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The All-Star teams were announced two days ago, and, as always, the fans, players, and managers all made some idiotic decisions .

So Bleacher Report’s Featured Columnists decided to see if we could do better.

In this slideshow are the results of a poll conducted during the last week of All-Star voting. We’ve certainly got some different ideas about who should play in the Midsummer Classic; in the American League alone, three of the nine real-life voting leaders would be on the bench or at home on July 13 if we had our way.

Included in each slide are the full vote totals at each position, as well as a look back at the results from our May and June polls.

As always, each player features commentary from a different Featured Columnist, but this time there’s a twist: in the interest of encouraging minority representation, if a winning player in this poll also came out on top last time, his slide instead includes a write-up from a dissident about why he or she voted for someone else (if you want want more details about an old winner, just go back to last time and update the numbers).

Thanks to everyone who participated!

Note: I sent this survey only to the Featured Columnists who have been active in previous polls. If you are a new FC or you have changed your mind about wanting to participate, send me a message and I’ll be sure to keep you in the loop for next time!

Begin Slideshow

NL All-Star manager Charlie Manuel said he was told to include a utility player on the NL roster, so he has chosen Omar Infante of the Braves.

Infante is a very versatile player who can play all the infield and outfield positions, but he has one home run and 22 runs batted in this season. He is a good player, but he is not an All-Star player.

His teammate Troy Glaus, who has hit 14 home runs and driven in 56 runs, would have been a much better choice, not to mention the NL home run leader Joey Votto, who has hit 21 home runs.

It had been my understanding that the NL wanted to win the All-Star Game this season, but now I am doubtful after seeing Votto have to win a final vote to make the team and a pitcher like Carlos Silva being left off the squad.

Manuel did what most All-Star managers do, picking his own player Ryan Howard over Joey Votto, even though Votto was among the NL home runs leaders at the time while Howard was 10th.

Adrian Gonzalez was chosen as a reserve first baseman despite Votto having more home runs, runs batted in, and a higher batting average. He should have been on the final vote ballot while Votto should have been on the team to start with.

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Note to Phillies’ manager Charlie Manuel: Don’t get drunk on the night you select the reserves of an All-Star Game. Snubbing Joey Votto in favor of Omar Infante, a utility player, was not a wise idea.

As of July 5, Votto is leading or near the top of the National League in almost every major offensive category.

Let’s have a look:

First in home runs, first in on-base percentage, first in slugging percentage, first in OPS (obviously), third in batting average, tied for third in RBI, and tied for fourth in runs scored.

Infante is on pace to end the season with 350 plate appearances.  The number needed to even qualify for the batting title is 502.

One does not need to be an accountant, or even an expert number-cruncher, to realize that is 152 below the minimum.

Charlie, Charlie, Charlie…

In the two days since you neglected to place Votto on the All-Star Game’s NL roster, you have made him quite unhappy.

On Sunday, the usually mild-mannered Votto was kicked out of the game in the first inning.  That should have served as a serious red flag.

On Monday night, at the New York Mets’ Citi Field, he went 3-for-4 with a double and two homers: one 431-foot bomb to dead center field and a 414-foot blast to right.  He scored three runs and had two RBI in the 8-6 win over the home team.

Another thing, Charlie, you really should have thought about this before making your drunken decision.

Starting this Thursday, Votto and the Reds are coming to your house to play four games versus your Phillies—the last series before the All-Star break.

It is doubtful that Votto will physically murder you. 

Psychologically though, you should have considered the state of your ticker and the probable heart attack you will suffer while watching helplessly at the total destruction Votto will inflict upon your pitchers.

Charlie, you really should have taken note of your team’s schedule before choosing a guy who isn’t even a starting player over Votto. 

Yes, that is a lot to ask of a man who had just downed a 12-pack and topped it off with a pint of Johnnie Walker Blue. 

Still, though, you need to think of the health of your players. 

Especially Ryan Howard’s head injury after a smoking Votto liner renders your first baseman a slobbering vegetable who will never play another baseball game in his life.

You should, in fact, advise all of your guys to wear batting helmets while playing the field.

Ignoring Votto may be a good thing for you—a life lesson, if you will.

If you ever have the chance again, don’t drink and pick.

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The Colorado Rockies are used to it. They are the lone team that plays in the Mountain Time zone. Therefore, games on the east coast are wrapping up when they start, and games on the west coast are underway shortly after the Rockies start.

This article is also featured on INDenverTimes.com

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The last time the National League won an All-Star game was in 1996.

Back then, the Braves were represented by John Smoltz (who got the win), Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, Mark Wohlers, Fred McGriff, and Chipper Jones.

The Braves will again be represented by a handful of players this year. Jason Heyward, Martin Prado, Tim Hudson, and Brian McCann were all expected (at least somewhat) by fans.

Phillies skipper Charlie Manuel will manage the NL All-Star team this year, and by all indications he is completely serious about winning. Why do I say that? He chose Omar Infante.

Many people will question Manuel’s selection of Omar Infante.

I don’t agree with it. Infante isn’t an “All-Star.” He would rarely start on his own team if not for injuries. No one will argue that Infante is one of the best players in the National League, and he clearly isn’t in the same league as Joey Votto or Ryan Zimmerman.

That being said, by choosing Infante, Manuel is showing us that he wants to win this game. Infante may not truly be an All-Star, but he is probably the best utility player in the league, and every team needs a good utility player.

Infante’s stat line this year is .309/1/22 in 177 plate appearances. While they are solid numbers, and Infante could start on most teams, they still aren’t worthy of an All-Star selection.

But Infante will bring something to the All-Star game that isn’t usually there. He can play just about any position and is used to coming off the bench. While players like Votto and Zimmerman are great, they don’t bring the same thing to the team as Infante.

I’m not saying that the selection of Infante is correct, but maybe, just maybe, his experience coming off the bench will finally give the NL the advantage it needs. While Manuel will be criticized for not picking the best players, he may well have made his overall team better by picking a player who fits better into his role.

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I’ve been extremely vocal about my hatred of the All-Star Game selection rules, and the actual selections (I wrote an article about what the rosters should be , and who we must vote for in the Final Vote ).

I’ve been most frustrated about the fact that Joey Votto is left off the team.

I was glad to see, however, that after 24 hours since the Final Vote began, Votto was leading vote-getter in the NL, meaning he would be named to the All-Star team if voting had ended today. Voting, though, ends Thursday.

But fortunately for Votto, his performance Monday night versus the New York Mets was a statement game, in the Reds’ 8-6 win.

Votto went 3-4 with a double, 2 RBI, 3 runs, and two HRs, including one moonshot into the Big Apple’s box out in straight away center field at Citi Field and one bomb over the 415 sign in the deepest part of the park in right-center field (and a foul ball that was two feet from being his third of the game).

If his performance doesn’t scream, “I’m an All-Star,” just days after being one of the biggest snubs in MLB history, I don’t know what does.

As a Mets fan, I was fortunate enough to be able to watch the game live, and listen to the commentary from Gary Cohen and Keith Hernandez about Votto’s exclusion.

Cohen was very adamant in his belief that Votto deserved a roster spot over Ryan Howard, who was Phillies manager Charlie Manuel’s selection, and I agree.

While it goes as no surprise that Manuel chose his own player, Votto should not have to suffer.

During the broadcast, I also learned that Votto was the only player with his caliber statistics to not be named to the roster in NL history (and it only happened once in AL history, in 1966).

While I can’t quite remember everything that was said, I believe it was that no player who is in the top five in the NL in HR, RBI, average, OBP, slugging, and OPS has never not been an All-Star.

Until Votto.

Don’t quote me on that, by the way. If anyone knows what was actually said, please let me know!

Here’s Votto’s stats as of July 5th, with his rank in the NL in parenthesis:

.318 AVG (T-3rd)

21 HR (1st)

59 RBI (T-4th)

56 runs (T-3rd)

.422 OBP (1st),

.595 SLG (1st)

 1.017 OPS (1st). 

Those are MVP caliber numbers. Yes, MVP.

And he’s not even an All-Star (yet).

Interestingly, there has been at least one time in MLB history where the MVP was not an All-Star. Willie Stargell did not make the cut for the Midsummer Classic, but was co-MVP with Keith Hernandez in 1979.

By this point, it’s well known that Votto deserves to be in the All-Star Game. The only thing we can do is vote him in through the Final Vote.

So before Thursday, go to MLB.com and VOTE VOTTO!

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I’m disgusted at some of the names I see on this year’s All-Star Game roster.

I’m frustrated that, year after year, there is a long list of snubs that deserve to play, especially considering the game determines which league gets home field advantage in the World Series.

I was going to make a snubs list, given that I already wrote a list of who should be on the team, but I thought instead I’d do something a little more valuable.

The MLB allows the fans to take a final vote to determine the last roster spot on each team. There are five players to choose from.

I wish we could pick more than one.

Still, this is a good opportunity to get one more player on the team that really, really deserves to be on it.

I begin with a list of each candidate, and after sharing each player’s stats, I pick the candidate.

I decided to only look at regular stats (I didn’t use WAR or other sabermetrics. All stats are through July 4, 2010).

I simply looked at who is having a better statistical year to make my decision.

So without further ado, here’s who everyone MUST vote for, and why. It would be an injustice to pick anyone else for each league’s final roster spot.

Begin Slideshow

Every year, we fans screw up the All-Star voting by picking our favorite players instead of the best ones. It’s tradition.

Then, the managers, coaches, and players fill in the remaining spots by, once again, picking the most popular stars and their teammates instead of the players who are, you know, actually the best in the game.

The result is a smorgasbord of marquee names who coast to roster spots, up-and-comers fighting for recognition, and a handful of guys who make the entire MLB fan-base scratch its collective head.

A few deserving players are inevitably lost in the shuffle, and each year I think I’ve grown numb to the sensation of unjust team selection. But then I see the rosters and realize that the snubs are worse than I could have possibly imagined.

In these slides are the most ridiculously snubbed players. Every single manager or coach who facilitated the decisions to leave these guys off the team should be ashamed.

Begin Slideshow

Will they ever get it right?

Since the All-Star game counts for home-field advantage of the World Series they should try to get it right.

Let’s take a trip around the All-Star horn shall we.

Right off the bat, why is there need for a replacement DH? So we have to find the second-best DH instead of making that spot for someone more deserving?

Cue David Ortiz:

.259 BA, .364 OBP, 17 HR, 54 RBI, 43 R

Snub Paul Konerko and Kevin Youkilis:

Konerko – .296 BA, .384 OBP, 20 HR, 57 RBI, 46 R

Youkilis – .299 BA, .416 OBP, 17 HR, 54 RBI, 65 R, 2 SB

I’m pretty sure both players can handle the hardships of the DH position, though they normally play the field. 

Okay, let’s continue around the field for the American League.

Second base looks good, shortstop looks good, third base looks…Alex Rodriguez?

.276 BA, .349 OBP 12 HR, 62 RBI, 43 R, 2 SB

Once again, Konerko and Youkilis have better numbers, yet the AL has three guys at third base and just two at first. You can even argue the fact Youkilis can play third base.

Snubbery.

We go to the outfield. Josh Hamilton, Carl Crawford, Vernon Wells, Torii Hunter all look good. Wait… tell me they didn’t put Jose Bautista and his .236 batting average along with Ichiro and his .328 batting average?

Of course they did.

Bautista – .236 BA, .360 OBP, 21 HR, 52 RBI, 50 R, 3 SB

Ichiro – .328 BA, .383 OBP, 3 HR, 24 RBI, 33, 22 SB

Snubbery.

Alex Rios – .303 BA, .358 OBP, 13 HR, 45 RBI, 49 R, 22 SB

Okay, I suppose I can let Bautista go based on the fact his OBP would suggest he isn’t a Carlos Pena who just swings ridiculously hard, but Ichiro?

Rios matches Ichiro in his go-to stats of stolen bases and runs, while having an extremely respectable batting average and on-base percentage, along with far more power than Ichiro.

Let’s take a look at the pitching.

Okay, I’m seeing no Jered Weaver or Felix Hernandez for some reason, but that’s because the pitching is deep and Fausto Carmona repping the Indians because Shin-Soo Choo is DLed. Trevor Cahill got in to rep the Oakland A’s.

Phil Hughes…really?

Hughes – 10-2, 3.83 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 86 K, 94 IP

Hernandez – 6-5, 3.03 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 116 K, 121.2 IP

Weaver – 8-3, 2.82 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 124 K, 108.2 IP

Snubbery.

For the love of god, people, wins and losses are not the be-all and end-all in judging a pitcher’s worth.

I don’t even need to add any input. Just look at the numbers and remember the fact the game is in Anaheim where Weaver pitches.

When looking at the relievers for the American League the only case of snubbery would probably revolve around Matt Thornton. He was selected because the White Sox needed a representative. Had Konerko or Rios been in as they should have, you wouldn’t have needed this.

Neftali Felix – 22 saves (tied for lead in the AL), 3.00 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 40 K (most among closers), 36 IP

Rafael Soriano – 21 saves, 1.47 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 28 K, 30.2 IP

Onto the National League we go…Yadier Molina? What?

.229 BA, .309 OBP, 3 HR, 31 RBI, 16 R, 6 SB

Please, Cardinal fans, stop voting. Every year we go through this.

Miguel Olivo – .307 BA, .363 OBP, 11 HR, 39 RBI, 37 R, 4 SB

Snubbery.

Another tough first base position with Albert Pujols, Ryan Howard and Adrian Gonzalez all deserving. Joey Votto should clearly be there as well, having better numbers than Howard and Gonzalez, but it’s a very deep position, so there was no winning in this.

Howard – .293 BA, .349 OBP, 15 HR, 59 RBI, 52 R

Gonzalez – .291 BA, .386 OBP, 16 HR, 51 RBI, 43 R

Votto – .312 BA, .412 OBP, 19 HR, 57 RBI, 53 R

That’s a tough call. Gonzalez was the lone Padre and Howard basically won on his name rather than numbers.

At second base, Dan Uggla or Rickie Weeks should have made it, but Martin Prado and Brandon Phillips are good picks.

I think the coaching staff spelled someone’s name wrong. Omar Infante? That isn’t how you spell Joey Votto, Dan Uggla and/or Rickie Weeks.

Infante – .309 BA, .341 OBP, 1 HR, 22 RBI, 23 R, 3 SB

Uggla – .271 BA, .358 OBP, 16 HR, 49 RBI, 53 R, 2 SB

Weeks – .271 BA, .370 OBP, 14 HR, 49 RBI, 53 R, 5 SB

Snubbery.

Ryan Zimmerman (.286 BA, .376 OBP, 14 HR, 44 RBI, 49 R, 1 SB) is another person better than Infante who didn’t make it. Troy Glaus (.260 BA, .364 OBP, 14 HR, 56 RBI, 41 R) is another player better than Infante.

The list goes on and on. 

Outside of Hanley Ramirez, the shortstop position is weak in the National League. Mark Reynolds and his .221 BA and 112 Ks didn’t make it at third, so that’s good. Baby steps toward getting this correct. 

Ah, the outfield… where we stick undeserving players from bad teams. Marlon Byrd and Chris Young are having pretty good years and deserve to be the Cub and Diamondback representatives. Michael Bourn, however, should not be the Astros representative and Matt Holliday just shouldn’t be there. 

Bourn – .260 BA, .336 OBP, 1 HR, 20 RBI, 48 R, 25 SB

Holliday – .298 BA, .374 OBP, 11 HR, 39 RBI, 45 R, 6 SB

Adam Dunn – .275 BA, .361 OBP, 17 HR, 49 RBI, 44 R

Colby Rasmus – .278 BA, .369 OBP, 16 HR, 40 RBI, 48 R, 9 SB

Josh Willingham – .281 BA, .413 OBP, 15 HR, 46 RBI, 43 R, 7 SB

Carlos Gonzalez – .295 BA, .329 OBP, 14 HR, 52 RBI, 49 R, 12 SB

Andre Ethier – .320 BA, .375 OBP, 13 HR, 49 RBI, 39 R, 1 SB

Ryan Braun – .295 BA, .351 OBP, 11 HR, 51 RBI, 50 R, 11 SB

Andrew McCutchen – .295 BA, .374 OBP, 7 HR, 24 RBI, 50 R, 20 SB

Once again, the list goes on and on for players better than Bourn or Holliday in the outfield. Snubbery.

Pitching in the National League is deep, so someone like Clayton Kershaw, Matt Latos, or Roy Oswalt were going to get left out simply because there was not enough room.

What is confusing is why pitchers like Evan Meek and Arthur Rhodes made it over any of the above starters or some closers. Apparently the new thing is to elect setup men, which is fine if their numbers are insanely good.

Rhodes apparently is the Tim Wakefield of this year’s All-Star game. Old is the new good.

Rhodes – 3-2, 1.09 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 32 K, 33 IP

Meek – 4-2, 0.96 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 42 K, 44 IP

Solid numbers, but a setup man should at least have more Ks than innings pitched to make the All-Star team over closers like:

Heath Bell – 23 saves (leads NL), 1.72 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 49 K, 36.2 IP

Francisco Rodriguez – 20 saves, 2.57 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 52 K, 42 IP

Billy Wagner – 17 saves, 1.35 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 52 K, 33.1 IP

Oswalt should have been your Astros representative over Rhodes, Meek or Capps, which would mean Willingham/Dunn would sub in for Bourn and McCutchen would sub in for Holliday. All teams would still have a representative and you’d have two pitching positions open for Bell, Wagner, Rodriguez or the starters mentioned above.

It’s so simple, yet, we must make it so difficult.

Maybe next year…nah, probably not.

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Earlier I went over the American League All Star Game roster, so let’s now cover the National League. Here is the roster for the National League, which is led by Philadelphia Phillies’ skipper Charlie Manuel.

Starters

C: Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals

1B: Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals

2B: Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies – Injured, will not play

SS: Hanley Ramirez, Florida Marlins

3B: David Wright, New York Mets

OF: Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers

OF: Jason Heyward, Atlanta Braves – Injured, will not play

OF: Andre Ethier, Los Angeles Dodgers

Reserves

C: Brian McCann, Atlanta Braves

1B: Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies

1B: Adrian Gonzalez, San Diego Padres

2B: Martin Prado, Atlanta Braves

2B: Brandon Phillips, Cincinnati Reds

SS: Jose Reyes, New York Mets

3B: Scott Rolen, Cincinnati Reds

INF: Omar Infante, Atlanta Braves

OF: Corey Hart, Milwaukee Brewers

OF: Chris Young, Arizona Diamondbacks

OF: Michael Bourn, Houston Astros

OF: Matt Holliday, St. Louis Cardinals

OF: Marlon Byrd, Chicago Cubs

SP: Ubaldo Jimenez, Colorado Rockies

SP: Josh Johnson, Florida Marlins

SP: Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies

SP: Adam Wainwright, St. Louis Cardinals

SP: Chris Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals

SP: Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants

SP: Tim Hudson, Atlanta Braves

SP: Yovani Gallardo, Milwaukee Brewers

RP: Matt Capps, Washington Nationals

RP: Jonathan Broxton, Los Angeles Dodgers

RP: Brian Wilson, San Francisco Giants

RP: Arthur Rhodes, Cincinnati Reds

RP: Evan Meek, Pittsburgh Pirates

Analysis

While I thought the players and Joe Girardi did a good job of picking the reserves in the AL, the NL was a clown show. When I came home and saw Omar Infante made the team I thought it was a typo.

How does a guy who doesn’t even start on his own team make the All Star team? That is a joke. No disrespect to Infante—he is a good player that every team should have on their roster. But when we are taking about the best of the best, I am sorry, he can’t make the team.

Joey Votto has been one of the one or two best players in the NL all season and the fact that he was originally left off for Infante, might be the biggest travesty in all-star snub history.

Lincecum over Mat Latos or Heath Bell? No thanks. That is a reputation selection that annoys me. McCann might have a better name, but Miguel Olivo is having the better year.

Here are the five players up for the final roster spot…

Joey Votto

Heath Bell

Carlos Gonzalez

Ryan Zimmerman

Billy Wagner

You can vote for the final player here.

If you don’t vote for Votto, then you should never be allowed to vote for anything again.

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg

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