Meet The All-Stars

With the Major League Baseball All Star Game only eight days away, the league announced the rosters of each team yesterday during an afternoon "Selection Special" on TBS (of course, that didn't prevent just about every major publication from releasing the rosters four or five hours in advance). As with any all star game, the fans vote on the starters which leads to a few players (sometimes more than a few) that don't deserve to start in the game but get voted in on name alone. This always leaves the door open for the "Who Got Snubbed" colums and debates. I'd like to say we're no different at the Reach Blog...but hell, there are some interesting things to note about this year's rosters:

1. Maybe it's because I've been living in Minnesota for the last 21 years, but the idea that Kyle Lohse was snubbed makes me sick but he is 10-2 with a 3.61 ERA (granted the ERA is a tad bit high). The fact that an arguement could be made for Lohse is unexpected.

2. Jason Varitek is batting .218 but was chosen as a reserve. Over A.J. Pierzynski or Ivan Rodriguez?

3. How about the AL bullpen? Joe Nathan, Jonathan Papelbon, Mariano Rivera, Joakim Soria, George Sherril, Francisco Rodriguez are all closers. What do you think about the AL going to that pen with a lead in the 4th inning?

4. The Cubs and Red Sox each sent seven players (and their managers) to the game. However, I wonder how close Derrek Lee and Mike Lowell came to being named reserves.

5. Who do you have start the game if you're Clint Hurdle or Terry Francona? Cliff Lee and Edinson Volquez? Roy Halladay? Tim Lincecum? Ryan Dempster? The prediction from the Reach Blog offices are Tim Lincecum and Cliff Lee if you're keeping score at home.

6. As for the online vote--do you vote for Giambi's mustache or Evan Longoria? Personally, I'd like to see as many Yankees as possible since this is the last season at Yankee Stadium (and Giambi's been deserving) but the Rays are the story of the season so far and Longoria might be the leading vote getter when it's all said and done.