ALL STARter

Okay so I have seen the latest All Star voting tallies and let me just say, I am starting to want to throw up. What I love/loved about being able to vote, at least in my youth, was that my favorite players actually stood a chance. Now unless your favorite player is on a big market team you are screwed. So being that I am not a BoSox, Yankee, Phillie, Cub, Cardinal or Ranger fan I probably won't have a starter in this years All Star game.

This is where all of you New York and Boston(or Milton, wherever that is) people give me crap about thinking an Oriole deserves to be in the starting lineup. I'm not pointing fingers but you guys are neck and neck as the biggest pains in the aforementioned body part when it comes to Baltimore fans. You ooze confidence because your teams do, or did, so well. However I believe there is one thing we can all agree on.

Adam Jones should start in the All Star game. Yeah I said it. Over Torii Hunter(maybe not), definitely over Josh Hamilton who is currently the projected starter (he has missed most of the year) and should completely make it over Ken Griffey Jr. (sorry Broseph but its not 1993). Don't even think about giving me that, "he deserves to go because of his career," crap. They did that with Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn back in 1998 when they were honorary All Stars. Gwynn was hurt, Ripken was elected (for some reason, oh wait because he owns baseball's soul). So do that for Griffey since this is probably his last year. The only person you could make an argument for is Hunter who is doing better in almost every offensive category compared to Jones. Honestly I have no beef with Hunter, Jones is just not getting the love he rightfully deserves from fans. That is what kills me.

Yes I know lately he has been in a slump(still hitting over .300) but before this he was hitting to all fields and producing in one of the top lineups in baseball. Jones' RBI production by month is as follows 18 in April, 18 in May and only 7 in June (so far). He did have the game winning hit on Sunday to beat/sweep the Phils so at least he still hits in the clutch. However when he was producing Jones was barely in the discussion of All Stars.

My biggest issue is how the fans vote on previous performance. Hamilton hasn't played since May 31st and even when he was playing he wasn't his normal self. He is hitting .240 with 6 homeruns, Jones had 7 homeruns IN THE MONTH OF MAY! Hamilton is only in the top for his stellar performance in last years Homerun Derby. The Rangers outfielder that deserves to go is Nelson Cruz(.264 avg, 18 homers, 45 RBIs) but only Rangers fans are probably voting for the guy. I digress, the nation didn't give Jones respect until he was called a "5 tool player" in Sports Illustrated in May.

It was at this point that people got to know the greatness of Jones. "I haven't been this excited about an outfielder since Jeffrey Hammonds," says Antoine Pollard. Okay maybe I'm paraphrasing there, perhaps a better quote would be, "Jones is the best player on our team, he should bat third. Right ahead of Wieters." Yeah that sounds right. Jones is like Torii Hunter in the aspect of his great defense. Fans can almost see any of his plays weekly on Sportscenter. Hitting the ball into the gap at Camden Yards is not a hit with Jones out there. He'll lay out, rob you, blow a bubble and steal your girl all in one motion. Considering his fabulous arm strength, he has clearance to carry a weapon on planes (because he has a cannon for an arm...get it), anyone trying to stretch a single into a double is prey.

While Jones may not be impressing right now he is still better then any other Oriole who could be an All Star. Markakis doesn't have double digit homers which is a prerequisite to beat out other right fielders(like Cruz), Brian Roberts doesn't deserve to go over Ian Kinsler, Robinson Cano or Dustin Pedroia(who still can't hit an inside fastball). Kinsler deserves that spot over the other two mentioned. The main reason this comes about is because, due to his position on the team last year, George Sherrill("The Brim Reaper" or "Duckbill" as he has been called) could be an All Star. He is 11 for his last 11 and has been very hot in June (8 appearances, 5 saves, opp batting avg of .188, ERA 1.12). While I think Jones will be on the team (because unlike Francona I think Joe Maddon might take players from OTHER teams...stupid Red Sox) it just bugs me that he isn't higher in the votes. Maybe if he had a nickname...let's work on that.

So go vote for Jones! Markakis! Scott! Youkilis(because who wants Tex to start over him...that traitor). Click below to vote http://mlb.com/mlb/events/all_star/y2009/ballot_reg.html