Peter Gammons – inducted into the writer’s wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004 – was stricken with an aneurysm in his brain on Tuesday according to reports, and underwent surgery at a Boston area hospital.  The 61-year-old Boston native is expected to be in intensive care for the next 10 to 12 days.  Here at DN&N, we have always enjoyed his contributions both on-air and off and consider him a personal inspiration and have even modeled ourselves in his style.  Our thoughts and best wishes go out to him and his family and we will be hoping for a full and complete recovery. 

 

The Longest Streak Pt I – The Red Sox pounded rookie Alay Soler for 8 runs on 10 hits in 4 1/3 as Mike Lowell showed his All-Star form, hitting his 9^th home run.  Jon Lester worked his way through 5 innings, throwing 116 pitches, to earn his 3^rd big league win.  The victory for Boston extended their winning streak to 10 games and raised their IL record to 12-1.  Carlos Delgado, in the loss, hit his 42^nd career IL home run, moving him into sole possession of 2^nd place all-time.

 

The Longest Streak Pt II – Mark Buehrle (9-4) allowed just 2 runs over 7 innings and Bobby Jenks converted his 14^th straight save sending the Pirates to their 12^th straight loss, 4-2 in Pittsburgh.  Chicago improved to 11-2 in IL play with the win, while the Pirates dropped to 1-9.  The losing streak is Pittsburgh’s longest since 1939, and the loss, coupled with Kansas City’s 9-8 win over Cincinnati, slid the Bucs into a virtual tie with the Royals for the worst record in all of baseball. 

 

Tuesday Notables

 

When Roger Clemens (0-2, 2.38) left the game after 6 1/3 three-hit innings, the game was still scoreless.  Dan Wheeler however, surrendered a two-run double to the first batter he faced.  Nate Robertson (8-3, 3.14) and the Tigers bullpen made it stand up, as Detroit spoiled Clemens’ strong outing with a 4-0 win.  Detroit is now 12-2 in IL play.

 

The Dodgers moved to strengthen the back end of their rotation by acquiring Mark Hendrickson (4-8, 3.81) from the Devil Rays in exchange for Jae Wong Seo (2-4, 5.78), Dioner Navarro (.280/2/8) and the infamous PTBN.  L.A. also gets catcher Toby Hall (.231/8/23) in the deal to help provide depth behind rookie Russell Martin, who took the starting job away from Navarro in May.  Hendrickson with Tampa Bay, had ranked last (97^th overall) in baseball in run support at just 2.71 runs per start.

 

Luis Gonzalez homered for the first time in 204 at bats, but it wasn’t enough as the Mariners improved to 11-2 in IL play and dropped the D’Backs to 1-9 in IL action.  This 11-7 win featured two more home runs by Kenji Johjima.  Brandon Webb was rocked again, giving up 7 earned runs in 7 innings.

 

Chasing Mr. October – Ken Griffey hit the 550^th home run of his career in the Reds’ loss to Kansas City, leaving him 13 shy of Reggie Jackson on the all-time list.  The home run also tied him with Joe Morgan and Pete Rose for 12^th on the Reds all-time list with 152 and moved him past Sammy Sosa on the all-time IL play list with 38.  Mike Wood, in surrendering the jack, became the 351^st pitcher to give one up to Junior.

 

On Deck – Our favorite match-up for Wednesday features Pedro Martinez (7-3, 3.01) returning to Fenway Park with the Mets to square off against Josh Beckett (9-3, 4.84) and the red hot Red Sox.  Martinez is 58-18 lifetime with a 2.67 ERA at Fenway with every single decision coming while pitching for the Red Sox.  Boston is the only current major league team Martinez has never faced (although he never pitched against Montreal, he has faced their descendants, the Nationals).  Beckett, coming off a sparkling performance against the Phillies, has a 2.57 ERA in his last two outings, and will be going for his 10^th win of the year in a match-up of potential All-Star pitchers. 

 

DN&N’s All-Star selections – American League

 

As we did yesterday with our National League choices, we today present our choices in the American League for this year’s All-Star game in Pittsburgh.  Fan voting is set to wrap up tomorrow, but we’ll get the jump on the actual results and stick our necks out there.  We’ll not only name our starters, but our entire roster.  We’ve chosen 32 players per league – 12 pitchers and 20 position players – and we’ve made sure to represent every team, no matter how Royally distasteful that may have turned out to be. 

 

As we did yesterday with the NL, we today present our 20 best AL position players.  Tomorrow we’ll present our NL pitching staff and on Friday, we’ll announce our choices for the AL staff. 

 

Catcher (all statistics through 6/26 – Leaders in Fan Voting Italicized)

 

Catcher	TM	Fld %	E	PB	CS %	CERA	DP	TC		AVE	OBP	SLG	W/RISP	AB	HR	RBI
Mauer*	Min	0.995	2	1	42	4.25	4	444		0.377	0.444	0.524	0.345	252	5	36
Pierzynski	ChW	0.997	1	6	26	4.13	3	379		0.321	0.366	0.443	0.210	237	4	22
Rodriguez	Det	1.000	0	2	53	3.75	3	376		0.302	0.329	0.451	0.353	268	7	38
Molina	Tor	0.997	1	6	18	4.95	5	316		0.297	0.343	0.435	0.292	186	6	18
Martinez	Cle	0.988	5	4	15	5.00	4	407		0.294	0.361	0.468	0.317	265	10	48
Johjima	Sea	0.994	3	5	35	4.75	6	470		0.290	0.335	0.454	0.373	238	8	34
Posada	NYY	0.989	4	4	27	4.21	2	366		0.288	0.403	0.473	0.292	208	10	42
Hernandez	Bal	0.981	8	10	53	5.26	4	428		0.285	0.346	0.506	0.372	267	13	53
Varitek	Bos	0.995	2	1	24	4.62	1	448		0.251	0.340	0.408	0.284	211	7	34

 

Jason Varitek is a prime example of why we at DN&N take issue with fan voting.  With 7 or 8 better choices to represent the AL, Varitek – based solely on popularity – is likely to win the starting job and take a spot away from a more deserving player.  If we may rant for a moment, we say either call it the All-Popular Game or – if it’s truly to be an exhibition of that seasons’ best so far – design a better method of choosing players that doesn’t end up including guys having seasons like Jason’s.  No offense to Varitek, he’s just not an All-Star this year.

 

Joe Mauer is the rightful starter for this game.  One can simply not ignore the season he is having at the plate – including 5 more hits on Tuesday, giving him 9 hits in his last 10 AB and raising his average to .389 – which is rather nicely complimented by his solid play behind it.  Ivan Rodriguez, typically having another Gold Glove season behind the dish, is the best there is defensively, as well as a consistent .300 hitter and an All-Star to us.  With apologies to Kenji Johjima (hitting .293 with 10 HR after hitting 2 each of the last two days), A.J. Pierzynski’s consistency all season long at the plate and behind it, merits the reward.   

 

First Base (all statistics through 6/26 - Leaders in Fan Voting Italicized)

 

1B	TM	AVE	OBP	SLG	W/RISP	AB	HR	RBI		E	FLD %	ZR	GP
Konerko*	ChW	0.315	0.388	0.576	0.391	276	19	60		3	0.995	0.768	70
Youkilis	Bos	0.314	0.426	0.498	0.338	261	9	35		4	0.992	0.835	61
Overbay	Tor	0.291	0.371	0.464	0.232	265	10	40		3	0.995	0.768	60
Morneau	Min	0.282	0.338	0.557	0.284	255	19	62		4	0.994	0.854	69
Giambi	NYY	0.267	0.431	0.599	0.304	217	20	56		7	0.980	0.712	44
Hafner	Cle	0.313	0.450	0.625	0.343	256	21	62		0	1.000	1.000	3
Thome	ChW	0.280	0.411	0.610	0.373	246	24	61		0	1.000	1.000	1
Ortiz	Bos	0.266	0.377	0.550	0.284	278	22	68		0	1.000	0.900	5

 

Oh, do we have issues here.  In order to keep the popular Ortiz’ name on the ballot in a non-DH year, he and Travis Hafner were included by MLB as first basemen on the ballot despite their lack of actual playing time at the position and in place of those teams’ actual first basemen (read: the otherwise deserving Kevin Youkilis).  However, this also leaves Jim Thome off the ballot altogether, despite his being much more of an actual 1B than either Ortiz or Hafner.  Of course, I suppose it’s easier to leave Youkilis off the ballot than Paul Konerko…

 

Ortiz will win the fan balloting even though through Tuesday he had played just 5 games in the field.  This really irks us here at DN&N.  Konerko, by virtue of his best season as an actual first baseman, gets the starting nod with us.  He’s put up the best numbers of any real first sacker and has played 70 games there as well.  We’ll reluctantly take one of these three DH’s to back him up, but it’s not going to be Big Papi.  Instead we go with Hafner, who’s offensive numbers are the best of any candidate at first and too eye popping to ignore.  With a DH to back up Konerko, we feel compelled as well to take a third first baseman and we’re going to make it Youkilis.  We’re impressed with his average and on base ability as well as his solid play in the field that made the defensively gifted J.T. Snow dispensable. 

 

Second Base (all statistics through 6/25 - Leaders in Fan Voting Italicized)

 

2B	TM	AVE	OBP	SLG	W/RISP	AB	HR	RBI		E	FLD %	ZR
Cano	NYY	0.325	0.353	0.439	0.227	271	4	27		7	0.980	0.839
Loretta*	Bos	0.317	0.357	0.393	0.298	300	2	31		3	0.990	0.798
Roberts	Bal	0.309	0.376	0.395	0.421	220	0	27		3	0.986	0.876
Iguchi	ChW	0.291	0.346	0.429	0.338	268	8	37		5	0.985	0.792
Grudzielanek	KC	0.287	0.325	0.385	0.262	265	3	21		0	1.000	0.874
Lopez	Sea	0.279	0.317	0.465	0.397	301	9	53		5	0.986	0.817

 

Oh, and if you thought we had issues at first base…  At second base we are most reluctantly forced to select Mark Grudzielanek as an All-Star in order to satisfy the requirement that every team be represented.  We take conciliation that Grudz has at least represented himself in an All-Star fashion in the field, going errorless in 323 chances through Monday. Although his .287 batting average and .385 slugging % are not a disgrace, his selection does leave out someone more deserving, possibly even two others.  Mark Loretta, for his mixture off offense and defense gets the starting nod over the fans likely pick of Robinson Cano (now on the DL).  Robinson Cano, Brian Roberts, Tad Iguchi and possibly even Jose Lopez are more deserving of the spot.  But forced as we are by roster constraints to take three 1B and a Royal, we’re similarly forced to leave more deserving second sackers behind.

 

Third Base (all statistics through 6/26 - Leaders in Fan Voting Italicized)

 

3B	TM	AVE	OBP	SLG	W/RISP	AB	HR	RBI		E	FLD %	ZR
Lowell	Bos	0.308	0.365	0.504	0.282	266	8	39		4	0.981	0.860
Crede*	Chw	0.307	0.341	0.531	0.373	254	14	54		7	0.967	0.770
Blalock	Tex	0.294	0.362	0.454	0.366	293	11	54		9	0.954	0.772
Mora	Bal	0.289	0.354	0.425	0.320	308	9	37		5	0.975	0.736
Rodriguez	NYY	0.280	0.393	0.494	0.306	271	15	52		11	0.946	0.760

 

A-Rod will get the start based on the fan voting.  But based on the numbers, we feel more comfortable handing the job to either Mike Lowell or Joe Crede.  In the end ,we reward Crede for his fine season which, coming off a confidence building post-season, has made him one of the top 3B in the game.  Lowell’s consistency at the plate and his fine defense swing our vote his way ahead of Rodriguez, Mora and Blalock.  Rodriquez’ relatively low BA and the fact that both Lowell and Crede have out-slugged him combine with his decidedly poor defense to weigh fatally against him.  With Blalock, though at .281 he’s doing better on the road this year than in previous years, we remain unconvinced that Ameriquest Field does not aid him too greatly and make him look better than he really is. 

 

Shortstop (all statistics through 6/26 - Leaders in Fan Voting Italicized)

 

SS	TM	AVE	OBP	SLG	W/RISP	AB	HR	RBI		E	FLD %	ZR
Jeter	NYY	0.335	0.428	0.462	0.368	275	5	46		6	0.976	0.803
Young*	Tex	0.326	0.369	0.454	0.402	328	5	49		6	0.983	0.856
Tejada	Bal	0.312	0.366	0.513	0.299	308	16	54		10	0.970	0.803
Cabrera	LAA	0.301	0.359	0.435	0.306	292	5	44		9	0.970	0.840
Guillen	Det	0.297	0.377	0.490	0.306	263	9	44		13	0.957	0.849
Betancourt	Sea	0.291	0.310	0.422	0.262	251	4	30		8	0.976	0.826

 

A very strong position in the AL, led of course by Jeter and Tejada.  But Michael Young, last season’s batting champion, is once again producing offensively. He has also stepped up his game defensively, and we’re impressed.  We’re also impressed with his production in the clutch; enough so that we are declaring Young our starter for the All-Star game at short.  Although we give the starting nod to Young, Jeter – the leader and likely winner in fan voting – is nonetheless having a fine and worthy season of an All-Star selection, and an argument for him to start could well be made.  We include Tejada for his impressive run production as much as we do in reward for him playing in over 1,000 straight games, a mark he will likely reach on Saturday. 

 

Outfield (all statistics through 6/25 - Leaders in Fan Voting Italicized)

 

OF	TM	AVE	OBP	SLG	W/RISP	AB	HR	RBI		E	A	FLD %	ZR
Ichiro*	Sea	0.359	0.409	0.450	0.239	329	4	27		1	6	0.993	0.895
Matthews Jr	Tex	0.332	0.381	0.542	0.339	271	8	40		2	1	0.985	0.821
Rios	Tor	0.323	0.376	0.583	0.324	266	15	51		0	3	1.000	0.921
Wells*	Tor	0.322	0.388	0.622	0.333	283	20	62		3	0	0.981	0.919
Ordonez	Det	0.314	0.365	0.527	0.304	283	15	57		3	5	0.977	0.877
Crawford	TB	0.305	0.352	0.481	0.385	285	10	37		2	5	0.986	0.897
Sizemore	Cle	0.300	0.375	0.548	0.242	310	15	38		2	3	0.991	0.899
Damon	NYY	0.299	0.371	0.486	0.340	294	11	42		1	1	0.994	0.900
Ramirez*	Bos	0.298	0.433	0.601	0.277	238	20	51		1	2	0.991	0.779
Granderson	Det	0.298	0.388	0.502	0.404	289	11	42		0	2	1.000	0.897
Dye	Chw	0.296	0.386	0.606	0.373	226	20	54		3	4	0.979	0.857
Patterson	Bal	0.289	0.333	0.443	0.316	228	8	31		2	2	0.987	0.930
Swisher	Oak	0.286	0.402	0.564	0.173	266	19	49		3	2	0.976	0.885
Ibanez	Sea	0.284	0.351	0.532	0.329	299	16	60		2	4	0.987	0.859
Guerrero	LAA	0.286	0.322	0.483	0.229	294	16	55		5	5	0.968	0.886

 

In the outfield, while we agree with both Ichiro and Ramirez starting, we don’t agree that the slumping Guerrero, the other current leader, even deserves to be selected.  He’s had a good year, but nevertheless, a down one for him.  Vernon Wells gets the nod from us to start the game, leaving Ichiro in his more preferable right field spot.  Alexis Rios has blossomed this season and would be well deserving of a starting role.  Though we’re sure his time will come, it won’t be this year with us.  Jermaine Dye has earned his way on the squad with his clutch hitting and power production.  We’re not convinced Gary Matthews Jr. isn’t having a career year, but we’re sorry nonetheless to leave him behind.  Grady Sizemore’s advantage over Matthews in both OBP and slugging percentage, as well as his defensive edge over Magglio Ordonez, give him the slight edge over both.  Carl Crawford has performed like an All-Star, making his selection from the otherwise hitting challenged D’Rays bearable even if we’d probably rather take Ordonez.  But there’s that damn rule again.

 

Well there you have it folks, those are all of our position player choices for this year’s All-Star classic.  Remember to check back tomorrow and Friday for our American League and National League pitching choices, and remember, voting ends on Thursday, with the official rosters to be unveiled Sunday night at 7 pm (ET) on ESPN.