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The Sporting News continued its year-end honor roll Thursday by selecting All-Star teams for the American and National Leagues based on league-wide balloting. More than 55 executives -- 26 from AL clubs and 29 from NL teams -- voted on the game's top stars, and their choices were narrowed down to the most worthy at each position. Only two players -- Detroit's Justin Verlander and the Dodgers' Mat free football t Kemp -- were unanimous selections.Verlander, thought to be a leading candidate for the AL Cy Young Award -- and perhaps even the Most Valuable Player Award trophy -- was honored for a season that saw him lead the league in victories (24), winning percentage (.828), ERA (2.40) innings pitched (251) and strikeouts (250).The bulk of the AL team came from twin powerhouses of the East -- Boston and N free football ew York. The Yankees had three players (Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson and Mariano Rivera) on the All-Star team, a total matched only by the Red Sox (Adrian Gonzalez, Jacoby Ellsbury and David Ortiz).Verlander's teammate and battery mate, Alex Avila, was chosen as the standout AL catcher, and only one player (third baseman Adrian Beltre) was selected from the two-time defending league champion R free football angers. Toronto's Jose Bautista and Cleveland's Asdrubal Cabrera rounded out the AL squad.Kemp, who was named to his first All-Star Game this season, led the NL in runs (115), home runs (39) and RBIs (126). He was joined by teammate Clayton Kershaw, who won the league triple crown with 21 wins, a 2.28 ERA and 248 strikeouts.While the pennant-winning Cardinals were not represented on the NL squad, free football the Braves (Brian McCann and Craig Kimbrel) and Brewers (Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun) managed to match the Dodgers with two standout players in the mix.Cincinnati's Brandon Phillips was selected as second baseman, and he was joined in the infield by Chicago third baseman Aramis Ramirez and Colorado shortstop Troy Tulowitzki. Arizona slugger Justin Upton rounded out the squad, joining Braun and K free football emp in the outfield corps. free football
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