My All-Star Team
Tom Verducci
July 11, 2005
Meet the new faces of baseball. Conspicuous by their absence on my 2005 All-Star teams are the eight active home run leaders and their combined 52 All-Star appearances: Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro, Ken Griffey Jr., Jeff Bagwell, Frank Thomas, Juan Gonzalez and Jim Thome.
Jones, the major league leader in home runs at week's end (25), is keeping the Braves afloat with what may be his first-ever 40-homer season.
FANS' PICK -- CARLOS BELTRAN, Mets
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OUTFIELD -- BOBBY ABREU -- PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
Abreu leads all NL outfielders in OPS (.982), hits 67 points higher with runners on base (.348) than without (.281) and has stolen 20 bases in 23 tries.
FANS' PICK -- ABREU
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STARTING PITCHER -- ROGER CLEMENS -- HOUSTON ASTROS
Clemens has been better than Dontrelle Willis, with a lower ERA (1.50 to 2.04), more K's (104 to 85) and a lower opponent batting average (.182 to .253). The Astros have scored two or fewer runs in half of his 16 starts.
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