2011 Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game Starting Positions

The 82^nd Annual All-Star Game starting positions were announced on Sunday via a selection show on TBS. MLB fans voted in record numbers casting 32.5 million ballots for their favorite players to fill out the starting rosters.

Fans picked the 17 starting position players for the American League and National League teams. The players voted for 17 position players and 6 pitchers and the managers picked 10 pitchers and 6 reserves each for a total of 66 roster positions. The rosters will be completed with one additional pick for each team. The final two positions can be voted for online at Major League Baseball’s website (see HogManInLA’s Final Voting for All-Star Positions for further information).

The AL starters are not close to the 1985 team that started seven future Hall of Famers (Carlton Fisk, Rickey Henderson, George Brett, Eddie Murray, Cal Ripken, Dave Winfield, and Jim Rice) but talented none the less. The AL roster has 7 AL East starters; 4 New York Yankees will start, leading all teams in position players starting (6 total players selected), 2 Boston Red Sox players (4 total players selected), and 1 Toronto Blue Jays player. Alex Rodriguez is making his 14^th All-Star appearance tying him with Ivan Rodriguez for the most All-Star appearances by an active player.

American League Starters

C Alex Avila (Tigers)

1B Adrian Gonzalez (Red Sox)

2B Robinson Cano (Yankees)

3B Alex Rodriguez (Yankees)

SS Derek Jeter (Yankees)

OF Joes Bautista (Blue Jays)

OF Curtis Granderson (Yankees)

OF Josh Hamilton (Rangers)

DH David Ortiz (Red Sox)

Small market this! The Milwaukee Brewers’ fan base showed up big in 2011. Ryan Braun led all NL position players in voting giving Braun his 4^th consecutive All-Star Game start. The Brewers lead the NL in total starting positions with 3 starters. Prince Fielder gets the start at first with the injury to St. Louis Cardinals’ 1B Albert Pujols. The Phillies’ and Giants’ loaded pitching staffs placed 3 starting pitchers in the NL rotation giving the Phillies and Giants 4 total All-Star selections.

National League Starters

C Brian McCann (Braves)

1B Prince Fielder (Brewers)

2B Rickie Weeks (Brewers)

3B Placido Polanco (Phillies)

SS Jose Reyes (Mets)

OF Ryan Braun (Brewers)

OF Lance Berkman (Cardinals)

OF Matt Kemp (Dodgers)

National League Reserves:

Starting Pitchers

Jair Jurrjens (Braves), Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers), Matt Cain (Giants), Tim Linececum (Giants), Ryan Vogelsong (Giants), Cliff Lee (Phillies), Roy Halladay (Phillies), and Cole Hamels (Phillies)

Relievers

Jonny Venters (Braves), Brian Wilson (Giants), Tyler Clippard (Nationals), Heath Bell (Padres), Joel Hanrahan (Pirates)

Infield Reserves

Catcher Yadier Molina (Cardinals), 1B Gaby Sanchez (Marlins), 1B Joey Votto (Reds), 2B Brandon Phillips (Reds), SS Starlin Castro (Cubs), SS Troy Tulowitzki (Rockies), 3B Chipper Jones (Braves)

Outfielder Reserves

Carlos Beltran (Mets), Jay Bruce (Reds), Matt Holliday (Cardinals), Hunter Pence (Astros), Justin Upton (Diamondbacks)

American League Reserves

Starting Pitchers

Jared Weaver (Angels), Gio Gonzalez (Athletics), Felix Hernandez (Mariners), David Price (Rays), James Shields (Rays), C.J. Wilson (Rangers), Josh Beckett (Red Sox), Justin Verlander (Tigers)

Relievers

Chris Perez (Indians), Brandon League (Mariners), Aaron Crow (Royals), Mariano Rivera (Yankees), Jose Valverde (Tigers)

Infield Reserves

Catcher Russell Martin (Yankees), Matt Wieters (Orioles), 1B Miguel Cabrera (Tigers), 2B Howie Kendrick (Angels), SS Asdrubal Cabrera (Indians), 3B Adrian Beltre

Outfield Reserves

Matt Joyce (Rays), Jacoby Ellsbury (Red Sox), Michael Cuddyer (Twins), Carlos Quentin (White Sox) and DH Michael Young (Rangers)

Just to Clarify

The 2011 All-Star votes by the fans seemed to be spot on this year. 2010 AL MVP, Josh Hamilton, was having an all-star first half to his season before he broke his arm thus a good pick by the fans. One could argue about Derek Jeter’s selection; .260, 2 home runs, and 20 RBIs. Jeter is making his 12^th All-Star appearance, 7^th straight as a starter, and is a lock for the Hall of Fame. His quest for 3,000 hits before the midway point of the season has been put on hold due to his hamstring injury. Jeter is supposed to be available to play in the All-Star Game.

The NL is loaded at first base. With the injury to Albert Pujols this allows Prince Fielder to start and Joey Votto (the 2010 NL MVP) and Gaby Sanchez to make the team. Absent from the NL squad is strike out king and power hitter Ryan Howard. You have to give the Phillies’ fans credit for not stuffing the ballot box for him.

Jose Reyes started the year off well but not great. Since the first month of the season he has arguably been the best player in baseball. He’s playing like he’s in a contract year… wait he is in a contract year. Amazing to see what these guys can do when the apply themselves everyday.

30-30 or maybe 40-40? Matt Kemp is having the MVP type season all baseball fans and Dodger fans have been wanting from him. The 6’ 3” 220 lbs 5 tool player has been slugging and stealing bases for the lowly Los Angeles Dodgers all season. He’s hitting .327, with 64 RBIs, and 52 runs. He already has 22 home runs and 22 stolen bases, time will tell how well his season ends up. Kemp could be the first player since Alex Rodriguez in 2003 to win the MVP Award playing for a last place team in their division (In 2003 the Rangers were 71-91; in AL West). 

MLB All-Star Game is July 12^th, at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona.

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