Impressive All-Star team made up of players currently on the DL

Tulo is on the DL...and we can make a great team full of guys currently on the DL

There have been a lot of big name injuries in baseball this year (there probably are every year but lately it seems an All-Star caliber player hits the DL daily) and I thought it would be fun to see what kind of team I could make solely made up of guys on the DL.

I will assume a five man rotation and seven pitchers in the bullpen which leaves me with 13 positional players.

At catcher I am going with Carlos Santana (Indians) as my starter and he is relieved occasionally by Victor Martinez (Tigers). On my 40-man roster I would have Jonathan Lucroy waiting in case one of these guys got hurt…get it?

At first base I have a few options: Ryan Howard and Jim Thome (both with the Phillies), Lance Berkman (Cardinals). Lance Berkman is my starter and no backup. Thome is too old and this isn’t the American League so I don’t need a DH. Howard just isn’t good enough. His D is subpar and I don’t need a guy who just K’s all the time and hits a few homers (…a few). Howard hits the 40-man.

At second I have Chase Utley (Phillies) being backed up by Freddy Sanchez (Giants). Sanchez can play a few positions and help cover the infield.

Shortstop is a no-brainer with Troy Tulowitzki (Rockies) getting the everyday position. I am not carrying a backup on my 25-man roster so Stephen Drew (Diamondbacks) has to be placed on the 40-man roster.

At third base I have to carry both Evan Longoria (Rays) and Pablo Sandoval (Giants). Sorry, Chipper Jones (Braves), you are the third best option and your little final hurrah around baseball is over, no more presentations before away games from opposing teams.

After filling up my infield I have used eight of my 13 available everyday positions (and have 13 on my 40-man roster).

I have a crazy number of centerfielders on the DL and will use them to occupy my outfield. Matt Kemp (Dodgers) is in left, Jacoby Ellsbury (Red Sox) is in center and Franklin Gutierrez (Mariners) is covering right to round out an insane outfield defensively. If I need a bat I have Cody Ross (Giants) and if I need speed I have Brett Gardner (Yankees) on the bench. Yoenis Cespedes (Athletics), Desmond Jennings (Rays) and Carl Crawford (Red Sox) all head to my 40-man roster.

At this point I have 13 on my 25-man (21 on the 40-man).

Here is where it really gets loaded: starting pitchers. Roy Halladay (Phillies), Jered Weaver (Angels) and Chris Carpenter (Cardinals) are easily my first three starters. That leaves Ted Lilly (Dodgers), Jorge De La Rosa (Rockies), John Danks (White Sox), Neftali Feliz (Rangers), Jonathan Sanchez (Royals), Brandon McCarthy and Brett Anderson (Athletics) as options for the final two spots. I am going with Lilly and Feliz to round out my rotation and stock the farm with De La Rosa, Danks, Sanchez, McCarthy and Anderson…I would love to see a AAA team face that group!

I have seven spots left on my 25 man roster and 9 on my 40-man and check out this bullpen:

Mariano Rivera (Yankees) is my closer, with Brian Wilson (Giants) as his setup man. If we actually need anyone on the seventh or eighth inning (let’s be real, with that starting staff we won’t need anyone in the sixth and not likely in the seventh!) the options are Andrew Bailey (Red Sox), Rafael Perez (Indians), Joakim Soria (Royals), Drew Storen (Nationals) and Huston Street (Padres) waiting in the bullpen. And if anyone gets hurt – there is that joke again! – I have Ryan Madson (Phillies), Kyle Farnsworth (Rays), David Robertson (Yankees) and Sergio Santos (Blue Jays) on my 40-man roster. This even leaves me Bobby Jenks, Brad Lidge and David Aardsma as trade bait.

So here is how my team shapes up.

How’s that for a team? Did I miss anyone? Anything you would change?

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