Photo: AP/Duane Burleson

You can’t go a day without some Diamondback fan muttering under their breath something to the effect of “stupid Diamondbacks. Gave away Carlos Quentin for nothing.” Carlos Quentin will be making his All-Star debut tonight at Yankee Stadium, representing the Chicago White Sox. Quentin has had a wonderful first half of the season, he’s 2nd in the American League in both home runs (22) and rbis (70), and his selection to the team is very well deserved. And for the record, the Diamondbacks did get something for Quentin. Minor league first baseman Chris Carter, who then in turn was one of six players dealt to Oakland for Dan Haren. And, on a side note, Carter has 26 home runs already this year for the Class A Stockton Ports, but that’s beside the point.

Quentin’s success and pending All-Star appearance got me thinking…could there be enough ex-Diamondbacks to fill an entire “All-Star” team? Admittedly, some positions are kind of thin, but I think we’ve done it.

1B - Lyle Overbay, Toronto - Overbay has put up unspectacular numbers this year, hitting 6 home runs, driving in 35, with a .269 average. But he’s solid defensively, making only 3 errors at first base for the Blue Jays.

2B- Dan Uggla, Florida - This one hurts. Uggla is a terror, and to think, he was let go for nothing by the Diamondbacks. The Florida Marlins snapped him up in the 2005 Rule 5 Draft. Since then, Uggla has clubbed 81 home runs in 2 and a half seasons for the Marlins, and tonight he’ll be making his second All-Star appearance. This season, he has 23 homers, 59 rbis, and is hitting a very respectable .286 for the surprising Marlins.

SS- Damion Easley, New York Mets - Ok, I’ll admit it, this one’s a stretch. Easley has played more games at second base this year than shortstop, but he’s shown the ability to play any infield position during his career. Easley spent the 2006 season in Arizona, and hit only .233, but in the last 2 years with the Mets, he’s hitting .283, and has become a valuable member of the Mets’ bench. His 2008 numbers, .286 with 3 homers and 23 rbis.

3B - Troy Glaus, St. Louis - Glaus can’t seem to stay put anywhere. St. Louis is his 2nd team in 3 years since leaving the desert. The bottom line is he produces. This year he has 15 round-trippers and has driven in 59, while hitting .276. And he’s made only 3 errors at third base all year, while the Diamondbacks have committed 18 errors at that position this season.

LF- Luis Gonzalez, Florida - Yes, he’s old. No, he doesn’t play every day anymore. But Gonzo still produces. He’s got 5 homers and 32 rbis and a .270 average while splitting time with Josh Willingham in left for Florida. Plus, you have to make room for the most popular player in D-Backs history, don’t you?

CF - Scott Hairston, San Diego - The numbers aren’t great, but solid enough. Hairston has a career-high 14 home runs for the Padres, and we’re only halfway through the season. Factor in that he’s hit 9 of those home runs in pitcher-friendly Petco Park in San Diego, and that he doesn’t play every day, that’s pretty impressive. He’s cracked 3 home runs against the Diamondbacks this year alone, and his versatility makes him more valuable.

RF - Carlos Quentin, Chicago - What can you say? Given the opportunity to play every day, Quentin has blossomed in the Windy City. See numbers above…it hurts to much to repeat them.

C - Dioner Navarro, Tampa Bay - Navarro never played a Major League game in a Diamondback uniform, he was property of the club, for a couple of hours at least. He came to the Diamondbacks along with Brad Halsey (what ever happened to him?) and Javier Vazquez for Randy Johnson in 2005. The same day, he was sent to the Dodgers in the deal that brought Shawn Green to Arizona. This season for the Rays, he’s hitting .310 with 4 homers and 35 runs batted in. He’s made only one error, and thrown out 16 of 44 potential base stealers.

RHP - Vicente Padilla, Texas - Padilla is 10-5 with a 4.70 ERA for Texas this season. That ERA seems high, but remember the Rangers are the highest scoring team in baseball this season, so run support hasn’t been a problem. The Rangers have scored 6.5 runs per Padilla start, and have posted 10 or more runs in 5 of his appearances this season. Let that one sink in, D-Backs fans.

LHP - Greg Smith, Oakland - Another player included in the package that brought Dan Haren to Arizona, Smith has not been the recipient of great run support from the A’s. The A’s have averaged only 3.7 runs per Smith start, and have been shut out 3 times when Smith was on the mound. Smith’s numbers don’t pop out at you, he’s 5-7 with a 3.43 ERA, but he’s had a nice season, and is only 24 years old.

Reliever - Jose Valverde, Houston - I was one of those people who sighed in relief when Valverde was dealt to Houston. Despite his brilliant ‘07 season, the prevailing thought was that the high-strung Papa Grande would not be able to sustain his dominance. We were wrong. Valverde has 24 saves in 29 opportunites, and has a 3.80 ERA. Considering what the Diamondbacks got for Valverde (Burke and Qualls), this trade isn’t looking so good at the moment.

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