In a normal year, if seven of the nine slots in the American League All-Star lineup were on course to be taken by Red Sox and Yankees, this would be at best proof that those teams are popular and at worst evidence of the hilarious provincialism of their fans. This is not a normal year. You could say that the junior circuit’s stars have been decimated by injury, aging, and foul luck, but that would be an abuse of language. Far more than one-tenth of the league’s best players have performed abominably, and at nearly every position, the AL struggles to put forth one player who would rank with the half-dozen best from the National League, at least statistically. This actually may be evidence that the AL is the better league; it’s more difficult to put up numbers when the competition is tougher. Whether or not that’s true, though, on July 15 at Yankee Stadium everyone may be wearing the black, white, and red of Boston and New York — and why not?

Here is the ballot I actually filled out recently; I’m prejudiced toward fast players and stars of long tenure, which is why I wrote in Rickey Henderson’s name for years after he was a barely viable reserve. Tomorrow, the senior circuit.

Catcher

Joe Mauer, Twins

(.324 BA/.408 OBA/.431 SLG)

Mauer is one of my favorite players, if only because he’s an excellent defensive catcher whose bat would make him a star at first base despite his complete lack of home run power. (He’s hit two in 63 games this year, nine since the beginning of last year.) At 25, he isn’t yet old enough to be referred to as “heady,” but anyone who walks twice as often as he strikes out is well on their way there. Amusingly, he also succeeds in catching despite many years of self-satisfied predictions from all corners that no player can, at 6 feet, 5 inches, stay behind the plate for long.

First base

Justin Morneau, Twins (.306/.370/.487)

On merits, Detroit’s future Hall of Famer Miguel Cabrera probably deserves the nod above either Morneau or Boston’s Kevin Youkilis, but he’s on the ballot as a third baseman and the doughy Tigers rivals are notably outplaying him, making the effort it takes to write his name in seems just a bit much. Youkilis and Morneau are having essentially identical seasons. Morneau plays for a poor Midwestern team, which is a good reason to vote for him, all else being equal; he’s also managed to avoid getting into a fight with Manny Ramirez this year, unlike Youkilis, and that should count for something.

Second base

Chase Utley, Phillies (.309/.401/.636)

The Phillies may not actually play in the American League, but I’d rather see Utley play second base for two teams in one game than watch anyone who’s actually eligible. The Yankees’ Robinson Cano is hitting like Rey Ordonez, Boston’s Dustin Pedroia is proving the skeptics right, Texas’s Ian Kinsler is a sketchy defender with inflated RBI totals, and the rest of the field ranges from moderately to profoundly uninspiring. Utley, meanwhile, is truly great. Thus, I wrote in his name, and encourage you to do the same.

Third base

Alex Rodriguez, Yankees (.326/.411/.603)

With the metronomically great Rodriguez playing as he always does, this is by far the easiest pick on the ballot. Isn’t it the oddest thing that in a year when he happens not to be on a contract drive there’s a notable lack of embarrassing coverage and criticism of him, and that he’s more or less just acknowledged as a great player and the engine of his team? One might almost think that the A-Rod circus has little to do with anything he does or doesn’t do as a ballplayer.

Shortstop

Derek Jeter, Yankees (.273/.329/.379)

The weird thing here is that as unimpressive a season as Jeter is having, he still may be the best shortstop in the league. Texas’s Michael Young has a better batting line (.298/.348/.420), but it’s not all that much better once you account for ballpark effects, and whatever you think of Jeter’s defense, it’s surely better than Young’s. One possible explanation for Jeter’s off-year: He’s about to turn 34. Bill Clinton was still president when he had his best year, and the iPod hadn’t yet been invented.

Outfield

Grady Sizemore, Indians (.266/.378/.529)

A ridiculously good player, Sizemore has the same problem Carlos Beltran does, which is that for no apparent reason he doesn’t hit for average. This doesn’t affect his value at all, but if these two were exactly as good as they actually are while hitting .300 with fewer walks, they would be lauded to the skies as the franchise players they are rather than carrying reputations for being mildly disappointing. Whatever the vagaries of public opinion, I’d rather have Sizemore than any other outfielder in the league.

Outfield

B.J. Upton, Rays (.293/.403/.438)

I usually vote for a left fielder, a center fielder, and a right fielder, but in a year with few players blowing hinges off doors, why not vote for some excitement? Upton, who’s just 23 despite having been around forever, is a strange player who hits .300 despite striking out in a quarter to a third of his at bats, may or may not have 30-home run power, and leads the league in plays made out of the usual center field range despite having been legendarily awful at short in the minors. I have no idea what to make of him or his future, which is a terrific thing. OutfieldJosh Hamilton, Rangers (.314/.356/.585) While being every bit as cynical as the next person, I dearly hope that Hamilton wins a Triple Crown and a Gold Glove this year while leading the Rangers on an improbable charge to the pennant with compatriot Milton Bradley. You almost don’t want to think about how good he would have been had he been playing baseball between 2002 and 2006, but he’s become one of the game’s legendary stories, he’s about to become very wealthy, and his example will lead addicts to change their lives. In all, not bad. Designated hitterDavid Ortiz, Red Sox (.252/.354/.486) He may be “on the disabled list,” he may not have been “having a good season” before that, and so on, but the All-Star Game is about stars, and no star is brighter than Big Papi. If you just can’t bring yourself to vote for a guy who won’t be playing in the game, consider a vote for Oakland’s Frank Thomas, who is expected to return from the DL before the All-Star Game. . Released in April amid unconvincing claims from Toronto management that he was crispy around the edges, the Big Hurt is hitting a robust .319/.417/.516 in his new digs, making certain his supporters — among whom you can firmly count me — grin until they’re sore. tmarchman@nysun.com