If you saw KIE's most recent entry, you already know that the MLB All-Star Vote is upon us once again. This is the time of the year when MLB fans around the world (voting is open in Japan as well) gather round their computers and major league parks and vote for the 9 (or in this case 8) players they want to see in the opening lineup of the Mid-Summer Classic.

KIE and I have already exchanged votes, him voting for Joe Mauer and Nick Punto of the Twins and me voting for Craig Biggio of the Houston Astros.

When I first started getting into baseball, I would simply vote for my entire team. More recently I have decided that isn't exactly the best way to do things (if only everybody felt the same way). So this year, instead of listing the entire Twins roster, I'm going to only ask for a bit of help. Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau.

Last season, Mauer became the first catcher in American League history to lead the Majors in batting average (.347). He just missed making the 2006 All-Star Game as the starting catching, rallying late in the vote to edge out Jason Varitek.

And as much as this is going to sound like a home-fan tooting his team's horn, Morneau is the reigning AL MVP and arguably the best first basemen in the American League. His biggest competition this year comes from David Ortiz, the Designated Hitter of the Boston Red Sox. Since the All-Star Game this year is in a National League park, the teams will not have a DH (the pitcher will have to hit instead). This puts Ortiz on the ballot as a first baseman, a posistion he only plays 7-8 games a year. I'm not going to try and argue against the potency of his numbers, but if yo uwant a true first baseman, Morneau is the best choice this year.

There are other players who deserve spots on the All Star Roster this year (OFs Torii Hunter and Michael Cuddyer), but the outfield talent in the American League is deep (Ichiro Suzuki, Vladimir Gurrero, and Manny Rameriez to name a few), and I don't know if there's an argument that could be made for any specific three this year. But when it comes to catcher and 1B, the AL would be hard pressed to find a better pair than Mauer and Morneau.

Of course, that's just my opinion. The actual vote is all up to you.