Some All-Star Notes

Take a look at baseball's All-Star lineups and one would think the Cubs are the defending World Series champs. The lovable losers — who still look like the team to beat in the National League — are sending seven representatives to Yankee Stadium next week. Voted in as starters for the National League are outfielders Alfonso Soriano and Kosuke Fukudome, as well as catcher and NL Rookie of the Year candidate Geovany Soto. Joining them in the Bronx will be pitchers Ryan Dempster, Kerry Wood and Carlos Zambrano and third baseman Aramis Ramirez. Soriano, out with an injury, says he plans on playing in the midsummer classic. We should expect manager Lou Piniella to weigh in with more rational thinking as the NL Central race is far from over.

Meanwhile, the White Sox are sending two representatives to the game. Outfielder Carlos Quentin and third baseman Joe Crede made the AL team, while outfielder Jermaine Dye can still make the trip with final fan balloting. There's always a case for players deserving of inclusion. That said, Crede and his 17 errors this season does not deserve the trip. Who should have been selected? Probably one of the Sox pitchers, since they have the best team ERA in the league, or A.J. Pierzynski, who has to catch all those folks on a near-daily basis.

The Boston Red Sox (the one team in baseball with a fan base more annoying than the Cubs) are also sending seven players to the Bronx, four as starters.