miguel isn't an outfielder.

Players batting .249/.298/.367 who are on your favorite team.

Albert Pujols. A vote for him indicates you are not paying sufficient attention to merit even one vote, much less the 75 cast from my computer. Long live democracy!

Why Matt Kemp Belongs On My All-Star Ballot

This time, my All-Star ballot counts.

My All-Star choices reflect a combination of first-half performance and lifetime achievement. To avoid selecting a first-half fluke whose performance collapses after June, I also value the sustained excellence of players over their career. On the other hand, some early performances just demand inclusion.

American League

1B  Paul Konerko, White Sox -- .337/.415/.561.  It's not close.
2B  Robinson Cano, Yankees -- .305/.368/.573. Beginning to make a Hall of Fame case.
SS  Asdrubal Cabrera, Indians -- .292/.373/.487. He has assumed the mantle of AL's best shortstop.
3B  Miguel Cabrera, Tigers -- .309/.367/.537. With a logjam at this position, Cabrera's lifetime achievements provide greater confidence than the first-half performances of KC's Mike Moustakas and Toronto's Brett Lawrie. Adrian Beltre has similar numbers, but is aided by The Ballpark in Arlington.
C  Joe Mauer, Twins -- .324/.415/.439. The power outage is disconcerting, but he still gets on base. Chicago's AJ Pierczynski  and Boston's Saltalamacchia are also reasonable options.
OF Josh Hamilton, Rangers -- .316/.384/.614. He also flashes leather and leaps tall buildings.
OF Mike Trout, Angels -- .342/.398/.535, 22 of 25 steals. Should be the first of many for this spectacular rookie CF.
OF Jose Bautista, Blue Jays -- .238/.356/.550. You hate the batting average, but Joey Bats does everything else and could win a third straight home run crown.
DH David Ortiz, Red Sox -- .307/.396/.621. Big Papi not done; getting it done.

National League

1B  Joey Votto, Reds -- .354/.476/.639.  He's on pace for 70 doubles and an MVP.
2B  Aaron Hill, Diamondbacks, -- .302/.363/.520. Slim pickings at the keystone vaults Hill over Astro phenom Jose Altuve.
SS  Jed Lowrie, Astros-- .261/.349/.490. Who knew?
3B  David Wright, Mets-- .359/.452/.570. The Mets are preparing to rent a Brinks truck and back it  into Wright's driveway.
C Carlos Ruiz, Phillies --  .361/.427/.578. Cards' Molina and Giants Posey are legitimate choices here too.
OF Matt Kemp, Dodgers -- .355/.444/.719. The best player in the NL is on the DL, but his selection recognizes him and allows another player to enjoy the honor.

OF Andrew McCutcheon, Pirates -- .344/.399/.594. "Spectacular" is his middle name. (Along with "Stefan".)

OF Ryan Braun, Brewers -- .310/.390/.590. Maybe he didn't need steroids after all.
(OF Replacement for Kemp) Carlos Beltran, Cardinals -- .312/.402/.585. Albert who?

Quirk of the season: The18 selections represent 18 different teams. That's just the way it worked out.

For starting pitchers, how about Justin Verlander and R.A. Dickey. Awesome.
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My All-Star Roster

The composition following this statement is a study in trivia. Nothing you are about to read amounts to a hill of beans. Which is saying something for a blog called "braindrizzling" in which the topic is baseball. So you've been warned.

The aforementioned is so mentioned because this is about the All-Star squad, which matters almost entirely in the sense that a dozen of the 64 participants get bonuses for having their names selected. Beyond that, it's the fans game and they vote for the guys they want.

Here's the really surprising part: the masses do a great job. They are far more rational than the players and managers, who seem to select the guys with the best reputations and whom they like the best, respectively.

It doesn't matter, in part because no one has ever defined what constitutes an All-Star-worthy performance. Is it half a season of accomplishment? Is it the best 162 games, from last ASG to this one? Is it just about being the best player? The one fans want to see?  Or is it some combination of these?

Everyone seems to have their own, sometimes variable, formula. Here's mine, and it's no more defined than any other: I vote for the best players having the best seasons. How's that for vague? Albert Pujols is the NL first baseman unless he's hitting .230 with six home runs. Jerry Hairston, Jr. and his .695 lifetime OPS doesn't make my starting roster batting .400 with 20 dingers unless David Wright falls down a flight of stairs and takes Scott Rolen, Chipper Jones, Placido Polanco, Mark Reynolds and the Kung Fu Panda with him.

I take into consideration when a player has only played half of half the season, but I pay no mind whatsoever to whether a player is currently hurt. If he deserves the nod, I bestow it. Let the manager replace him.

That said, here are my votes for the Mid-Summer Classic.

NL

1B Albert Pujols

2B Chase Utley

3B David Wright

SS Hanley Ramirez

C Brian McCan

OF Ryan Braun

OF Andre Ethier

OF Matt Holliday

AL

1B Miguel Cabrera

2B Robinson Cano

3B Adrian Beltre

SS Derek Jeter

C Joe Mauer

OF Josh Hamilton

OF Ichiro Suzuki

OF Vernon Wells

DH Vlad Guerrero

You'll notice that there aren't any rookies or surprise names on this ballot. Jose Bautista is going to have to go all Mark McGwire on AL pitching for more than 260 at-bats before I get ramped up about him. Moreover, not everyone here is having a great year. Jeter's batting .286 with middling power and speed. McCann's at .259 and he's missed some games. They are still clearly the best in their league at their position. (It helps that no NL catcher or AL shortstop is lighting it up.)

There are plenty of tough calls here. Prince Albert sets a lofty standard, but Ryan Howard, Adrian Gonzalez, Adam Dunn and Joey Votto all have OPS above .900. At least one of them will watch the game from a bar. ("Adam, your turn to buy a round!) The same in the AL, where Justin Morneau makes every bit the case Cabrera does, and Paul Konerko and Kevin Youklis are both having great years.

Chase Utley is by far the best second baseman in the senior circuit, so the fact that four other keystoners are putting up the same numbers in bigger ballparks doesn't excite me. David Wright and Scott Rolen are both great candidates, but Rolen has a history of fragility and Wright plays in a cavern. I gave the AL third sacker job to a raking Beltre, but Evan Longoria, ARod and Michael Young all make cases.

In the outfields, Josh Hamilton and Andre Ethier are the in-shooiest. I'm not so sure about Ichiro; you could have reasonably picked Alex Rios, Carl Crawford, Shin Soo Choo, Torii Hunter or Nick Swisher. Brett Gardner, a College of Charleston product, needs to show me more before I elect him to stardom. The same for Colby Rasmus in the NL, who's hitting up a storm, but we've yet to determine whether that front will blow through. Likewise, I eschewed Jayson Werth's ballpark-aided results, and Alfonso Soriano's inconsistency. Andrew McCutcheon is a stud in the Steel City, but he's a lock for the game as the Bucs' sole representative, so I gave Holliday the benefit of the doubt. Yes, I've employed woefully weak reasoning to break what amounts to a tie. It's no worse than penalty kicks.

Kudos to the fans: most of the names listed above are on the their wish list. In the AL, they've got Morneau at first, Longoria at third and Crawford in the outfield, all legitimate alternatives, though with Nelson Cruz's overblown Texas stats too close for comfort behind Crawford. They totter a bit on the NL squad, with Polanco wrongly leading Wright and Yadier Molina leading McCann. Jason Heyward is their worst selection, but who can blame them for irrational exuberance about a well-mannered 20-year-old stud?

I know, it's all drivel, and we'll forget who went to Anaheim by year's end when the real All-Star team (aka the New York Yankees) collects another championship trophy (yawn.) I can promise you this: it won't be nearly as exciting as the NCAA championship won yesterday by my home state Gamecocks, the pride of South Carolina, who defeated UCLA 2-1 in 11 innings. "No one can lick our 'Cocks."

See, drivel is suddenly looking good.

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Snooze and Notes

I haven't commented on the blather about an All-Star appearance for Stephen Strasburg because I haven't wanted to dignify the discussion by perpetuating it. But the talkosphere persists, so I'll just point out the following.

Players don't earn All-Star berths on six good weeks of play. If Strasburg's reputation of supernova is justified, he'll collect plenty of All-Star appearances. If he's a flash-in-the-pan, we'll feel pretty stupid about giving him someone else's slot based on six lifetime starts.

It's also worth noting that Nationals management would chew their own arms off before allowing Strasburg to throw in a meaningless exhibition. (Sorry, Bud. Truth to power.) So even if you buy the argument that his selection would goose interest in the contest, he'd likely not pitch, leaving unfulfilled fans grousing.

Between the every-team rule, the lack of definition of what an All-Star is and the myopia of managers, players and fans, it's hard enough for deserving players to claim their spots. If the nation wants to see Strasburg perform, the real alternative is for Fox and ESPN to show an occasional Nats game.

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The trade deadline is looming, so the discussion has begun about which team cashes in the 2010 season and dessicates its lineup. I don't know where the notion derived that the alternative to contending is selling off all your parts, but it's a fallacy. 

Certainly, teams that have no chance this year might be wise to parlay half a year of value in a veteran who won't resign for some young potential. (This isn't always true. Increasingly, front offices are deciding that the two high draft picks they receive when losing a top free agent are more valuable than whatever they can return in trade.) The obvious example is Seattle, where Cliff Lee could bring back some strategically-placed stufmuffins from the Twins, Mets, Red Sox, etc.

On the other hand, it makes no sense for the Mariners, who are probably just a few players away from duking it out for the division, to back up a truck and unloading everything of value from the roster. If they're going to have any chance in 2011, 2012 and beyond, the current stars are going to have to play a role.

On the other end of the spectrum are bottom-feeders like Cleveland, Houston, Washington and Pittsburgh. Darkening their rosters with a anyone over 30 is a mis-allocation of resources that should be remedied by trade whenever possible. Of course, that has nothing to do with the trade deadline, as the Pirates' brass has demonstrated on numerous occasions. The sooner those clubs excise older stars -- cough royoswalt cough -- from their lineups, the more they can get in return. The real issue is that if Houston, Cleveland, etc had any star players, they wouldn't be in their current predicaments.

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The ground ball fairy smiled on Edwin Jackson yesterday, turning every ball hit into an out. Jackson earned a no-hitter against the hit-challenged Rays with a performance that could hardly be called excellence. Jackson struck out six, put nine men on base -- eight via walk and one via HBP -- and needed a sparkling defensive play to prevent a run from scoring and leaving a bases loaded, one out situation. He also got a boost from a forgiving official scorer who posted E-4 on a ball that might have been a hit in any other game.

Jackson needed 149 pitches to get through nine frames, so subtract a sterling defensive stop or two and he gives up runs, takes the loss and doesn't finish the game.

This will be recorded as the fourth no-hitter of the season and will be remembered as the fifth, but it was not one of the 25 best pitching performances of the year. Such is the life of a no-hitter, another piece of trivia that has value only because we notice it.

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And Yet...

Since last I wrote about the All-Star game, the fans and managers have done everything they could to alter the story. After I complimented their collective sagacity, the fans voted the wrong two players into the game and the managers added their personal favorites to replace injured worthies.

Fans chose 29-year-old Shane Victorino as the last addition to the NL squad over Matt Kemp, among others. Victorino is a dashing young player sporting a park-inflated .851 OPS and 15 steals in 20 attempts. He is unlikely to keep that up, even with Citizens Bank Park on his side.

Matt Kemp is younger, at 25, more dashing, with 19 steals in 23 attempts, and easily out-hitting the Flyin' Hawaiian despite playing in one of the most offense-allergic parks in baseball. His .324 average and .892 OPS are much more in line with expectations. Fangraphs also rates Kemp as twice the fielder Victorino is. But he is seriously lacking a cool nickname.

Then Charlie Manuel added insult to injury by skipping over Kemp to pick his third outfielder, 30-year-old journeyman Jayson Werth, as an injury replacement. Werth's park-inflated .895 OPS and 12 steals in 14 attempts is impressive, and he might very well be the best-looking player in the NL, but he is no Matt Kemp and he is playing well over his head. In short, Charlie Manuel picked his guy over a player who is having a better year at the plate and in the field in a tougher ballpark who is younger and already more accomplished. Sigh.

In the AL, fans chose Brandon Inge at third over Ian Kinsler at second. This is more defensible because Inge is a nice glove man who's made the unusual move from catcher and is swatting big flies so far this campaign. My problem with Inge is that the third baseman missing from the game is not so much him, but this Rodriguez fellow who is merely the second-best ballplayer on the planet. I understand that some look askance at his struggles and missed games, but despite a hip that will still require off-season surgery, ARod has put up a .943 OPS (not counting today's two dingers) and has already blasted 17 homers in 195 at bats. By year's end he will be a top-eight MVP candidate and we'll be struggling to get that pesky Inge off our shoes.

Joe Maddon's contribution to the mayhem was to add the Rangers' exciting outfield phenomenon Nelson Cruz as an injury replacement for Torii Hunter. Cruz is a defensive stud with an Uzi connected to his shoulder and he has blasted 21 homers out of the sandlot in Arlington. He is a sentimental choice, playing his first full season at age 29, which means his career's expiration date can't be far off. Compare that to Kinsler, a fourth-year Ranger on a Hall of Fame track who has but one less homer in the same park, plays a tougher position, and is far less replaceable. If Maddon needed an outfielder, I would have suggested Jermaine Dye. His OPS is 70 points higher than Cruz's and, while not the fielder, he's crushed 20 long balls in a real baseball stadium.

I don't want to belabor the point, because other than snubbing Kemp, and a few odd pitching selections, the rosters really do form a reasonable representation of the best players in the game having the best years. Maddon is one of the three best managers in the game in my opinion and the fans really did try to pick the most deserving players.

So enjoy the game, and even more, enjoy the second half of the season. Man, it's going to be great.
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Huzzah for the Hoi Polloi

The fans have done it again. Give the great baseball unwashed an opportunity to stuff the All-Star ballot box with their favorite hometown representatives and what do they do? They carefully consider who's having the best year and cast their votes accordingly.

In fact, the fans generally do a better job than the managers of picking the most deserving players. Managers construct safe rosters stuffed fat with moundsman, lest they soil the game again by running out of pitchers. Of course, fans and managers alike show more fidelity to the game than the moronic "every team" rule. It forced Rays manager Joe Maddon to choose Andrew Bailey of the A's for his pitching staff. Bailey has thrown a grand total of 47 innings of Major League ball in his entire life and could be back in the minors by the time the A's play game 162 this year.

Beyond that, it's really hard to find much fault. The fans laid one egg in each league -- with Josh Hamilton in the AL and with Yadier Molina over Brian McCann in the NL. Aside from that, kudos to the masses.

The two squads suffer from rosters of 13 pitchers each. Thirteen! It cost Matt Kemp his outfield spot in the NL and either Ian Kinsler at second in the AL.

I'm casting my 33rd man vote for Kemp over Mark Reynolds of Arizona and Pablo Sandoval of the Giants. He's posted big numbers in a pitchers park, unlike Reynolds, and has demonstrated during his career that he can keep this up all season, unlike Sandoval.

In the AL, Kinsler has tailed off a bit lately, but I've selected him over Toronto DH Adam Lind and Tigers cornerman Brandon Inge. Kinsler has a track record of success, which Lind and Inge don't have, and his .833 OPS (largely on the basis of 19 homers) is more impressive for a second baseman than Lind's .937 OPS, particularly considering Lind doesn't play the field.

That there are myriad players having impressive seasons for whom there is no room on the rosters helps maintain the value of the All-Star designation. On the other hand, several of the selected newbies -- particularly relievers -- will regress to ordinary over the second half. It's the small downside of an All-Star game that serves the sport so well as a moment of pause and reflection on what another great year we're having.
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What's An All-Star?

As a young Capital reporter in Albany, I thought every statehouse scandal was world-shattering. Today, with many years of perspective, my response to a Bible-thumping governor disappearing for a week of adultery in Argentina is detached bemusement. I've come to recognize that the main purpose of government is entertainment.

Likewise, All-Star elections used to pique my passions. Years later it ceases to rouse me much. (It's worth noting both with respect to government and All-Star games that I continue to vote.) Moreover, my philosophy on who should play has evolved.

In the old days, when social media meant phones in teenagers' rooms, I voted for the player having the best half season, regardless of his pedigree. Over time I realized that many of my choices were regressing to their natural level by year's end while the best players picked it up in the second half.

It seems to me a guy with a lifetime .750 OPS shouldn't start ahead of a veteran star after one good 75-game stretch, and that a superstar shouldn't miss a mid-summer classic because of an injury-marred first-half.

On the other hand, we do put years on the All-Star games. If a top player hits .190 through June, or misses all but 12 games, he probably shouldn't represent his league that particular year.

So when I voted for the 2009 All-Star teams, I chose the players having the best year among those in the top echelon at their position. Sorry Ben Zobrist: get a track record and I'll vote for you. Sorry Manny Ramirez: you can't be an All-Star when you don't play.

My AL All-Star ballot:
1B Kevin Youkilis
2B Ian Kinsler
SS Derek Jeter
3B Evan Longoria
C Joe Mauer
OF Torii Hunter
OF Adam Jones
OF Ichiro Suzuki

I picked Youkilis over Mark Texeira, Justin Morneau and Miguel Cabrera. Your mileage may vary. I valued his defense and on-base ability. Kinsler got the nod over Pedroia, who's not getting it done this year, and Cano, whose power is a figment of Yankee Stadium. If Longoria weren't already a great player, I might have considered ARod. Ichiro needs to hit .370 to be an All-Star, but that's what he's doing. And Adam Jones may not have a long history of Major League success, but he was a prodigy before he became a phenom. Carl Crawford also merits consideration. Anyone who fails to vote for Jeter or Mauer should have his ballot impounded.

My NL All-Star ballot:
1B Albert Pujols
2B Chase Utley
SS Hanley Ramirez
3B David Wright
C Brian McCann
OF Ryan Braun
OF Raul Ibanez
OF Matt Kemp

In the NL, the best players have done us the favor of having the best seasons at their positions. Only in the outfield is there any uncertainty. I couldn't pass on Ibanez despite the likelihood that he's playing over his head. Matt Kemp got the nod in part because women and children should not be exposed to a Braun-Ibanez-Adam Dunn outfield. Brad Hawpe and Justin Upton have gaudy, park-aided numbers, and haven't established their bonafides.

Season your ballot to taste and remember, you don't have to live in Chicago to vote late and often.