If it weren't for the heroics of Kirk Gibson (and the choking of the Blue Jays) in the final week of the 1987 season, the Detroit Tigers would not have won their division and would not have been included on RBI Baseball :o (see my post about Kirk Gibson in the topic Biggest RBI clutch hitter in real life for the whole story)
Here is one likely scenario of the team that you might have been able to select:
SP - Dave Steib
SP - Jimmy Key (which would cause a replacement on AL)
RP - Duane Ward
RP - Tom Henke
(but the Jays also had Phil Neikro, David Wells, and Mike Flanagan that year, too!)
C - Ernie Whitt
1B - Willie Upshaw (though they had Fred McGriff & Cecil
2B - Nelson Liriano Fielder too)
SS - Tony Fernandez
3B - Kelly Gruber
LF - Jesse Barfield
CF - Lloyd Moseby
RF - George Bell
PH - Fred McGriff
PH - Cecil Fielder
PH - Rance Mulliniks (all-name team)
PH - Rick Leach
Which would you rather have?
George Bell's inclusion on the Blue Jays would have forced another replacement on the AL all stars. I think that loss would have really crippled that team.
The Blue Jays would have been decent, I guess. McGriff had 20 homers and Fielder had 14 that year. Bell, Moseby and Barfield had 47, 26 and 28.
Did you know that in 1987, McGriff made $62,500 and Fielder made $78,500?
Decent pitchers too.
As for the all-star team, I think Gibson would've been added.
I don't know if Gibby would show up for an RBI all-star game. He was on the 85 and 88 teams, but he did not play in or attend the games. I don't know if it was because he was hurt or too busy, but he didn't go!
gibson was always hurt cause he played the game without fear... too bad for him his body was not up to the task. it is going to be interesting to see how the kittens do this year with gibby roaming the dugout awaiting anyone who does not play with the intensity he did. cant wait.