It has been a good year for rookies, but not as good as last season, which featured one of the best rookie classes in history, led by Justin Verlander, Jonathan Papelbon, Francisco Liriano and most of the Florida Marlins.
Here's the 2007 rookie All-Star team. The choices were not easy.
Loney
First base
James Loney, Dodgers: He just recently got the job, moving Nomar Garicaparra to third base. Loney has hit immediately (.381), and soon will be one of the premier defensive first basemen in the National League.
"He'll win multiple Gold Gloves before he's done,'' said Dodgers third-base coach Rich Donnelly.
Second base
Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox: After a slow start (.182 batting average in April) in which he nearly lost his job to Alex Cora, Pedroia has been terrific for nearly two months, raising his average to .320, second best among American League rookies.
He's short and swings really hard, but, lately, he has really hit.
Braun
Third base
Ryan Braun, Brewers: He started the season in the minor leagues so he could correct a throwing flaw. He did that, was called up and now has the second-highest slugging percentage (.626) among National League rookies. He has driven in 29 runs in his first 36 major league games.
"He's a great athlete,'' said Brewers general manager Doug Melvin. "He's going to be a 100-RBI guy. He has the ability to get the ball up in the air when he needs to drive in a run.''
Tulowitzki
Shortstop
Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies: He leads all NL rookies in runs scored (48) and walks (31). Once a free swinger, he has developed plate discipline in a short amount of time.
Tulowitzki wears the No. 2 in tribute to his shortstop hero, Derek Jeter. He, like Jeter, is a big shortstop who gets big hits.
Three times in one week, Tulowitzki hit a go-ahead home run in the ninth inning or later, and his team lost all three games. That has happened four times in baseball this year, once to Magglio Ordonez and three times to Tulowitzki. He is the only active player to hit three go-ahead home runs in the ninth inning or later in a loss in his career. In the last 40 years, only a handful of players have hit even two go-ahead homers in the ninth inning or later of a loss in one season. Tulowitzki did it three times in one week. He also hit a go-ahead triple in the 10th inning against the Mets on April 24. The Rockies also lost that game.
Willits
Outfielders
Reggie Willits, Angels: He leads American League rookies in hitting (.326), on-base percentage (.420), runs scored (39), walks (37) and stolen bases (18). He has given the Angels the leadoff man they needed, and is a guy who ignites an offense that is as aggressive as any in the AL.
Willits is from Oklahoma, and wears No. 77 (No. 7 was taken by hitting coach Mickey Hatcher) in tribute to Mickey Mantle. Obviously, he'll never be The Mick, but he has a chance to do something that Mantle didn't do: win the AL Rookie of the Year.
Pence
Hunter Pence, Astros: He doesn't look pretty hitting, throwing or running, but he can really play. He leads all NL rookies in hitting (.346), doubles (21), triples (five), extra-base hits (36), on-base percentage (.374) and slugging percentage (.598). He has also hit all over the batting order, including in the middle.
"He has a hitch in his swing, but he can hit,'' one scout said. "He doesn't throw properly, but he can throw. He doesn't run right, but he can run. I love him.''
Hamilton
Young
Delmon Young, Devil Rays, and Josh Hamilton, Reds: Young is a good outfielder (he leads all rookies with nine outfield assists) and is an instinctive player, but mostly, he can really hit. He leads all rookies in RBIs (44) and hits (88).
Hamilton leads all rookies with 13 home runs. He can also really run the bases and can play all three outfield positions well (he has six outfield assists).
Ruiz
Catchers
Carlos Ruiz, Phillies: He has helped stabilize the catching situation in Philadelphia, hitting .274.
He also has 55 hits, including 17 doubles and three home runs, and 29 RBIs in 60 games, mainly because of his .305 batting average with runners in scoring position.
Starting pitcher
Daisuke Matsuzaka, Red Sox: He's not having a rookie year like Verlander had last year, but he has been awfully good. He is 10-5 with a 3.53 ERA, but has a 1.29 ERA in his last six starts. He has 50 more strikeouts than any other AL rookie pitcher, and the league is hitting .233 off him.
There are several other good rookie starters, including Baltimore's Jeremy Guthrie, but look for Matsuzaka to make even more adjustments in the second half, and be even better than he was in the first half.
Okajima
Relief pitcher
Hideki Okajima, Red Sox: Okajima has been fabulous, much better than he was in Japan, much better than anyone thought he would be in the majors. He has an ERA of 0.88, and the league is hitting .156 off him, partly because of his deceptive delivery: He is what scouts call "a head snapper.''
Okajima snaps his head downward and is looking at the ground when he releases the ball. Hitters aren't used to seeing that, and they haven't adjusted well to it.
Tim Kurkjian is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine. His new book "Is This a Great Game, Or What?" has been published by St. Martin's Press and is available in bookstores. Click here to order a copy. In addition, click here to subscribe to The Magazine.