American League All-Star Third Basemen

Will there be a changing of the guard at third base for the American League this year at the 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game? Will one of the game's biggest stars give way to one of its newest heroes? If so, will it be because of the actions on the field or away from the game?

The top contenders are:

Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees

A-Rod, as he is known, is a 12-time All-Star, and generally regarded as baseball's most talented player. He has a quarter-billion-dollar contract and is on pace to shatter some of the game's greatest hitting records. But the start to Rodriguez's season was delayed by a hip injury, and his offensive numbers so far are well below his career averages. In the middle of June, just a month before the All-Star game, A-Rod was hitting just .230 for the season. To what extent will voters recognize the disappointing numbers A-Rod has put up since his return from hip surgery?

Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays

Rodriguez's struggles open the door for Longoria, one of the fastest-rising stars in the game. Last year, Longoria was still in the minor leagues in May. But the Rays called him up, signed him to a long-term contract, and watched him lead the team to its first-ever World Series. Along the way, with 27 home runs and 85 RBI in just over 120 games, Longoria earned himself the AL's Rookie of the Year Award. This season, he has barely slowed down offensively. He's hitting above .300, has 14 home runs, and led the league in RBI for much of the first half of the season.

Brandon Inge, Detroit Tigers

He won't show up anywhere near the top of the fan balloting, but Inge is deserving of All-Star consideration after a very hot start to his season. Settling at third after playing catcher and the outfield in past seasons for the Tigers, Inge has been hammering the ball at the plate. He's on a pace to obliterate his season highs in home runs and RBI. Plus, he's played remarkable defense at third for Detroit.

Source: MLB.com