KTE Special Edition: The 2006 American League All Star Team

[stevejrogers]

This is the fifth ASG to be held in Pittsburgh:

7/11/1944The NL won 7-1 in Forbes Field
Not the most Star Studded year as it was during the War. Stan Musial did play, went 1-4, scored a run and drove in a run.

7/7/1959The NL won a 5-4 squeaker again at Forbes in the first game of two All Star Games played. This was done from 1959-1962. How�s this for a hell of a line, Willie Mays drove Hank Aaron in for the winning run.

7/23/1974 The first All Star Game at Three Rivers Stadium was a 7-2 laugher for the NL. Yogi Berra of the Mets skippered the team to the win. Known as the Steve Garvey game, written in as the starting 1B, Garvey went 2 for 4, scored and drove in a run.

7/12/1994 The last for Three Rivers Stadium, in a year many would love to forget, the All Star Game saw the NL break the AL�s 6 game winning streak with a 9-7 10 inning victory. Fred McGriff picked up the MVP for his 2 run game tying homerun. Met Bobby "Fresno" Jones picked up the win.

Time to know the AL All Stars


RF Ichiro Suzuki Mariners
3 for 12 in ASG play. Having another good season.

SS Derek Jeter Yankees
Captain Intangibles is having another stellar season, don�t be surprised if he finds himself in the MVP discussion later this year. This represents his second ever All Star Game start.

1B David Ortiz Red Sox
Arguably the �clutchest� guy in the game today. 31 HR and 87 RBI leads the majors

3B Alex Rodriguez Yankees
Unclutchness aside, Alex Rodriguez is having another good year. Fun fact, 1999 is the only time he was not voted starter on the AL squad as the home town Red Sox fans sent Nomar Garciaparra to the team.

LF Vladimir Guerrero Angels
Having a stellar season. One that got away? Still waiting for that back to go out. Though that Beltran guy seems to have worked out.

C Ivan Rodriguez Tigers
Hey the power numbers all but shut down. Hmmmm� This guy seems to skate by all the finger pointing, probably because he�s still producing in other ways, unlike Sam-ME and Ratty who fell apart quickly as well as Bonds and the Yankee Balco Twins who have the Balco stench attached to them.

CF Vernon Wells Blue Jays
Starting in place of Manny Ramirez. Having a stellar season as the Jays try to stay on the fringe of the AL East race

2B Mark Loretta Red Sox
Your Red Sox Nation �Gotta get someone to beat whomever the Yankees have� member of the team. I mean how do you think ex-Sox Shea Hillenbrand once beat out former Met Robin Ventura in 2002

P Kenny Rogers Tigers
Named to a second straight All Star Game, first start.

On the Bench

INF 1B Jim Thome White Sox
Having a great year back in the AL

INF 1B Paul Konerko White Sox
Was a manager pick as Guillen loaded up on guys who helped win him the World Series a year ago

INF 2B Jose Lopez Mariners
Replaced an injured Robinson Cano. Having a good year and was considered one of the biggest All Star Snubs if not for it!

INF 3B Troy Glaus Blue Jays
Having a decent year power wise. Believe it or not he and Eric Chavez got voted AHEAD of Alex Rodriguez in the Players Vote!

INF SS Michael Young Rangers
Having a good year, as part of a terrific young Ranger infield.

INF SS Miguel Tejada Orioles
Your lone Oriole Rep. Having a pretty darn good year, but got on solely due to the O�s needing a Rep

OF Jermaine Dye White Sox
Having a stellar year, your defending WS MVP

OF Grady Sizemore Indians
Lone Indian on the squad. Hard to believe he made it over Travis Hafner.

OF Gary Matthews Jr. Rangers
Having a pretty darn good year, got selected to replace injured Blue Jay Alexis Rios on the roster.

OF Magglio Ordonez Tigers
Replaces Manny Ramirez on the roster. Surprising considering how Guillen blasted him out the door following the 2004 season.

C Joe Mauer Twins
Strangely both squads feature only one backup backstop. Anyway, Mauer is having a stellar year, putting up numbers that make you think that he is the next in line when Pudge Rodriguez finally retires in the AL.

C A.J. Pierzynski White Sox
Easily the most hated non-superstar in the game. The White Sox have won the last two �Final Man Vote� for the AL

Pitchers:

SP Mark Buehrle White Sox
Picked by Guillen in yet another �I�m taking my guys� pick Much better year last year when he started the All Star Game

SP Roy Halladay Blue Jays
Doc is in midst of another stellar year. One of the best pitchers in the game today.

SP Scott Kazmir Devil Rays
The name sounds familiar� Third ever Devil Ray to be picked by a vote. Jose Canseco was voted by the fans for the 1999 AL DH and Carl Crawford in 2004 was a Player Selection

SP Mark Redman Royals
Your 2006 �Lance Carter: Most anonymous member of the All Star Squad selected by the Manager due to the Every Team Needs A Rep� Roster slot

SP Johan Santana Twins
Another outstanding year from the Twins ace.

SP Barry Zito Athletics
The lone A�s rep. Could he be elsewhere by this time next month? A�s are tied for first, but why not get someone if you don�t plan to sign him.

SP Francisco Liriano Twins
Early candidate for Rookie of The Year. Forming great One-Two punch with Santana. Replaces Contreras, who started that marathon played on Sunday.

RP Jonathan Papelbon Red Sox
That 0.59 ERA is looking quite nifty.

RP BJ Ryan Orioles
Not to shabby, 0.89 ERA. Easily the closer version of Alex Rodriguez in terms of Free Agents and the Mets.

RP Mariano Rivera Yankees
His 8th All Star selection, the most ever by a reliever.

RP Bobby Jenks White Sox
Picked by Guillen in yet another �I�m taking my guys� pick. Having a good year though.


Man, this years AL Squad looks stacked. That bullpen looks pretty tough to go through, the AL dominance could continue as they haven�t lost since 1996.

[metirish]

Nice job Steve.

EDIT:...What a beautiful stadium they have in Pittsburgh.

[Guest Iubitul]

Very nice job, Steve.

[MFS62]

Good job.

Later

[nymr83]

good job.

]C Ivan Rodriguez Tigers Hey the power numbers all but shut down. Hmmmm� This guy seems to skate by all the finger pointing, probably because he�s still producing in other ways, unlike Sam-ME and Ratty who fell apart quickly as well as Bonds and the Yankee Balco Twins who have the Balco stench attached to them.

he also has the "catchers always lose their power etc etc" excuse.

[Willets Point]

metirish wrote: Nice job Steve. EDIT:...What a beautiful stadium they have in Pittsburgh.

Another sufferer of PNC Envy.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Stellar job, Steve J. Watch them repeaters.

[stevejrogers]

Nymr83 wrote: good job. ]C Ivan Rodriguez Tigers Hey the power numbers all but shut down. Hmmmm� This guy seems to skate by all the finger pointing, probably because he�s still producing in other ways, unlike Sam-ME and Ratty who fell apart quickly as well as Bonds and the Yankee Balco Twins who have the Balco stench attached to them. he also has the "catchers always lose their power etc etc" excuse.

Not this badly they don't

[Guest Edgy DC]

Anybody want to talk about how crazy Kenny Rogers' career is?

We're talking about 1999. Who would have taken a bet then that he'd be playing anything but Strat-O-Matic today, let alone starting the All Star Game?

[Elster88]

Nice KTE.

[Elster88]

Edgy DC wrote: Anybody want to talk about how crazy Kenny Rogers' career is? We're talking about 1999. Who would have taken a bet then that he'd be playing anything but Strat-O-Matic today, let alone starting the All Star Game?

I'm trying to work in a steroid theory and blame the cameraman incident on roid rage.

It's not working.

[Elster88]

="SteveJRogers"] LF Vladimir Guerrero Angels Still waiting for that back to go out.

LOL me too. Tough call for me between this non-move and the Kazmir move for which one I hate more.

[stevejrogers]

="Elster88"] ="SteveJRogers"] LF Vladimir Guerrero Angels Still waiting for that back to go out. LOL me too. Tough call for me between this non-move and the Kazmir move for which one I hate more.

BJ Ryan could be up there in a few years as well

[metirish]

Did the Mets ever even go for Ryan?, I forget .

[Zvon]

Fantastic report.
Thanx for this Steve.

It was unexpected.
I usually dont know that much about the AL,----nor do i care to--
tho fantasy baseball has somewhat changed all a that.

I have Hafner in my brothers league and its amazing with the numbers he has posted that he dont make the cut.
Im sure the fact that he's only a DH is a factor, and thats really not fair.
Cuz that guy can rake man.

[Elster88]

="SteveJRogers"] ="Elster88"] ="SteveJRogers"] LF Vladimir Guerrero Angels Still waiting for that back to go out. LOL me too. Tough call for me between this non-move and the Kazmir move for which one I hate more. BJ Ryan could be up there in a few years as well

Not even close for me. We got a decent-to-above-average guy instead of Ryan (though I'd rather have a young Ryan approaching his prime instead of a Wagner who will be 39 when his contract runs out---and I'm not a 20/20 hindsighter, at least not on this one).

The non-move for Guerrero netted us nothing that year, and of course we know what happened in the Kazmir deal. Wagner is more valuable then nothing and he who shall not be mentioned.

[Zvon]

Edgy DC wrote: Anybody want to talk about how crazy Kenny Rogers' career is? We're talking about 1999. Who would have taken a bet then that he'd be playing anything but Strat-O-Matic today, let alone starting the All Star Game?

It is crazy.
He keeps reinventing himself.

Even this season I figured 2nd time thru the league he'd get touched up good and end up with a mediocre first half.
The guys pretty incredible.

I still have this mental picture of him servin up that walk off walk as a Met tho, ('99 playoffs vs Atl) and I get a lil sick.
He walked him and then just kept right on walkin off the mound to the clubhouse.
Season over.
UGH.

[Guest Edgy DC]

It's him against the Hall of Fame at this point. And that door should be shut.

]Tough call for me between this non-move and the Kazmir move for which one I hate more.

Hard to compare a non-signing to a trade. The Kazbrano deal all the way.

[nymr83]

]The non-move for Guerrero netted us nothing that year

though if you believe that the Mets are on a budget it probably allowed us to "afford" Beltran.

are we a better team with Vlad in right and (likely) Cameron in center than we are with Beltran/Nady? i think we'd be marginally better but thats assuming there aren't any other moves made or moves not made as a result.

it's pretty hard to judge a non-signing, its much easier to judge a trade or even a wagner/ryan situation where one guy was signed over the other in the same offseason.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Pretty sure the $$ we didn't use to sign Vladdy went to Dolan so we could buy out the cable deal and start SNY. If that works out, it affords the team lotz of free agents.

[Guest Rotblatt]

Nice, Steve.

Apparently A-Rod failed to show up to a pre-All Star party that he was supposed to host. The tagline: MIA-rod.

Wright, who was cohost, I guess, showed up despite having plane problems and getting a flat in his car.