It's summer. And like every June and going into July, there's a disease running around MLB baseball stadiums. It afflicts perfectly nice, well-meaning but completely ignorant fans. For some reason, when they get their All-Star ballot in their hand they get a case of either the "I Don't Know Any of These Guys, So I'll Just Fill Only Guys From My Team" or "Hmm, Well, I Like This Guy, So I'll vote For Him (When In Fact That Player Has Been On The DL for Months)". In fact, I'm almost certain that if Babe Ruth accidentally made the 2007 ballot, he'd get voted on the AL team. Given the spread and infection rate of the disease, it must be stopped before purists like myself are driven mad.

Fortunately, I have the antidote.

Before you punch the hole next to Albert Pujols' or Robinson Cano's name, stop. Read this. Better yet, pull up this window as you vote at MLB.com. I'll do this position by position with stats for the leading candidate, as well as offer you "Guys You Could Vote For But Shouldn't" section. If your guy's name doesn't appear even there, then don't vote for him.

(Stats are up to date as of 6/7.)

AMERICAN LEAGUE

First Base: Justin Morneau. MIN. (.276/16/45): He's following up his 2006 MVP performance with another great year, and he's a borderline Gold Glover. Tough? He broke his nose on a bad hop throw, came back the next day and went 3 for 5 with 3 runs.
Guys You Could Vote For But Shouldn't: Mark Teixeira, TEX, David Ortiz, BOS (Note to MLB: Papi doesn't even play a position. Idiots!)

Second Base: BJ Upton, TB (.325/9/31, plus 13 SBs): The kid is electric and doing everything everyone said he could do, and then some. He's in the same class as the Mets' Jose Reyes.
Guys You Could Vote For But Shouldn't: Ian Kinsler, TEX, Placido Polanco, DET

Shortstop: Carlos Guillen DET (.310/7/38): Tough one here, but the right call as of this writing. Derek Jeter (NYY) and Miguel Tejada's (BAL) power numbers are down. Orlando Cabrera (Angels) has a great average (.333) but no pop. Jhonny Peralta (CLE) is bouncing back nicely from a dismal 2006 and would be the second choice behind Guillen.
Guys You Could Vote For But Shouldn't: Peralta, Jeter, Tejada. Cabrera

Third Base: Alex Rodriguez. NY (.303/21/52 and 6 SB): Stray-Rod, Cheat-Rod, Strip-Rod, whatever you want to call him, he's still an All-Star.
Guys You Could Vote For, But Shouldn't: Mike Lowell, BOS

Catcher: Victor Martinez, CLE (.316/12/51): So hard to pick him over Jorge Posada (NYY), but Martinez is mashing the ball.
Guys You Could Vote For But Shouldn't: Posada, Kenji Johjima, SEA

Outfielders: Magglio Ordonez, DET, (.362/13/54), Vladimer Guerrero, LAA (.348/12/51) and Ichiro, SEA (.333/5/29, plus 15 SB): The first two are no-brainers. Maggs is the MVP if the season ended today. Vlad The Impaler is just torching the ball. And I know I'll get grief for picking Ichiro over Grady Sizemore (CLE), but let's be honest: There's no better leadoff hitter or more dangerous base runner in the AL than Ichiro. Hard to leave Rios off, but he's not a center fielder.
Guys You Could Vote For But Shouldn't: Sizemore, Armando Rios, TOR, Gary Sheffield, DET

NATIONAL LEAGUE

First Base: Prince Fielder, MIL (.299/21/48). The leading NL MVP candidate is, yes, better and fatter than Albert Pujols (STL). Right now, anyway. At least as far as batting goes. And no one's voted for a Prince since "Purple Rain".
Guys You Could Vote For But Shouldn't: Pujols, Derek Lee, CHC, Todd Helton, COL

Second Base: Chase Utely, PHI (.309/11/47): Is this even in doubt? Well, actually, yes. Utley is being chased by Brandon Phillips (CIN) and Dan Uggla (FLA), both of whom are providing some stiff competition.
Guys You Could Vote For But Shouldn't: Phillips, Uggla,

Shortstop: J.J. Hardy, MIL (.289/16/47, 0 SBs): OK, here's where I catch grief from Mets, Marlins, Braves and Philly fans. But hold on before you tar and feather me: Look at Hardy's numbers. The only stat he's well behind in is steals; every other category he leads and is just behind runs. So...I know it's a bit of a fluke, but you have to give the nod to Hardy.
Guys You Could Vote For But Shouldn't: Jose Reyes, NYM,; Hanley Ramirez, FLA; Jimmy Rollins, PHI; Edgar Renteria, ATL

Third Base: Miguel Cabrera, FLA (.320/12/41): This is a semi-no-brainer. Little Miggy's average makes him the starter over Aramis Ramirez (CHC).
Guys You Could Vote For, But Shouldn't: Ramirez, Chipper Jones, ATL,

Catcher: Russell Martin, LA (.310/7/40, plus 9 SB): Martin gets the easy nod over the Giants' Bengie Molina. (Sorry, Bennie, you'll be the back up and get to play in front of the home town crowd.) If Michael Barrett (CHC) had actually landed a punch on Carlos Zambrano, he'd be the starter, just for hitting that a-hole. Instead he got beat up by a pitcher. What an insult to catchers everywhere.
Guys You Could Vote For But Shouldn't: Molina

Outfielders: Carlos Lee, HOU, (.308/11/54), Matt Holliday, COL (.351/10/45) and Jason Bay, PIT (.309/11/45): Power wise, not terribly impressive. But these gents are having amazingly solid years and will only get better. If Barry Bonds (SF) hadn't gone into such a funk the last month, he'd have made the team easily.
Guys You Could Vote For But Shouldn't: Bonds; Carlos Beltran, NYM; Eric Byrnes, AZ;

So there you have it. You have no excuses for befouling your All-Star ballot with the likes of Andruw Jones, Richie Sexson and Nick Punto. Or at least I can hope.