Young breakout players mix with usual suspects

	Paul Konerko has the early edge among AL first baseman, but Mark Teixeira is better defensively and could overtake Konerko if his bat heats up. Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

This year's All-Star ballot, the paper one that they give out at every major league ballpark, has 240 names on it, with a red dot next to each. The ballot begins, in the upper left-hand corner, with "J. Giambi YANKEES," and it ends with "A. Rowand PHILLIES" in the lower right. There's a spot for write-ins, with a red dot of its very own.

The whole thing's a little daunting, really. I mean, how can we take anything seriously that has "David Ortiz RED SOX" in the first base section? Does Adrian Beltre even deserve a little red dot of his own? And why is anyone associated with the Royals anywhere near this ballot?

Because this whole All-Star voting process can get a little convoluted, it's never too early to start thinking about what little red dot you plan on punching out, either literally (at the ballpark) or figuratively (online). So in another of our unending string of public services, we give you an entirely-too-early cheat sheet for the 2006 All-Star selections, complete with a winnowed-down field of candidates (who wants to wade through 240 choices?), a dark horse or two and the rightful starter -- for right now, anyway.

This is all subject to recall, of course.

Here's the American League (all stats through Wednesday's games). Click here for the National League.

First base

Choose from these three: Giambi, Yankees; Paul Konerko, White Sox; Chris Shelton, Tigers
Watch out for: Mark Teixeira, Rangers
Starter: Konerko. He leads all first basemen in home runs, and he's liable to stay in front for at least the next month or so. He's better defensively than Giambi, too. (Heck, the Venus di Milo has better hands than Giambi.) And though Paulie Baseball doesn't have quite the batting average of Shelton right now, that could easily change by mid-July. Teixeira's power has abandoned him, but if he comes on, he's maybe the best defensive first baseman in the league. If you count those kinds of things.

Second base

Choose from these three: Luis Castillo, Twins; Tadahito Iguchi, White Sox; Jose Lopez, Mariners
Watch out for: Mark Loretta, Red Sox
Starter: Lopez. Who? In a light-hitting field, the Mariners' 22-year-old second sacker has more home runs and more RBIs than anyone, not to mention a higher OPS (.794). He's not as good defensively as some, but he's not that much worse. He deserves the nod.