After taking a look at the American League All-Stars for this year's game, I will now take the time to discuss who should be suiting up for the National League.
Once again, a few of the current voting leaders do not deserve to be in the starting lineup. Here is who should be taking the field first:
Catcher: Miguel Olivo
The Rockies catcher is off to a great start. He is hitting about .300 and has some nice power every time he steps to the plate.
Even though Chris Iannetta has been taking some at-bats away from him, Olivo has still compiled a very nice season to this point.
First Base: Joey Votto
Albert Pujols will obviously be elected to serve as the National League’s first baseman for yet another season. His numbers have been strong, just not as dominant as past years.
With that said, Joey Votto has compiled a very impressive season of his own and deserves some recognition. He is hitting for a higher average then Pujols, and has scored more runs than the former All-Star. Votto is my man to be starting at the right corner.
Second Base: Martin Prado
The little-known second baseman from the Atlanta Braves is having a stellar season.
He is close to hitting for a .340 average, and leads all players at his position with hits. He scores a ton of runs for his squad, while consistently getting on base. Martin Prado should be the leading vote-getter while representing the infield.
Third Base: David Wright
None of the National League candidates to start at third base are having truly amazing seasons.
This year’s class is led by David Wright and Scott Rolen. Wright has had a solid year and continues to be able to mix a decent average with consistent power and speed. Rolen has really rebounded well this year and is having a very strong season.
It is a tough decision, but I give the nod to Wright.
Shortstop: Hanley Ramirez
Another relatively slow position for the National League is at the shortstop spot.
Had he not been injured, I would have given my vote to Troy Tulowitzki. However, with Tulowitzki out, my vote goes reluctantly to Hanley Ramirez.
The Florida Marlins shortstop is a star, but he is having somewhat of an off season, and his no-hustle escapades last month really rubbed me the wrong way. However, he is the best player at his position and should be in the starting lineup.
Outfielders: Ryan Braun, Andrew McCutchen, Andre Ethier
Ryan Braun is having yet another very impressive season as he continues to be the face of the Milwaukee Brewers franchise. Braun is a great young player who should continue to be a member of the All-Star game outfield for years to come.
My second and third All-Star selections for the outfield were difficult, and really shows how much stronger the American League has been this year.
McCutchen is having a great season as he continues to improve as an everyday hitter. He hits over .300, steals a lot of bases, and scores plenty of runs. The Pirates are a pathetic team, but McCutchen is the one good thing going for that franchise.
Before going down with a finger injury, Ethier was having an MVP-type season.
He has slowed down a decent amount since returning from the disabled list, and I look for him to improve as time goes on. He still is putting up strong numbers and should earn his starting position.
That is what the 2010 MLB National League All-Star team should look like. With less than two weeks to go, it should be interesting to see how it all plays out.
Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com
- Login to post comments