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With the All-Star rosters set to be released tomorrow, it is time to give my take on who deserves the nod. I will start with the players who were leading the voting when the results were last announced (they will be the first ones listed), then fill in the rest with the guys who belong in the game. Starting with the American League (NL can be found here)...

First Base

Candidates: Kevin Youkilis, Justin Morneau, Mark Teixeira, Russell Branyan, Miguel Cabrera

Youkilis leads the voting and also leads in OBP and OPS. All are deserving, but at least one must go, so I'll eliminate the one with the lowest batting average, on-base percentage, and OPS. That means Teixeira is out. While it might seem odd to carry 4 1B, they really do deserve it, and with the amount of pinch hitting that could take place. Plus, a few of these guys can play 3B if needed. If Teixeira ends up winning the voting, Branyan might get squeezed out due to his lack of perceived "star power" as opposed to his accomplishments this year.

Verdict: Youkilis, Morneau, Branyan, Cabrera

Second Base

Candidates: Ian Kinsler, Aaron Hill, Ben Zobrist, Dustin Pedroia

Kinsler was the leading vote getter, but Pedroia was close to overtaking him. If the reigning MVP does end up starting, it'll be a shame, as he is hitting nowhere near what he did last year. Zobrist is more of a utility guy who has played mostly 2B this year after starting the year as more of an OF rotation guy -- he isn't even on the ballot -- but has stepped up huge with Akinori Iwamura out. The unfortunate thing is that if Pedroia does overtake Kinsler in the voting, then one of the other three could get snubbed.

Verdict: Kinsler, Hill, Zobrist

Third Base

Candidates: Evan Longoria, Scott Rolen, Chone Figgins, Brandon Inge, Michael Young

This one isn't close, in terms of fan voting or reality, as Longoria is the clear choice in both cases. After that, it gets a bit muddled, as the other four haven't done much to separate themselves from the pack. Someone has to make it though, and someone has to stay home.

Verdict: Longoria, Rolen, Young

Shortstop

Candidates: Derek Jeter, Jason Bartlett, Marco Scutaro

Jeter is running away with the votes, so he will make it. Bartlett is by far the most deserving, despite a DL stint. Scutaro leads the league in runs scored, and some would argue he deserves an All-Star nod more that Jeter (I don't agree), but he just misses out here.

Verdict: Jeter, Bartlett

Catcher

Candidates: Joe Mauer, Victor Martinez

Mauer is probably the leading MVP candidate right now, despite missing the first month of the season. Martinez has split time between catcher and first base, and has had a great bounce-back year after disappointing last year. Really, this one is obvious, as no other catcher comes close to touching these two.  Of course, last year the players elected Jason Varitek to the game, so if they do that again, a more deserving player (though probably not one of these two) will miss out.

Verdict: Mauer, Martinez

Outfield

Candidates: Jason Bay, Ichiro Suzuki, Josh Hamilton, Torii Hunter, Adam Lind, Carl Crawford, Shin-Soo Choo, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jason Kubel, Johnny Damon, Jermaine Dye, Adam Jones

Hamilton doesn't deserve it, but is one of the three leaders right now. If he is selected, he likely won't play due to injury anyway. Ellsbury is close to passing Hamilton in the voting and also doesn't deserve it, but would end up playing. As seems to be a recurring theme here, hopefully he doesn't make it and bump a more deserving player. Lind is primarily a DH, but has played about a third of his games in the outfield and is hitting too well to ignore. Jones makes it as the lone Orioles representative.

Verdict: Bay, Ichiro, Hamilton, Hunter, Lind, Crawford, Jones

Starting Pitching

Candidates: Zack Greinke, Roy Halladay, Kevin Millwood, Cliff Lee, Felix Hernandez, Mark Buerhle, Edwin Jackson, Jered Weaver, Justin verlander, Dallas Braden, Matt Garza, CC Sabathia, Josh Beckett, Tim Wakefield

There has been a lot of sentiment for Wakefield to make it this year due to him 10-3 record, but his 4.30 ERA shows he's not deserving. Then again, he was deserving in 1995, when he was 7-1 with a 1.61 ERA at the break and somehow didn't make it, so perhaps making it this year would make up for that. Seeing as how he's a well-respected veteran who has never made it, I wouldn't be shocked if he gets in on the player vote as a sign of respect from his peers. Whatever the case ends up being, he doesn't make my roster.

Verdict: Greinke, Halladay, Millwood, Jackson, Hernandez, Weaver, Verlander, Buehrle

Relief Pitching

Candidates: Joe Nathan, Jonathan Papelbon, Mariano Rivera, Brian Fuentes, Bobby Jenks, JP Howell, David Aardsma, Andrew Bailey

Fuentes leads the American League in saves, but has a much higher ERA than some of the others. Howell, Aardsma, and Bailey didn't start the year as closers, so their saves totals are lower. Still, their ERAs show they have been dominant this year. Also, they have pitched more innings than the others. Bailey ends up making it as the lone A's representative, narrowly beating out Dallas Braden for the honor.

Verdict: Nathan, Papelbon, Aardsma, Rivera, Bailey

There you have it, my 34 man roster (adding Young to the 33 man roster as an injury replacement for Hamilton).

Think your favorite player got snubbed? Disagree with my reasoning? Feel free to leave a comment.