Punch those cards

Sporting Goods

OK, had a quick look at Win Shares, and here is the update on who might be worth throwing a vote to for the MLB All-Star game.

American League:
Infield: Jason Varitek, Richie Sexson, Brian Roberts, Miguel Tejada, Alex Rodriguez
Backups: Joe Mauer, Mark Texeira, Chone Figgins, Julio Lugo, Melvin Mora
Outfield: Gary Sheffield, Johnny Damon, Aaron Rowand
Backups: Garret Anderson, Ichiro!, Trot Nixon
DH: David Ortiz

Having a look at this team, the entire AL East is accounted for once you make Roy Halladay the starter, so you would need to find only representatives from the Indians, Royals, Tigers, and A's. Throw Coco Crisp, Brandon Inge, Mike Sweeney, and Huston Street on the team, and you've got yourself 9 more slots to build a pitching rotation from, grabbing an extra catcher along the way, while having all of the teams represented. Huston Street, 2005 AL all-star!

National League:
Infield: Johnny Estrada, Derrick Lee, Jeff Kent, David Eckstein, David Wright
Backups: Michael Barrett, Albert Pujols, Craig Counsell, Alex Gonzalez, Rob Mackowiak
Outfield: Bobby Abreu, Brian Giles, Luis Gonzalez
Backups: Jim Edmonds, Adam Dunn, Carlos Lee

First of all, I can't believe Eckstein is the MVSS right now in the NL, but who challenges him, Jimmy Rollins? Alex Gonzalez? Furcal stinks these days. And I was pretty excited to see David Wright there.

Nick Johnson gets the shaft playing at the same position as Pujols and Lee, as he is having a great year, but I'm sure they can slot him in easily since the DH will be in play. Add him, Roger Clemens as your starting pitcher, and the balance of the players above means you only need to find some clown from the Rockies (Brian Fuentes) and you can actually take the best players without worrying about leaving a team out.

Not like that any of that will happen, as we will clearly get guys like Piazza and maybe even Griffey on the team, but a stat nerd can dream can't he?