Time for me to Vote!

It's that time of year again, when www.mlb.com gives baseball fans the opportunity to vote online for their All-Star Game picks (do they even HAVE paper ballots anymore?).  As always, I take my right to vote very seriously, doing my research and trying not to vote for someone just because he's cute or nice or has a good-sounding name (like Coco Crisp or Rod Barajas). I also try to pick players from different teams, though by looking at my ballot you would think I was a die-hard Tigers or Cardinals fan. Oh, and no Phillies players - imagine that!  So here are my choices this year - hopefully you will agree with most of them (and please comment if you do or don't!):

AMERICAN LEAGUE
First base - Paul Konerko of the Chicago White Sox.  I could have voted for Fielder or Pujols, but why not vote for the guy with the .356 batting average?  He also has more home runs than Fielder and Pujols (7). so he gets my vote.
Second base - Robinson Canó (the only Yankee who ever gets my vote).  I voted for Robinson last year, and once again he deserves it, since he's currently batting a respectable .302.  Dustin Pedroia of the Red Sox is batting .310, but I like Canó better.  Sometimes it's not just about the batting average!
Shortstop - This was a toss-up between Elvis Andrus and Asdrubal Cabrera.  I voted for the Indians' Cabrera like I did last year, because he's batting .325 and I have a history of voting for guys whose last name is Cabrera.  No Jeters; just Cabreras.
Third base - another Cabrera - Miguel Cabrera of the Tigers.  Like HELL was I going to vote for A-Rod; "Miggy" got my vote because he's awesome.  Last year I voted for him at first base, and this year he's just as deserving at third.  His .311 average doesn't hurt either!
Designated hitter - I wanted to vote for David Ortiz, because everyone likes "Big Papi."  But instead, I voted for Andy Dirks of the Tigers.  Who?  Yes, he's a real person, and he's batting .370.  Better than Ortiz, better than Raúl Ibañez of the Yankees, but not likely to get picked because no one knows who he is.
Catcher - Joe Mauer of the Twins easily got my vote.  Not only is he batting an OK .275, but he has 2 stolen bases so far this season, which is admirable for a catcher.
Outfield (pick 3) - The Rangers' Josh Hamilton (duh!), Austin Jackson (my third Tiger), and Adam Jones of the Orioles.  Hamilton is having a crazy-great season, Jackson is batting .331, and Jones is my token Oriole (and deservedly so).

NATIONAL LEAGUE
First base - Adam LaRoche is the only Nationals player who got my vote.  He probably won't get to start (Joey Votto will), but with his .339 batting average, 7 home runs, and 1000 career hits, he deserves a start (even with his lack of personality)
Second base - The Marlins' Omar Infante gets my vote, since he's batting .336 with 6 home runs and has to put up with Ozzie Guillen every day. 
Shortstop - Rafael Furcal of the Cardinals is batting .370 - how could I NOT vote for him?  He's one of 3 Cardinals I chose.
Third base - I did NOT pick the Nationals' Ryan Zimmerman - just because you've been an All-Star before doesn't mean you automatically get my vote.  I had to pick the Mets' David Wright (sorry, Chipper!), because he's batting .402.  I'm pretty certain he will get the start.
Catcher - I had to go with the Puerto Rican, the Cardinals' Yadier Molina.  Despite looking like a thug with those ugly neck tattoos, Molina is a great catcher who is currently batting .301 with 4 home runs.
Outfield (pick 3) - Carlos Beltrán (another Puerto Rican Cardinal), Andrew McCutchen of the Pirates, and Matt Kemp of the Dodgers.  Beltrán is kicking ass this year with 13 home runs, McCutchen got my vote because he's so good against the Nationals, and Kemp - well, he's batting .359 with 12 home runs.

So there you have it, friends!  I hope you don't disagree with me too much - let me know what you think, and I will let you know how I did once the starting lineups are announced in late June.  In the meantime, make sure to check out some of the games between the Orioles and Nationals this weekend - they like to call it "The Beltway Series," and with both teams in first place in their divisions, they should prove to be exciting!

Yeay Josh!

One of the things that people sometimes forget when thinking about professional athletes is that they are actual human beings.  They have tremendous talent, but also have feelings, have families, and make mistakes just like you and me.  So when you hear of a professional athlete besting the odds and doing something great after facing adversity, you tend to be glad for that person.  This is how I feel today - happy for Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton.  In yesterday's game hosted by the Orioles, Josh became only the 16th player in history to hit 4 home runs in one game (I remember watching the Braves' Bob Horner do the same thing when I was a little girl in the 80s, which is when my interest in baseball started).  Not only did Hamilton hit four home runs, but each one was a two-run homer and then he hit a double as well in the Rangers' 10-3 victory (and Orioles fans, the standing ovation you gave Hamilton despite your team losing at home was classy!).  Hamilton now has the American League single-game record for total bases with 18 and had a total of 8 RBIs.

After battling alcohol and drug addiction in the early 2000s and despite a couple of slip-ups in 2009 and February of this year, the 4-time All-Star and 2010 American League MVP is having a stellar year.  The Texas Rangers, under the ownership of Nolan Ryan and the management of Ron Washington (himself a recovered addict) have the best record in baseball.  I'm rooting for the Rangers in the AL Central and hope that Josh Hamilton continues to have an excellent year.  I know I'll be voting for Hamilton in my All-Star ballot!