American League All-Stars

Starting Lineup
CF - Ichiro Suzuki, SEA
C - Ivan Rodriguez, DET
RF - Vladimir Guerrero, ANA
LF - Manny Ramirez, BOS
3B - Alex Rodriguez, NYY
1B - Jason Giambi, NYY
SS - Derek Jeter, NYY
2B - Alfonso Soriano, TEX
P - Mark Mulder, OAK

Bench
Victor Martinez, C, CLE
Ken Harvey, 1B, KC
David Ortiz, 1B, BOS
Ron Belliard, 2B, CLE
Hank Blalock, 3B, TEX
Carlos Guillen, SS, DET
Miguel Tejada, SS, BAL
Michael Young, SS, TEX
Carl Crawford, OF, TB
Matt Lawton, OF, CLE
Gary Sheffield, OF, NYY

32nd Man Candidates
Lew Ford, OF, MIN
Travis Hafner, 1B, CLE
Paul Konerko, 1B, CHW
Hideki Matsui, OF, NYY
Frank Thomas, 1B/DH, CHW

Pitchers
Tim Hudson, OAK*
Ted Lilly, TOR
Esteban Loaiza, CHW
Kenny Rogers, TEX
C.C. Sabathia, CLE
Curt Schilling, BOS*
Javier Vazquez, NYY^
Jake Westbrook, CLE^
Francisco Cordero, TEX
Tom Gordon, NYY
Joe Nathan, MIN
Mariano Rivera, NYY
Francisco Rodriguez, ANA

*Named to the team but unable to participate due to injury.
^Named as a replacement for an injured player.
Frank Thomas deserved to start at first base, so his complete omission from the team was a disappointment, especially since the fans voted one of the least worthy All-Star participants onto the team in his place when choosing Jason Giambi as the starter. While Thomas' recent injury ultimately would have prevented him from participating, his performance in the first half warranted recognition.

Likewise, Melvin Mora's absence from the team was regrettable. Mora's injury was well known prior to the completion of the rosters and likely led to his exclusion. Given that a system exists to replace injured players, there is no reason to consider their affliction when determining rosters if they are otherwise worthy.

After making a big deal of how he'd already chosen to put Carlos Guillen on the team before receiving a lobbying call from Detroit Manager Alan Trammell, Torre failed to slip Guillen into the game. Considering that Guillen deserved the start, I find the omission annoying, especially since the American League held the lead throughout the game. While I certainly felt that a National League comeback was a possibility through the last out, reserving Guillen was hardly a tactical advantage the Yankees needed to maintain.

National League All-Stars

Starting Lineup
SS - Edgar Renteria, STL
1B - Albert Pujols, STL
LF - Barry Bonds, SF
3B - Scott Rolen, STL
RF - Sammy Sosa, CHC
C - Mike Piazza, NYM
CF - Lance Berkman, HOU#
2B - Jeff Kent, HOU
P - Roger Clemens, HOU

Bench
Johnny Estrada, C, ATL
Paul Lo Duca, C, LA^
Sean Casey, 1B, CIN*
Todd Helton, 1B, COL
Jim Thome, 1B, PHI
Mark Loretta, 2B, SD
Mike Lowell, 3B, FLO
Barry Larkin, SS, CIN
Jack Wilson, SS, PIT
Moises Alou, OF, CHC
Carlos Beltran, OF, HOU^
Miguel Cabrera, OF, FLO
Ken Griffey, OF, CIN*

32nd Man Candidates
Bobby Abreu, OF, PHI
Steve Finley, OF, ARI
Jason Kendall, C, PIT
Juan Pierre, OF, FLO
Aramis Ramirez, 3B, CHC

Pitchers
Tom Glavine, NYM
Livan Hernandez, MON
Randy Johnson, ARI
Carl Pavano, FLO
Jason Schmidt, SF
Ben Sheets, MIL
Carlos Zambrano, CHC
Armando Benitez, FLO
Eric Gagne, LA
Danny Graves, CIN
Danny Kolb, MIL

#Named to the team and then selected to replace the injured Ken Griffey in the starting lineup.

Bobby Abreu deserved to start, so we were relieved when fans recognized him as the most worthy among those on the 32nd man ballot. The fact that he was relegated to that ballot while Manager Jack McKeon named Barry Larkin to the team was irritating. If Larkin were retiring, I might be able to justify the selection, but rather than research his decision McKeon merely chose someone with whom he was familiar. McKeon also bumbled his first injury replacement, selecting Paul Lo Duca due to a perceived need for a third catcher rather than adding one of the several deserving players who were overlooked initially.

Fortunately, the league heeded the cry of the public and named Carlos Beltran to the roster to replace Griffey. I was appalled at the prospect of excluding Beltran from the game on the basis of his late change of leagues and pleased when injuries presented an opportunity for him to play for the National League. The thought of him playing for the American League made no sense given that a player's loyalties should immediately switch when he is traded. If he'd failed to measure up to the standard of the players in the NL, that would have been one thing, but he clearly rivaled the best of both leagues.

While Torre's failure to work Guillen into the game was frustrating, McKeon proved a much worse All-Star manager. Detroit fans at least were able to watch Ivan Rodriguez play 5 ½ innings, but the remaining supporters of the Expos once again were snubbed, as McKeon chose not to pitch their sole representative, Livan Hernandez. Carl Pavano certainly deserved his place on the team, but Florida viewers had Miguel Cabrera and Mike Lowell to watch, so McKeon easily could have spared at least one if not both of Pavano's innings for Hernandez.

With the hitters assembled, a big inning shouldn't have been such a surprise even with the quality pitchers on both sides. However, I felt like the National League, especially McKeon, lost hope early in the game, dampening the excitement of the evening.