by Ken Rosenthal

Comment

Call me crazy, but Russell Branyan, Adam Kennedy and Ben Zobrist are on my American League team, while Miguel Cabrera, Dustin Pedroia and Johnny Damon are not.

David Aardsma over Cliff Lee on the AL pitching staff? Without hesitation.

Pablo Sandoval over Orlando Hudson in the NL infield? Sorry, O-Dog, the "Kung Fu Panda" cannot be denied.

As usual, I've selected complete rosters and followed the rules by including at least one representative from each club.

The most difficult part?

Even with the addition of one pitcher to each club — and expansions of the rosters from 32 to 33 players — I had to shift deserving candidates to make room for one stinkin' Cub.

Seven Cubs were selected a year ago, which shows just how far this $135 million team has fallen.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Pitchers

Heath Bell, RHP, Padres
Chad Billingsley, RHP, Dodgers
Jonathon Broxton, RHP, Dodgers
Matt Cain, RHP, Giants
Johnny Cueto, RHP, Reds
Ryan Franklin, RHP, Cardinals
Yovani Gallardo, RHP, Brewers
*Dan Haren, RHP, Diamondbacks
Josh Johnson, RHP, Marlins
Tim Lincecum, RHP, Giants
Francisco Rodriguez, RHP, Mets
Johan Santana, LHP, Mets
Javier Vazquez, RHP, Braves

Notable omissions: Francisco Cordero, RHP, Reds; Zach Duke, LHP, Pirates; Trevor Hoffman, RHP, Brewers; Jair Jurrjens, RHP, Braves; Jason Marquis, RHP, Rockies; Rafael Soriano, RHP, Braves; Huston Street, RHP, Rockies.

Marquis is the worst omission, but his 3.87 ERA, inflated by two poor starts, makes it difficult to choose him over say, Vazquez. Not thrilled to include only one left-hander, but Broxton and K-Rod own two of the league's three lowest opponents' on-base/slugging percentages against left-handed hitters, and Haren, Johnson, Lincecum and Cain all are in the top 25.

Catchers

*Brian McCann, Braves
Chris Iannetta, Rockies

Notable omission: Yadier Molina, Cardinals.

Molina is the hometown favorite and throws the best, but McCann and Iannetta are far superior offensively.

Ryan Howard shouldn't get the All-Star nod over first basemen like Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder and Adrian Gonzalez. (Chris McGrath / Getty Images)

Infielders

*Albert Pujols, 1B, Cardinals
Prince Fielder, 1B, Brewers
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, Padres
*Chase Utley, 2B, Phillies
Freddy Sanchez, 2B, Pirates
*Hanley Ramirez, SS, Marlins
Ryan Theriot, SS, Cubs
*David Wright, 3B, Mets
Chipper Jones, 3B, Braves
Pablo Sandoval, 3B, Giants

Notable omissions: Todd Helton, 1B, Rockies; Ryan Howard, 1B, Phillies; Orlando Hudson, 2B, Dodgers; Brandon Phillips, 2B, Reds; Troy Tulowitzki, SS, Rockies; Mark Reynolds, 3B, Diamondbacks.

First base is stacked beyond reason; I'd love to send Howard home to St. Louis, but cannot justify including him over Pujols, Fielder or Gonzalez. The problem with Sandoval is that he will require a late-inning defensive replacement; hence, the addition of Jones. Apologies to Tulo, but I needed a Cub, and chose Theriot over Tulo rather than go with Lilly on my pitching staff.

Outfielders

*Carlos Beltran, Mets
Ryan Braun, Brewers
Adam Dunn, Nationals
*Brad Hawpe, Rockies
*Raul Ibanez, Phillies
Matt Kemp, Dodgers
Hunter Pence, Astros
Justin Upton, Diamondbacks

Notable omissions: None.

Pretty straightforward list. Beltran is doubtful because of a bone bruise on his right knee. Kemp would be my starting center fielder if Beltran cannot play, and I would lean toward adding the Astros' Michael Bourn — the NL stolen-base leader — as my backup.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Jarrod Washburn's success against lefties this season makes him a strong All-Star candidate. (Jim McIsaac / Getty Images)

Pitchers

David Aardsma, RHP, Mariners
*Zack Greinke, RHP, Royals
Roy Halladay, RHP, Blue Jays
Felix Hernandez, RHP, Mariners
Edwin Jackson, RHP, Tigers
Kevin Millwood, RHP, Rangers
Joe Nathan, RHP, Twins
Jonathan Papelbon, RHP, Red Sox
Mariano Rivera, RHP, Yankees
CC Sabathia, LHP, Yankees
Justin Verlander, RHP, Tigers
Jarrod Washburn, LHP, Mariners
Jered Weaver, RHP, Angels

Notable omissions: Andrew Bailey, RHP, A's; Josh Beckett, RHP, Red Sox; Mark Buehrle, White Sox; Dallas Braden, A's; Frank Francisco, RHP, Rangers; Matt Garza, Rays; J.P. Howell, LHP, Rays; Cliff Lee, LHP, Indians; Darren O'Day, RHP, Rangers; George Sherrill, LHP, Orioles; Tim Wakefield, Red Sox.

Not a word about Aardsma; he is performing at the Rivera-Papelbon level. Not a word about Sabathia, either; his opponents' OPS is one of the best in the league. I chose Washburn over Garza and Beckett because I wanted a second left-hander. Washburn has dominated left-handed hitters to a greater extent than Lee and certainly Buehrle, and Aardsma, Jackson, Rivera, Papelbon and Sabathia also have terrific numbers against lefties. I badly wanted to include Wakefield, and Joe Mauer has experience catching R.A. Dickey's knuckler. Alas, I just couldn't find a spot.

Catchers

*Joe Mauer, Twins
Victor Martinez, Indians

Notable omission: Mike Napoli, Angels

I'd love to bring Napoli's power off the bench but just can't find a spot.

Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler has shown some power during the first half of the season. (Nick Laham / Getty Images)

Infielders

*Kevin Youkilis, 1B, Red Sox
Russell Branyan, 1B, Mariners
Mark Teixeira, 1B, Yankees
*Ian Kinsler, 2B, Rangers
Aaron Hill, 2B, Blue Jays
Adam Kennedy, 2B, A's
*Jason Bartlett, SS, Rays
Derek Jeter, SS, Yankees
*Evan Longoria, 3B, Rays
Brandon Inge, 3B, Tigers
Scott Rolen, 3B, Blue Jays

Notable omissions: Miguel Cabrera, 1B, Tigers; Justin Morneau, 1B, Twins; Carlos Pena, 1B, Rays; Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Red Sox; Marco Scutaro, SS, Blue Jays; Chone Figgins, Angels.

Of course Cabrera, Morneau and Pena belong, but Branyan is the infield equivalent of Aardsma, performing brilliantly for a team that few in the east rarely see. I prefer Hill to Kinsler, but picked Kinsler to start partly out of guilt; I've got three Mariners on my team and only one Ranger. As for Kennedy and Rolen, my motives were somewhat sinister. The Cardinals purged both, and I would just love to see them pose for a photo with their former manager, Tony La Russa.

Outfielders

*Jason Bay, Red Sox
Carl Crawford, Rays
Jermaine Dye, White Sox
Adam Jones, Orioles
*Torii Hunter, Angels
*Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners
Ben Zobrist, Rays

Notable omissions: Johnny Damon, Yankees; J.D. Drew, Red Sox; Jason Kubel, Twins; Adam Lind, Blue Jays.

Zobrist, leading the AL in OPS, simply cannot be excluded. I substituted Crawford for Lind at the last minute but not happily. Some scouts compare Jones to Hunter — who wouldn't want either in center field?

* - asterisks denote starters