The arrival of Opening Day inevitably leads to speculation about which players will take home trophies at the end of the season.
In the MVP races, many have raised questions about Joe Mauer's ability to replicate his fantastic 2009 numbers and whether Albert Pujols can sustain his god-like pace for another year.
There is no consensus pick for the AL Cy Young, but in the NL it looks to be a showdown between incumbent Tim Lincecum and newcomer Roy Halladay.
As for Rookie of the Year—well, that's anyone's guess.
But the first round of individual recognitions—the All-Star Game—is a horse of a different color. The fans' votes for the starting lineups are influenced just as much by their players' popularity as they are by their statistics.
With that in mind, here are the AL players with the best combinations of skill and popularity who I expect to start at the 2010 Midsummer Classic.
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