1998: Made his 7th consecutive All-Star team in a year which he compiled a .321 average, to go along with 21 home runs and 91 RBIs. Threw out 52.5% of runners attempting to steal.

Analysis: Rodriguez - especially considering his superb defense - is the obvious choice among a weak AL catching contingent. But Alomar a close second? Injury has limited him to 82 at-bats.

1998: Hit 30 home runs, compiled 85 RBIs and hit .293 in 123 games. Named to his second All-Star team.

Analysis: An undeserving start for Thome will cost a deserving first baseman a spot. Rafael Palmeiro clearly should be the starter and is a likely reserve; but Fred McGriff or Toronto's Carlos Delgado (19 HRs, 69 RBIs and a mere 282,613 votes) are worthy too. And Thome's selection almost certainly aces out Vaughn for a starring role in Boston.

1998: Alomar spent the '98 season with Baltimore, batting .282 with 14 home runs and 56 RBIs. Named All-Star game MVP.

Analysis: No argument with Alomar as the starter; but how does Chuck Knoblauch, suffering through one of his worst seasons, finish second and grab three times as many votes as the next closest guy? And nowhere to be found among the top 10 is Seattle's surprising David Bell (.273, 15 HRs, 53 RBIs).

1998: Perennial All-Star voluntarily ended his consecutive game streak at 2,632. Finished season with 14 HRs and 61 RBIs.

Analysis: His place in history aside - and even factoring in a weak third base group in the AL this year - it's hard to see Ripken along with Cleveland's Travis Fryman, finishing well ahead of Tony Fernandez, who has been hitting close to .400 all season. And what of Detroit's Dean Palmer, who finished 10th with just 145,506 despite 21 HRs and 54 RBIs?

1998: A .323 average, 35 homers and 122 RBIs helped Garciaparra finish 2d in the AL MVP balloting. Became the 5th player with 30 homers in first 2 major league seasons.

Analysis: People in New York will be crying foul because Jeter is having his best year, but the fact is Garciaparra is right there with Jeter in most hitting categories despite missing time with injuries.

1998: Griffey continued his spectacular play by smacking 56 home runs for the second consecutive year. Was also voted to his ninth straight All-Star team and became the second-youngest player to reach the 300 home run mark. Outfield analysis: Griffey and Ramirez are All-Stars by anybody's measure. But the Cleveland factor comes into play again, infuriating Gonzalez to the point that he's refusing to appear as a reserve. Among the others with good reason to complain are Toronto's Shawn Green (.325, 23 HRs, 67 RBIs), New York's Bernie Williams (.342, 13 HRs, 51 RBIs), and Chicago's Magglio Ordonez (.334, 18 HRs, 64 RBIs).

1998: An All-Star for the fifth year, Lofton hit .282 with 12 home runs and 64 RBIs. He also stole 54 bases in 64 attempts.

1998: The Indian right-fielder made the All-Star team for the second time after hitting 45 home runs and batting in 145. He hit 4 post season home runs, moving himself into fourth on all-time list with 13.

1998: Smacked 46 home runs and 107 RBIs. Canseco also stole 29 bases and batted .237 for the season.

Analysis: Canseco is the clear choice for a triumphant return to Fenway. But how does Cordero get nearly twice as many votes as Frank Thomas or Edgar Martinez, even if both are having subpar years? In fact, after Canseco, the most deserving is probably Oakland's Jon Jaha (.293, 18 HRs, 54 RBIs), who the Red Sox decided last spring was not healthy enough to help them.