You can check our yesterday's All-NL team, and also last year's team. On with the show!
C -- J. Mauer, Min (2.1, -1 293/368/424 345). This was actually pretty tough. Mauer is not as awesome as usual this year, and Carlos Santana, the remarkable Cleveland rookie, made me think about moving Mauer off the top of the heap. But I didn't. Honorable mention: C. Santana, Cle
1B -- J. Morneau, Min (5.0, 8.0 345/437/618 447). I hated knocking Youkilis off the perch, but Morneau is either having a career year, or he's tranformed into Pujols North. I couldn't pass on him. Honorable mentions: K. Youkilis, Bos; M. Cabrera, Det
2B -- R. Cano, NYY (4.4, 5.6 336/389/556 401). Cano has transformed from an overrated Yankee into one of the best players in baseball. He and Pedroia are really the two best second sackers in baseball, both in the same division. Honorable mention: Pedroia, Bos
3B -- E. Longoria, TB (3.7, 1.6 300/381/513 389). Longoria is the man, sitting on the peak waiting for someone to challenge him. Though Beltre has been very good for Boston, no one is Longoria. Honorable mention: A. Beltre, Bos
SS -- D. Jeter, NYY (1.8, -0.4 274/340/392 328). AL shortstop is not the glamour position it used to be. It pains me to leave Jeter in this position for another year, but he is who I would pick. Has he been the most valuable in 2010? No, Alex Gonzalez in Toronto has been more valuable (2.4 WAR). And Scutaro (Bos) and Pennington (Oak) have been as valuable. But I would still pick Jeter. (Someone shoot me.) Honorable mentions: A. Gonzalez, Tor; M. Scutaro, Bos; C. Pennington, Oak
LF -- C. Crawford, TB (4.7, 15.2 317/373/511 393). Josh Hamilton (Tex) is just as valuable this year, but Crawford's defense is tremendous, and Hamilton is up-and-down a little over time. So this wasn't easy, but Crawford's still the man. Honorable mention: J. Hamilton, Tex.
CF -- T. Hunter, LAA (2.9, 14.9 292/379/502 372). Hunter is having a bit of a career resurgence the past season and a half. He's flashing the leather, and his bat is more valuable than at any time in his career. When he signed the 5-year/$80 million deal with the Angels before the 2008 season, I thought he would be way overpaid by the end of the deal. Though that still may be true (who knows what his value will be in 2012), right now he's worth it. Honorable mentions: A. Rios, CWS; A. Jackson, Det
RF -- S. Choo, Cle (2.8, 2.1 286/390/475 382). I hate to unseat Ichiro, as he's been as valuable as Choo this season. And technically Swisher (NYY) has been a little more valuable (though we're splitting hairs). The truth is, this was a tough one, so I would take the power/youth of Choo over the defense/speed of Ichiro. Honorable mentions: Ichiro, Sea; N. Swisher, NYY
Starters
1. C. Lee, Sea/Tex (4.1 2.59 2.55); 2. F. Liriano, Min (4.5 3.76 2.16); 3. J. Lester, Bos (3.9 2.81 2.97); 4. Grienke, KC (2.8 3.67 3.53); 5. J. Weaver, LAA (3.5 3.16 3.08). Honorable mentions: F. Hernandez, Sea; J. Verlander, Det
Lee and Liriano are clearly the class of the AL this season; Lester is alone after them. After that, it was hard to chose. I think Grienke would thrive in Boston/New York/Anyplace but Kansas City, and Weaver has taken a great stride forward.
Relievers
1. M. Rivera, NYY (1.3 1.01 2.25); 2. M. Thorton, CWS (1.6 2.58 1.90); 3. Putz, CWS (1.2 1.50 2.10); 4. Balfour, TB (1.1 2.20 2.40); 5. F. Francisco, Tex (1.2 3.92 2.55). Honorable mentions: D. Oliver, Tex; D. Bard, Bos
I wrote earlier this year just how amazing Mariano is. The AL reliever corps are not as strong as their NL brethren, but it's a good group. Thorton and Putz have been awesome on Chicago's South Side, and Balfour continues his consistent, top-level performance.
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