Paul Konerko deserves to be an All Star

   Paul Konerko joins Billy Wagner as the only three-time Final Vote candidates, having come up short in 2004 (splitting the vote with teammate Frank Thomas) and 2010. The Sox captain is chasing the first Triple Crown since 1967, entering this week fourth in the AL in home runs (21) and RBIs (62), and fifth in average (.319).

   No one is going to argue with Adrian Gonzales and Miguel Cabrera making the All Star team ahead of Konerko, as those two are the best hitters in all of baseball. The real debate is between Konerko and the Yankees Mark Teixeira. Tex has better power numbers with a league leading 25 home runs and 65 RBIs, but his average is 75 pts lower than Paulie's. Thats way too big of a gap to overlook.

   Texeira also has Alex Rodriguez protecting him in the lineup. Konerko has Adam Dunn and his .180 average behind him. But luckily for Konerko, Teixeira was also snubbed from the Final Vote too. And other than Vic Martinez (who should have made the team over Russell Martin to begin with), Paulie should have no other serious challengers in the vote.

  There will always be All Star snubs, especially if MLB never changes the rule that every team must have one player represented in the game. Its pretty obvious that Konerko should have made the team over guys like Michael Cuddyer and Matt Joyce , so if you're a Sox fan go here to vote your boy in.