With a little more than a week left until the halfway point of the 2013 season, the Texas Rangers stand at 50-36, a half-game back of the Athletics for first place in the American League West. It's been a rocky first half, filled with the typical roller-caster rides of momentum, injuries and rising young studs (welcome to the show, Leonys Martin and Tanner Scheppers). It actually feels like a mediocre season, but the team is on pace to win more than 100 games with three rookie pitchers in the starting rotation, so there's not a ton of room for complaining.
The midway point of the season is one of my favorite times of the year. Of course, us baseball dorks are talking shop as usual, but even casual sports fans turn some of their attention to baseball because of the All-Star Game, which will take place on Tuesday, July 16, at Citi Field in New York.
For the past couple of years, I select who I would have playing in the Midsummer Classic, taking into account a representative from each of the 30 teams. There will be 21 position players and 13 pitchers on each squad. Let the debating begin (starters will appear in bold):
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Position players (21)
Catcher: Joe Mauer, Minnesota
Catcher: Salvador Perez, Kansas City
Catcher: Jason Castro, Houston
First base: Chris Davis, Baltimore
First base: Edwin Encarnacion, Toronto
Second base: Robinson Cano, New York
Second base: Jason Kipnis, Cleveland
Second base: Dustin Pedroia, Boston
Shortstop: Jhonny Peralta, Detroit
Shortstop: J.J. Hardy, Baltimore
Third base: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit
Third base: Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay
Third base: Adrian Beltre, Texas
Outfield: Mike Trout, Anaheim
Outfield: Jose Bautista, Toronto
Outfield: Nelson Cruz, Texas
Outfield: Adam Jones, Baltimore
Outfield: Alex Gordon, Kansas City
Outfield: Raul Ibanez, Seattle
Designated hitter: David Ortiz, Boston
Pitchers (13)
Starter: Max Scherzer, Detroit
Starter: Yu Darvish, Texas
Starter: Felix Hernandez, Seattle
Starter: Hisashi Iwakuma, Seattle
Starter: Justin Verlander, Detroit
Starter: Chris Sale, Chicago
Starter: Matt Moore, Tampa Bay
Starter: Bartolo Colon, Oakland
Starter: Justin Masterson, Cleveland
Closer: Mariano Rivera, New York
Reliever: Joe Nathan, Texas
Reliever: Greg Holland, Kansas City
Reliever: Glen Perkins, Minnesota
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Position players (21)
Catcher: Yadier Molina, St. Louis
Catcher: Buster Posey, San Francisco
Catcher: Wilin Rosario, Colorado
First base: Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona
First base: Joey Votto, Cincinnati
First base: Freddie Freeman, Atlanta
Second base: Brandon Phillips, Cincinnati
Second base: Matt Carpenter, St. Louis
Second base: Everth Cabrera, San Diego
Shortstop: Jean Segura, Milwaukee
Shortstop: Ian Desmond, Washington
Third base: David Wright, New York
Third base: Pedro Alvarez, Pittsburgh
Outfield: Carlos Gonzalez, Colorado
Outfield: Carlos Gomez, Milwaukee
Outfield: Michael Cuddyer, Colorado
Outfield: Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh
Outfield: Domonic Brown, Philadelphia
Outfield: Yasiel Puig, L.A. Dodgers
Outfield: Jay Bruce, Cincinnati
Designated hitter: Allen Craig, St. Louis
Pitchers (13)
Starter: Matt Harvey, New York
Starter: Cliff Lee, Philadelphia
Starter: Jordan Zimmerman, Washington
Starter: Patrick Corbin, Arizona
Starter: Adam Wainwright, St. Louis
Starter: Clayton Kerhsaw, L.A. Dodgers
Starter: Jose Fernandez, Miami
Starter: Jeff Locke, Pittsburgh
Starter: Travis Wood, Chicago
Closer: Jason Grilli, Pittsburgh
Reliever: Mark Melancon, Pittsburgh
Reliever: Aroldis Chapman, Cincinnati
Reliever: Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta
Here are the actual selections. Let the debating begin!
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