Here are my votes for the American League All-Star Team:
C - Victor Martinez, Cleveland Indians (.400, 7 HR, 30 RBI)
I like Joe Mauer a lot, and at the end of the season, he'll probably have numbers about as good as Victor's. But I use my all star vote to select the guys who have produced at the highest level thus far this season, and Martinez is just doing fantastic.
1B - Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers (.381, 8 HR, 32 RBI)
Cabrera has cooled off considerably and is still hitting .381. That tells you how hot he started the season. A close second is Justin Morneau, but I took the 60 points of batting average over 4 HRs.
2B - Aaron Hill, Toronto Blue Jays (.351, 11 HR, 35 RBI)
As much as it hurt me to not put Kinsler here (one of my fantasy studs...wait, not like that...), there's just no question that Aaron Hill is having a better first half. Everyone keeps waiting for him to slow down, but so far, he's maintained his torrid pace (and made me look foolish for trading him).
3B - Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays (.329, 11 HR, 46 RBI)
Michael Young in Texas is also having a great first half, but Longoria has more than double Young's RBI total. News flash: this kid can hit.
SS - Jason Bartlett, Tampa Bay Rays (.376, 6 HR, 23 RBI, 12 SB)
All four of the statistics listed above lead AL shortstops. And the Rays got him and Garza for Delmon Young? Well played.
OF - Adam Jones, Baltimore Orioles (.364, 9 HR, 27 RBI)
OF - Jason Bay, Boston Red Sox (.301, 13 HR, 44 RBI, 4 SB)
OF - Carl Crawford, Tampa Bay Rays (.318, 1 HR, 19 RBI, 25 SB)
Johnny Damon is also having an outstanding first half, but I'll stick with my picks. I imagine that people will look at my Crawford pick and suggest that he's less deserving because 6 of his steals came in one game, but think about how ridiculous that sounds. A guy should be marked down because he had six steals in one game? Plus, that .318 batting average didn't hit itself. Adam Jones looks like the real deal, as both sides of the big Erik Bedard trade are looking brighter this season.
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