AngelsNation.net 2010 Mid-Season Awards and Anti-All-Stars.

Ok, so its the slowest sports day of the year. No Baseball, and Basketball, Hockey and Football are all out of season. Lets give out some mid-season awards, in recognition of baseball's first-half greatness. Also, I'm not here to give out the regular awards (MVP, Cy Young, ROY), because those are boring, and I agree with most experts. So, lets have some fun, and then we will get to the Anti-All-Stars.

AL LVP (Least Valuable Player): John Lackey, BOS - P. This one is pretty easy. He got a huge paycheck this offseason, and he is making 18.7 Million Dollars to have an incredibly average year. He is by far the highest paid player on the team, and the only one in the top 25 in terms of salary. So far, he is 9-5. Not bad, sure... but I'm sure Boston didn't think they would be paying him at the clip of 2 million dollars a win. He also has an ERA nearing 5.00. Good Job, Lackey, hope you still enjoy playing in a ballpark where you have traditionally struggled.

NL LVP: Carlos Zambrano, CHC - P. Also pretty easy, even though he makes less than Carlos Beltran, who is out all season with an injury, he has been far more detrimental to his team. He also makes 18.7 Million Dollars, and he has been so remarkable bad this year, that it almost seems like his dugout tantrums are the least of the Cubs worries. Why this man still has a job in that city is beyond me. Any other manager would have stopped putting up with that crap weeks ago. Hell, Mike Scioscia probably would have cut him off the team two years ago when he beat up that Gatorade machine.

The Jeff Weaver Award for Why the **** are you still pitching?!?: Scott Kazmir, LAA. Sure, he has 7 wins, but his 9 losses is among league leaders. His near 7.00 ERA is unfathomable, and his 17 home runs allowed are staggering. Also, his 71 Earned Runs are tops in the majors. His 7 wins and past success are the only things that keep him going to the mound every 5 games. The Angels need to replace him to have ANY chance at keeping up with the Rangers.

The Brandon Wood Award for Why the **** are you still playing?!?: Brandon Wood, LAA. I'm sure this comes to no shock to anyone.

The Steve Finley Award for Worst Free-Agent Pickup: Chone Figgins, SEA. I don't need to throw the stats at you, but he is hitting poorly, not getting on base, and getting caught stealing. I know everyone in town misses him dearly, and think we would be better with him, but I disagree. Its clear that he has been in a regression for the better part of 2 seasons, and this season was the full nose-dive to obscurity.

Well, as we are coming to a close for the Mid-Season Awards, let us take this time to honor the Anti-All-Stars, the worst every-day players at every position. There will be a few surprises, I promise you.

National League:
C - Yadier Molina, STL
1B - Todd Helton, COL
2B - Akinori Iwamura, PIT
3B - Pedro Feliz, HOU
SS - Brenden Ryan, STL
OF - Tony Gwynn Jr, SD
OF - Nate McClouth, ATL (DL)
OF - Ryan Church, PIT
SP - Kenshin Kawakami, ATL
CP - Chad Qualls, ARI

American League:
C - Gerald Laird, DET
1B - Garrett Atkins, BAL
2B - Gordon Beckham, CHW
3B - Brandon Wood, LAA
SS - Jason Bartlett, TB
OF - Trevor Crowe, CLE
OF - Nolan Reimold, BAL
OF - Ryan Raburn, DET
DH - Justin Smoak, SEA
SP - Scott Kazmir, LAA
CP - David Aardsma, SEA

You might notice that Yadier Molina was on both the actual All-Star Team and this fictional Anti-All-Star Team. Well, he is having a downright awful season statistically, and should have never made the All-Star Team. Way to go, America. Also, Aardsma barely edged out Fuentes for closing duties on the Anti-All-Star Team.

Also, Congratulations on two-time honorees this evening, Brandon Wood and Scott Kazmir. You are both truly special, and I can't wait for an entire second-half of watching you two struggle to play baseball.

2010 All-Star Game: A Live Blog

5:02 PM - All-Star Game starts NOW on FOX, but that means it will actually start in about 45 minutes. Get comfortable.

5:03 PM - I'm not a fan of Chris Rose at all, but he sadly going to be the best sportscaster we will see for the next 5 hours.

5:10 PM - Next time, don't make it so obvious you have had TONS of work done, Joe Buck.

5:14 PM - At least A-Rod knew he was going to booed really hard.

5:22 PM - Hey look, the one person who might have actually had more work done than Joe Buck, Julia Roberts.

5:24 PM - Fun fact: The last time Sheryl Crow was relevant was the last time the NL won the All-Star Game.

5:29 PM - We get it FOX... you love that Glee is doing so well. We don't need their stars EVERYWHERE. Its not like its even Jane Lynch or that chick with the horse nose.

5:33 PM - I thought it couldn't get worse than The Cleveland Show, but no, Fox decided to blend Raising Arizona and My Name is Earl into some awful looking sitcom.

5:35 PM - I was pretty sure Glee was a singing show.... why cant she?

5:39 PM - Oooo... and a crappy looking show about some guy who is "the best at what he does" in Texas... the least appealing of all 50 states.

5:40 PM - Hey look, its Rod Carew, whom we always claim as our own, even though he prefers to be known as a Twin. Screw Him.

5:44 PM - Forever = 14 years. Good to know.

5:46 PM - Is it sad that the Cooking Reality show from the really angry british guy and the producers of The Biggest Loser is the best looking new show coming to Fox?

5:48 PM - Ok... so 46 minutes till the game started... so close

5:49 PM - AL: Use your Lineup. BEST. SCOUTING. REPORT. EVER.

5:51 PM - Cano, don't be 2010's Dan Uggla. Thanks.

5:54 PM - See, how can you hate Ichiro? He is awesome.

5:55 PM - Verdict on first new FreeCreditReport.com band = not awful.

6:01 PM - Yeah... that shut-down pitching for the NL looks like its not going to do much for them. The AL lineup is just better. Sorry, Senior Circuit.

6:02 PM - Way to go, Hamiltoe.

6:05 PM - I'm getting kinda sick of Mr. Sulu making fun of my crappy TV.

6:07 PM - Cano is trying really hard to be the Dan Uggla of the 2010 All-Star Game.

6:09 PM - Gorgeous double play by guys who have never played together.

6:16 PM - I want a Joe Buck clock. We already know Forever = 14 Years, and now, a year and a half = 6 Minutes.

6:21 PM - This is going to be the fastest All-Star Game in history.

6:24 PM - Don't anyone try to get a rally going or anything. Because when we turn on the All-Star Game, we are looking for a pitching duel.

6:27 PM - Get a good look Angels Fans. Carl Crawford is going to be an Angel soon.

6:28 PM - He will get better, I promise.

6:44 PM - I went to go make a couple chili-dogs, and missed an entire inning...

6:58 PM - Boy, Justin Verlander and Robinson Cano sure like to make it look hard.

7:06 PM - If the AL cant score here, they dont deserve to win. Kuo is easily the most hittable pitcher on the NL staff, regardless of his repertoire against lefties.

7:07 PM - Nice Sac-Fly, Cano. Way to make up for your 6 errors so far. American League leads, 1-0.

7:09 PM - Thats Busch league, Mauer... Busch League.

7:13 PM - With how red Heath Bell's face is, you'd think he played in on the sun.

7:23 PM - Another quiet inning for the NL, but not without Joe Buck letting us all know his dream of having Adrian Gonzalez in a Red Sox uniform. What a giant tool.

7:31 PM - Lets hope this is a sign of things to come for the Rangers in the second half.

7:39 PM - Great sub, Joe.... At least Vlad would have swung at something...

7:43 PM - In addition to finding a cure for cancer, that woman standing next to Bud Selig should also try to find a toothbrush.

7:56 PM - Not fair. Brian McCann is cheating with his bionic eye.

8:04 PM - Middle of the 7th, NL leads 3-1. The way the AL has been hitting, this might be enough for the NL to end their winless streak.

8:24 PM - Another quick inning for the NL... Middle of the 8th, still 3-1 NL. A-Rod only player left on AL bench. How cliche, Girardi.

8:32 PM - One Inning to go, AL still looks comatose.

8:40 PM - I understand it has California in the title, but "California Gurls" still seems like an odd song choice, Fox.

8:50 PM - Congrats NL, on your first win in FOREVER (14 years).

All-Star Game: Who Deserves your votes?

So, its an Angels travel day, and there is really nothing better to talk about at this point than the All-Star Game coming to Angel Stadium in mid-July. There is no game on ESPN or MLB Network today, and there is no way in hell I'm going to watch the Dodgers play the Pirates.

So today's blog will be pretty simple. Who deserves your All-Star Votes, and why.

American League:
Catcher - Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins - This is pretty easy. Mauer is the best hitting catcher in either league, and will probably go down as the greatest hitting catcher of all time.

First Base - Justin Morneau, Minnesota Twins/Paul Konerko, Chicago White Sox/Kendry Morales, Angels - This is probably the toughest one on the ballot. Morneau is raking the ball, Konerko is a come-back player of the year canidate, and Morales is a perfect homer pick. Flip a three sided coin on this one.

Second Base - Robinson Cano, New York Yankees - Again, pretty easy here. He his hitting almost .400 with 6 homers. No one else even comes close.

Third Base - Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays - Lets please end A-Rod's streak of starting in the All Star Game now, folks. Longoria is more likable, less of a cheater, and is putting up better numbers the first month of the season.

Shortstop - Derek Jeter, New York Yankees - Who cares what his stats are? He is Derek Jeter.

Outfield - Vladimir Guerrero, Texas Rangers/Nelson Cruz, Texas Rangers/Vernon Wells, Toronto Blue Jays/Shin-soo Choo, Cleveland Indians - There are four worthy candidates here. Guerrero is the only one that would be on my ballot every time. Pick 3 out of four and move along.

Designated Hitter - Hideki Matsui, Angels - Homer Pick. Everybody gets one.

National League:

Catcher - Ivan Rodriguez, Washington Nationals - There are no good candidates here. Brian McCann will probably win, but I'm voting for Pudge, for old times-sake.

First Base - Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals - Duh.

Second Base - Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies - Double Duh.

Third Base - Casey McGehee, Milwaukee Brewers - Most deserving, wont get voted in by the fans in a million years. Hopefully the manager will do the right thing. Doubt it though.

Shortstop - Orlando Cabrera, Cincinatti Reds - Another lack of candidates here. Hanley Ramirez will run away with this one, but OC is putting up great numbers in Ohio.

Outfield - Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers/Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers/Colby Rasmus, St. Louis Cardinals/Marlon Byrd, Chicago Cubs - Again, four solid candidates. Braun is a must. Pick two of the other three.

I'm also very sad that there is no DH spot for the NL for me to vote on, but if I could, Ryan Howard would likely get my vote.

I'm very hopeful that I will be able to attend the Midsummer Classic and surrounding festivities, but even if I'm not, I'm sure it will be a GREAT game, that the American League will run away with.