Mid Summer Classic: Please Vote Wisely

The 2007 MLB All Star Game will be played at the beautiful AT&T Park in San Francisco on Tuesday,July 10. The date is coming near and fans only have 11 more days to vote for All Stars. At MLB.com fans can vote up to 25 times on the online ballot. I urge all baseball fans to vote, but to remember the following disclaimer: VOTE FOR THE MOST DESERVING PLAYER BASED ON PERFORMANCE. Please do not vote a for a player just because he is your favorite player or he has been a superstar in the past, vote for the player that is performing the best at this time.

Here are my votes for the 2007 AL All Star Team. (I will post the NL list tommorow)

AL:
C JORGE POSADA- .347/.407/.507- Posada has been one of the few Yankees players that has showed up to play everyday. He has been a solid backstop this season and has flat out raked at the plate.
Runner Up: Victor Martinez

1B DAVID ORTIZ- .329/.445/.587- Ortiz is on the ballot this year as a first baseman because there are no DH's in All Star Games at NL parks. Ortiz has been slowed down a little bit with a leg injury and his homeruns are down with 11, but he might be on his way to the best season of his career. He is getting on base at a ridiculous .445 clip and remains one of the games most dangerous hitters.
Runner Up: Casey Kotchman

2B BJ UPTON .320/.396/.545- The mega prospect has finally arrived. Upton leads all American League second baseman in OPS and has been a fine player for the Devil Rays this season. The only thing that has slowed the 22 year old is his posistion on the disabled list, which he currently occupies. Upton has committed 12 errors at second base, but he is athletic and rangy.
Runner Up: Dustin Pedroia

SS DEREK JETER- .343/.421/.479- Captain intangibles is swinging the bat well again and is an on base machine. He is an overrated defender, but still makes plays within his range. Derek always leaves his blood and guts on the field and his inside out swing is well suited for the 2-spot in the AL lineup.
Runner Up: Orlando Cabrera

3B ALEX RODRIGUEZ-.309/.409/.679- AROD has single handedly kept the Yankees from totally tanking and falling out of the playoff race. He leads the majors with 26 home runs and 70 RBI. The 256 million dollar man has been clutch all season long with notable game winning homeruns against the Indians and Red Sox.
Runner Up- Troy Glaus

OF MAGGLIO ORDONEZ- .367/.441/.653- If the vote was held today, Magglio Ordonez would win AL MVP. He has the highest OPS in the league and his Tigers are just one game out in the central. Ordonez leads the Majors with 32 doubles and is second in RBI, driving in 61.

OF VLADIMIR GUERRERO- .329/.434/.563- Vladdy is off to another great season. Although he hasn't stolen as many bases as in years past, he has still hit 12 homers and has driven in 62 runs. Guerrero has not collected an outfield assist yet, but that is because nobody will run on him. The impalor has shown improved plate discipline this season with 43 walks.

OF Torii Hunter- .307/.354/.560- In a contract year, Hunter is off to his best season yet. The rangy defender known as Spiderman makes highlight plays with ease and covers one of the toughest outfields in baseball,The Metrodome. Torii has 14 Home Runs and 54 RBI lifting up a Twins lineup that has been hurt by the injury to Joe Mauer.
RUNNERS UP: Nick Swisher,Ichiro Suzuki, Grady Sizemore, Reggie Willits

- Random Notes

- The Brewers have called up prized prospect Yovani Gallardo to start against San Francisco on Monday. The young southpaw has breezed through Triple with an 8-3 record and a 2.90 ERA. He has held opponents to a .189 batting average and has 110 strikeouts in 77.2 innings. Gallardo is 21 years old and was rated by Baseball America as the 16th best prospect in Major League Baseball.