You can vote for the 2007 All Star Game online.

My National League Selections (as of today)

1B - Derek Lee, Cubs (.394/.469/.577) - He's leading the majors in batting average at .394 but he's only got 3 home runs (a pace of 13) ... Prince Fielder has an NL leading 14 home runs but barely has Lee beat in slugging percentage while being way behind Lee in batting average and OBP. I've got to go with Lee although I think Fielder may end up having a better season. Everyones pre-season NL all star 1B Albert Pujols is having a weak year so far.

2B - Chase Utley, Phillies (.291/.378/.541) - Tops among NL 2nd Basement for homeruns (actually tied with Brandon Phillips and Dan Uggla at 8) and slugging percentage (.541)

SS - Jose Reyes, Mets (.324/.394/.505) - This is a really stellar position in the NL so far this year. JJ Hardy has an NL leading 14 home runs for the Brewers, Hanley Ramirez is hitting .335 for the Marlins, and Edgar Renteria is hitting .335 for the Braves. Reyes, Hardy, Ramirez, Renteria, and Jimmy Rollins all have slugging percentages over .500 which is really astounding power coming from the shortstop position. I did a quick look back and there hasn't been an NL shortstop who has finished the year with a slugging percentage over .500 yet this millennium. I didn't look back into the 90s. Anyone hazard a guess at who the last NL shortstop with a slugging percentage over .500 was? I'll have to research. Anyway, my point is, absolutely stacked position so far this year but I have to go with Reyes as he's the sparkplug on the best team in the NL.

3B - Chipper Jones, Braves (.307/.404/.647) - Jones is having an outstanding season for the Braves who are also as a team having a great year so far.

C - Bengie Molina, Giants (.304/.333/.464) - This may be somewhat of a "homer" vote as I'm a huge Giants fan but the stats are pretty close right now between Molina, the Dodger's Russell Martin, the Brewer's Johnny Estrada, and the Braves Brian McCann. I go with Molina because the all star game is in San Francisco this year. Molina has had a lot of big hits for the Giants this year.

OF - Barry Bonds, Giants (.287/.503/.630) - Bonds has been cold in May but he was godlike in April and his season stats still place him as first among all NL OF in OBP, SLG, BB, & HR (tied with the Red's Adam Dunn with 11.)

OF - Ken Griffey Jr. Reds (.303/.406/.553) - Griffey has had a been of a return to form so far this year. He's a hall of famer and I'll vote for him over whoever is having a couple of fluke months right now. He's 3rd among NL OF's in OPS (2nd if you don't count the Rockies Matt Holiday, and come to think of it, I don't count anyone on the Rockies so yes he's 2nd.)

OF - Randy Winn, Giants (.325/.353/.478) - OK, I'm not really serious with this selection but Winn does have a 20 game hitting streak and he's hitting .325 and really looking at the NL outfielders I don't see a lot of really outstanding seasons so far this year so I give it to Winn as punishment to the rest of these overrated bastards. I suppose it should go to the Astros Carlos Lee or the Phillies Aaron Rowand or the Reds Adam Dunn.

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Contributed by Josh
13 Comments:
Blogger Josh said...
sammy sosa hit #598 tonight.. 10th of the year. he's putting up some dave kingmanesque #s this year.

eh... i'm not pleased about sosa joining the 600 homer club.
May 22, 2007 at 11:42 PM  

Blogger Josh said...
what does that have to do with anything, you aren't suggesting sammy should make the all star team are you?
May 23, 2007 at 12:48 AM  

Blogger Josh said...
how many all star games did dave kingman play?
May 23, 2007 at 12:48 AM  

Blogger Josh said...
what, do you want me to look it up?
May 23, 2007 at 12:48 AM  

Blogger Josh said...
what else do you have to do?
May 23, 2007 at 12:48 AM  

Blogger Josh said...
kingman made 3 all star teams:

in 1976 when he hit .238/.286/.506 with 37 home runs (2nd in the NL)

in 1979 when he hit .288/.343/.613 with 48 home runs (lead NL) - this was easily kingman's best year.

in 1980 when he hit .278/.329/.522 with 18 home runs in an injury shortened year.

He did not make the team in 1982... perhaps the ultimate Kingman year. He hit .204/.285/.432 while leading the NL in home runs with 37. Kingman had a 99+ OPS. I wouldn't be surprised if no other player has ever lead the league in home runs and had an OPS below 100. That's kind of hard to do if you think about it. Let me know if anyone else pulled off this amazing feat!
May 23, 2007 at 12:57 AM  

Blogger Josh said...
ah that dave kingman is silly! kingman also has the distinction of finishing his career with more strikeouts than hits!

7 times kingman finished in the top 3 in in his league for home runs.

i've always found kingman's combination of home run prowess combined with awful batting average and high strikeouts (not to mention almost no walks) to be quite an interesting combination. he's the ultimate all or nothing slugger who came up nothing quite often.

also how many players hit 35 home runs in their retirement season (1986) ? he coupled those 35 home runs with a career low .255 OBP!
May 23, 2007 at 1:01 AM  

Blogger Josh said...
sosa's numbers arent as bad as I thought they were actually...

.268/.329/.529

not that far off his career averages

.274/.345/.536
i think his name is going to tarnish the other 600 homer club members who are/were all great great players. sosa is a hacker, not one of the great hitters of all time like aaron, bonds, ruth, & mays.
May 23, 2007 at 1:10 AM  

Blogger Josh said...
i was thinking with how easy it is to get into the 500 homer club these days that maybe the 600 homer club could be the "new" 500 homer club. but now i realize that sammy sosa is going to be a member of this... ...

actually that's the thing... sosa should be there soon... griffey could be there next season. a-rod could be there in 2-3 years. 600 homer club will go from 3 to 7 in less than 10 years it looks, all together.

huh?
May 23, 2007 at 1:13 AM  

Blogger Josh said...
some of the new math may have entered the building
May 23, 2007 at 1:13 AM  

Blogger Josh said...
i'm sorry about adding randy winn. that was just ridiculous. now that his hitting streak is done i replace him with Carlos Beltran.
May 23, 2007 at 1:14 AM  

Blogger IHateU said...
Eat the crazy pills a bit much?
May 24, 2007 at 11:26 AM  

Blogger Josh said...
Prince Fielder has to be at first base now...
June 1, 2007 at 12:52 PM