Rotohelp's Complete 2002 AL All-Star roster is listed at the bottom of the article. I plan to spend today's column discussing our AL selections and tomorrow discussing our NL choices. The starting lineup represents the players for whom we voted in the balloting.

Our votes and selections were based on a number of criteria, but primarily we focused on selecting the players who are performing best this season. While we haven't made excuses for players with injuries, we did not discount anyone simply because they might decline the honor and need to be replaced. We feel that those deserving of an All-Star berth should be named to the team, even if they are in a full body cast or on crutches like Jason Kendall in 1999. They can easily be replaced after their accomplishments have been recognized. Players with an asterisks on the below roster are those that we feel might choose not to play the game.

We also believe that every team deserves representation. Managers should also make certain to get everyone in the game except maybe one or two pitchers (at least one starter needs to be available should the game go deep into extra innings), even at the potential expense of losing this exhibition. This game is for all the fans, and watching for your home team player to get in the game and make his fans proud is a part of the contest. How else will kids convince their parents to let them stay up to watch Lee Smith pitch through the 12th inning?

As Tim briefly discussed in yesterday's Daily Rx, we select players by first using objective criteria like park-neutral statistics, and then narrow the list with traditional quantitative statistics before insuring all teams are represented. We relied upon the stats at Baseball Prospectus to select most of our roster.

Now to discuss our choices: Starting at first base we have Jason Giambi. He's the best first baseman in the majors but still only slightly ahead of John Olerud. Cleveland's Jim Thome also belongs as one of the top six hitters in the American League. Mike Sweeney is the best candidate from the Royals and likely the only player from Kansas City even close to deserving a spot on the team. Unfortunately we had to relegate Paul Konerko and Carlos Delgado to the fan vote for the 30th player, as there simply wasn't room for six first basemen.

MLB added another level of voting to this year's game, allowing fans to select the 30th player from a list of five for each league provided by the All-Star Managers after the rest of the players have been named. We've included our five player lists below and bolded the player we think the fans will vote on the team.

Alfonso Soriano leaves his competition in the dust. We've not selected any other second basemen. Soriano could easily play the whole game, though we've compensated with several shortstops who could be brought in at second.

Alex Rodriguez remains the best shortstop in the game and should continue to start for several years barring injury. In addition to Rodriguez, we'll bring Omar Vizquel and Nomar Garciaparra, both necessary inclusions due to their places in the top dozen or so AL batters at any position this year. Vizquel's finally developed a real power stroke, while Nomar is a step above Derek Jeter and Miguel Tejada. Jeter should make the team as the fan selection for the 30th player.

At third base we voted for Shea Hillenbrand to make sure that Robin Ventura did not make the team, as there are several candidates more deserving than Ventrua and Hillenbrand deserves to be there even if he likely shouldn't start. In addition to Hillenbrand, we also brought Eric Hinske and Tony Batista. Hinske's likely to be the AL Rookie of the Year and is easily in the top level of AL third basemen; he's also our lone Blue Jay. Batista gives us a worthy Oriole, though Rodrigo Lopez deserved some consideration.

Jorge Posada will start behind the plate. Ivan Rodriguez's injury eliminated him from meriting a position on the team, let alone deserving to start. A.J. Pierzynski will be our back-up backstop. He's a worthy candidate, and while we decided against voting for the All-Contraction-Stars, we've given the edge to Twins and Expos in close decisions.

Our starting outfielders are Torii Hunter, Manny Ramirez, and Ichiro Suzuki. Outfielders off the bench include Bernie Williams, Randy Winn, and Magglio Ordonez, while Garret Anderson and Johnny Damon round off the list of five for the 30th roster spot. Winn's at least a credible candidate for Tampa Bay, while the other four are producing some of the most impressive seasons in the majors this year.

Derek Lowe has dominated in the first half and deserves to be the AL starting pitcher. Behind him we've chosen Bartolo Colon, Mark Buehrle, Barry Zito(as Oakland's representative), Jeff Weaver(as Detroit's representative), Pedro Martinez, Roger Clemens, Eddie Guardado, Kazuhiro Sasaki, and Troy Percival.

Between Martinez and Clemens, one is likely to decline the game for health reasons, allowing us to replace them with Roy Halladay. If a second pitcher needs to be replaced, we'd choose Freddy Garcia. However, Zito is currently slotted to pitch on the Sunday before the All-Star game, and AL Manager Joe Torre has said he won't select anyone who pitches that day. It would be wrong not to take Zito as he's clearly one of the best pitchers in the AL and the best representative from Oakland. The correct more is for Zito to be named to the team, and then replaced with Tim Hudson, the A's second best starter this year, and a deserving All-Star on his own merits.

If one of the relievers needs to be replaced, we'd take first Ugueth Urbina and then Mariano Rivera. Any position player can be replaced off the list for the 30th player.

Rotohelp's 2002 American League All-Stars

Starting Lineup:
1B - Jason Giambi, NYY
2B - Alfonso Soriano, NYY
SS - Alex Rodriguez, TEX
3B - Shea Hillenbrand, BOS
C - Jorge Posada, NYY
OF - Torii Hunter, MIN
OF - Manny Ramirez, BOS
OF - Ichiro Suzuki, SEA

Bench:
Mike Sweeney, 1B, KC
John Olerud, 1B, SEA
Jim Thome, 1B, CLE
Omar Vizquel, SS, CLE
Nomar Garciaparra, SS, BOS
Eric Hinske, 3B, TOR
Tony Batista, 3B, BAL
A.J. Pierzynski, C, MIN
Bernie Williams, OF, NYY
Randy Winn, OF, TB
Magglio Ordonez, OF, CHW

Candidates for 30th Roster Spot Vote:
Paul Konerko, 1B, CHW
Carlos Delgado, 1B, TOR
Derek Jeter, SS, NYY
Garret Anderson, OF, ANA
Johnny Damon, OF, BOS

Pitchers:
AL Starter - Derek Lowe, BOS
Bartolo Colon, CLE
Mark Buehrle, CHW
*Barry Zito, OAK
Jeff Weaver, DET
Roger Clemens, NYY
*Pedro Martinez, BOS
Eddie Guardado, MIN
Kazuhiro Sasaki, SEA
Troy Percival, ANA

Alternate Pitchers
Roy Halladay, TOR
Freddie Garcia, SEA
Tim Hudson, OAK