Baseball swings and misses with Strasburg and the All Star game

Stephen Strasburg is not on the All Star roster.
Of course he isn’t.
Why would he be? It would just make the All Star Game more electric, more fascinating and exciting.

Why would baseball want to do something like that?

Why would you want to have a phenom who has faced virtually NOBODY on the A.L. All Star team and have some fascinating head to head match ups?

Why would you want to have a moment where the player that is filling up stands in places like Cleveland and Washington play on the grandest stage while the interest of him is at a peak?

Why would you do something like that? Why would baseball want TO DO SOMETHING SMART?

And spare me talking about his win loss record. The Nationals have scored a grand total of 3 runs for him in his last 4 starts COMBINED!

And I don’t want to hear about how the All Star Game roster spot needs to be for a truly accomplished player. The fans voted in Kosuke Fukudome one year.

Jose Offerman is a 2 time All Star. Tyler Green made an All Star team.

Were fans glued to the TV thinking “Oh boy, I hope Jose Rosado gets into this game.”

And also spare me the whole “He’ll make the All Star Game later” nonsense.
He will NEVER have this sense of mystery and freshness. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to have Strasburg face the A.L. All Stars for the first time… and they blew it to give Matt Capps a spot on the team.

No offense to Matt Capps… but what do you think will be a more memorable moment…

Strasburg versus Jeter, Guerrero and Mauer
Capps versus Ty Wigginton?

You blew it baseball.
Swing and a miss.

Sully Baseball Picks THE AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL STAR ROSTER

The All Star rosters are going to be announced today and inevitably there will be a lot of people ticked off at the results.

And there will be people angry at the popularity contest that is the fan votes.

And also people will hate that every team needs to be represented.

All predictable reactions…
But I am not going to bitch and moan. Or at least not yet. I am going to assemble my All Star Roster for the American League and post it before the real one is announced.

And I will use the current All Star rules.
In other words the starting line up will be as voted by the fans and each team will indeed have a representative.

I’ll pick 24 reserves and pitchers for the AL.

And seeing that homefield advantage in the World Series is on the line, I am putting together a teamwith a shot to win.

So let’s put together the 2010 American League All Star Team…

THE 2010 AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL STAR TEAM
(As Picked By The Staff of Sully Baseball)

STARTING LINEUP
(Based on Current Voting Standings)

CATCHER – JOE MAUER, Minnesota

FIRST BASEMAN – JUSTIN MORNEAU, Minnesota

SECOND BASEMAN – ROBINSON CANO, New York

SHORTSTOP – DEREK JETER, New York

THIRD BASEMAN – EVAN LONGORIA, Tampa Bay

LEFT FIELDER – CARL CRAWFORD, Tampa Bay

CENTER FIELDER – JOSH HAMILTON, Texas

RIGHT FIELDER – ICHIRO SUZUKI, Seattle

DESIGNATED HITTER – VLADIMIR GUERRERO, Texas

PITCHERS and RESERVES
(As selected by the Staff of Sully Baseball)

STARTING PITCHER – DAVID PRICE, Tampa Bay

ADDITIONAL PITCHERS

ANDREW BAILEY, Oakland
CLAY BUCHHOLZ, Boston
TREVOR CAHILL, Oakland
FELIX HERNANDEZ, Seattle
CLIFF LEE, Seattle
JON LESTER, Boston
COLBY LEWIS, Texas
ANDY PETTITTE, New York
MARIANO RIVERA, New York
CC SABATHIA, New York
JOAKIM SORIA, Kansas City
JARED WEAVER, Los Angeles

ADDITIONAL POSITION PLAYERS

ELVIS ANDRUS, Texas
ADRIAN BELTRE, Boston
JOHN BUCK, Toronto
MIGUEL CABRERA, Detroit
TORII HUNTER, Los Angeles
IAN KINSLER, Texas
PAUL KONERKO, Chicago
NICK MARKAKIS, Baltimore
MIKE NAPOLI, Los Anegeles
SHIN-SOO CHOO, Cleveland
VERNON WELLS, Toronto
KEVIN YOUKILIS, Boston

There you have it.
Each team is represented and each position has an able back up. The rotation and bullpen are deep and there is a pair of reserve catchers.

You might be asking, “Now dear Sully, why are you only doing the American League?”

Because I am tired and I want to go to bed.