How Did I Do?

Well, the 2007 All-Star teams were announced Sunday, and you can read all about them here.

How did my picks turn out? Pretty good in the AL, less good in the NL. Let me tell you one thing though: Tony LaRussa has little idea about how to put an all-star team together. I'm half shocked his picks weren't full of situational relievers, defensive replacements and pinch-hitter types.

Aanyway, in the AL i picked 28/31 correct. Tthe only ones i missed were:

1) the Tampa Bay rep. i took Al Reyes, Jim Leyland took Carl Crawford. fair enough.
2) the Texas rep. i took Sammy Sosa, Leyland took Michael Young. I wouldn't have too much problem with this, but Young apparently bumped Orlando Cabrera. that's a mistake. take three SS if you have too, but Cabrera's having an all-star year, and Young really isn't.
3) superfluous Boston players. Leyland chose to take Manny Ramirez and Jonathan Papelbon. i had Sosa and Al Reyes in those spots. Manny won't go anyway, he always begs out, and his numbers are unspectacular this year (.258/.383/.468, 11-43-0). Papelbon was the guy that got bumped when i took Reyes as the TB rep.

I did have Crawford, M. Young and K. Escobar in the "last vote" player list so Ii wasn't too far off.

Not Deserving: Manny being Manny.
Screwed: O. Cabrera.

I wasn't as successful in the NL, but again, I'm blaming LaRussa. i got 24/31.

1) Back-up C: I took Bengie Molina (.289/.311/.437, 8-44-0), LaRussa took Brian McCann (.261/.314/.427, 7-41-0). The stats don't get any more even. Flip a coin.
2) Third 1B: I took Ryan Howard (.247/.328/.548, 19-57-0), LaRussa took Derrek Lee (.346/.419/.505, 6-41-3).
3) 2B: I took Dan Uggla (.253/.323/.509, 17-50-2), LaRussa took Orlando Hudson (.302/.387/.468, 7-46-3). LaRussa went with Hudson's defense.
4) MI/OF/Pittsburgh Rep: this is where it gets ugly. I took Edgar Renteria (over Hanley Ramirez or Jimmy Rollins, either of whom would have been vastly superior to LaRussa's pick) and Xavier Nady (.277/.329/.480, 13-46-2), LaRussa took Aaron Rowand and Freddie Sanchez (.300/.331/.375, 1-28-0). Look, Sanchez just doesn't qualify. AT ALL. LaRussa took him cause he can play 2B/SS/3B and he can match-up and look smarter than anyone else. But let's get this straight: HE DOESN'T BELONG HERE. That Freddie Sanchez is an All-Star and Hanley and Rollins both get left off is a travishamockery. Rowand is "hard-nosed" and "gritty" and "having just a good year".
5) Pitching: I had Chris Young, Brandon Webb and Roy Oswalt, LaRussa took Billy Wagner and Brian Fuentes, WHO JUST LOST HIS FREAKING JOB!!! Cripes, do we have to do this for him?!?! Young, Webb and Oswalt are all on the last vote ballot.

Not Deserving: D. Lee, F. Sanchez, Rowand, Fuentes.
Screwed: Howard, H.Ramirez, Rollins, C.Young.