With just under a week left in voting for the All-Star Game, some of the players that we're going to see in Minnesota are starting to come into focus. There are still some races that are going to come down to the wire, but it's also safe to tell fans that they can preorder their Mike Trout and Troy Tulowitzki All-Star jerseys.
The inevitable debate about who should be starting and who will be starting will, of course, continue as well. Like it or not, people, Derek Jeter is going to be an All-Star. If he doesn't win the fan vote (which I think he will, and he should), John Farrell will pick him as a reserve. There's no way Derek Jeter doesn't participate in the final All-Star Game of his career. The game is for the fans, after all.
Besides, these are probably the same idiots that have Matt Wieters in first place among AL catchers, despite the fact that Wieters hasn't played since early May and is out for the year because of Tommy John surgery. I have no problem with popular veterans who haven't necessarily put up the numbers this season being picked as starters. If fans want to see them, they should be able to. But it's something completely different when a player has been injured or is out for the year, people know it, and these morons continue to vote for him! Matt Wieters can't play in the All-Star Game! Stop voting for him!
Likewise, it's disappointing to see names like Melky Cabrera and Ryan Braun (and, to a certain extent Nelson Cruz) so high in the fan voting. I'm the first to admit that I'm in the corner of the late 90s steroid guys. But this situation is completely different. It might just be me, but I can't bring myself to vote for anyone who's served a suspension for violating the MLB drug program. For all the crap A-Rod and others get, fans turn around and vote for players who are just as guilty for the All-Star team as if nothing happened. Talk about a double standard.
Anyway, the debate about starters and whether or not fans should be choosing the starting lineup isn't new, and it's not going to change anytime soon. And I remain convinced that the "the fans shouldn't be picking the team" people would be the ones most vocal in their opposition if the fan vote was ever taken away. You can't have it both ways, people!
One debate that is fun to get involved in, though, revolves around who'll be the starting pitcher in each league (and the National League DH). Take last year. The Mets were the home team. Everyone knew Matt Harvey deserved to start and was going to, yet they still found a way to turn it into a mini-controversy about Clayton Kershaw not starting. Well, if the game wasn't in New York, the Kershaw camp would've had a much stronger argument.
This year's American League starter seemed almost as obvious. Except there's one small problem. Masahiro Tanaka is starting the final Sunday before the All-Star Break. That means he can't start the All-Star Game. So, the remaining candidates to be the AL starter are probably Mark Buehrle and Chris Sale. In the NL, I'd be shocked if it wasn't Adam Wainwright. He's having an excellent year, and his manager is managing the National League team.
With that in mind, here are my selections for the American and National League All-Star teams. My starting lineups are based on the current vote totals. Things obviously could/would change if, for example, David Wright were to move past Aramis Ramirez into a starting position (or people came to their senses and stopped voting for Matt Wieters).
NATIONAL LEAGUE
C: *Yadier Molina, Cardinals; Evan Gattis, Braves; Jonathan Lucroy, Brewers
1B: *Paul Goldschmidt, Diamondbacks; Anthony Rizzo, Cubs; Justin Morneau, Rockies
2B: *Chase Utley, Phillies; Anthony Rendon, Nationals
SS: *Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies; Hanley Ramirez, Dodgers
3B: *Aramis Ramirez, Brewers; Todd Frazier, Reds; David Wright, Mets
OF: *Yasiel Puig, Dodgers; *Andrew McCutchen, Pirates; *Carlos Gomez, Brewers; Justin Upton, Braves; Charlie Blackmon, Rockies; Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins; Hunter Pence, Giants
P: Craig Kimbrel, Braves; Julio Teheran, Braves; Johnny Cueto, Reds; Alfredo Simon, Reds; Zack Greinke, Dodgers; Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers; Steve Cishek, Marlins; Kyle Lohse, Brewers; Francisco Rodriguez, Brewers; Huston Street, Padres; Madison Bumgarner, Giants; Adam Wainwright, Cardinals; Rafael Soriano, Nationals
(Final Vote: Freddie Freeman, Braves-1B; Marlon Byrd, Phillies-OF; Neil Walker, Pirates-2B; Matt Adams, Cardinals-1B; Ian Desmond, Nationals-SS)
AMERICAN LEAGUE
C: Matt Wieters, Orioles (injured); Salvador Perez, Royals; Derek Norris, Athletics (replacement)
1B: *Miguel Cabrera, Tigers; Jose Abreu, White Sox
2B: *Robinson Cano, Mariners; Ian Kinsler, Tigers; Jose Altuve, Astros
SS: *Derek Jeter, Yankees; Alexei Ramirez, White Sox
3B: *Josh Donaldson, Athletics; Adrian Beltre, Rangers
OF: *Jose Bautista, Blue Jays; *Mike Trout, Angels; *Melky Cabrera, Blue Jays; Adam Jones, Orioles; Michael Brantley, Indians; Yoenis Cespedes, Athletics
DH: *Nelson Cruz, Orioles; Victor Martinez, Tigers; Edwin Encarnacion, Blue Jays
P: Koji Uehara, Red Sox; Chris Sale, White Sox; Max Scherzer, Tigers; Greg Holland, Royals; Garrett Richards, Angels; Phil Hughes, Twins; Glen Perkins, Twins; Masahiro Tanaka, Yankees; Scott Kazmir, Athletics; Felix Hernandez, Mariners; David Price, Rays; Yu Darvish, Rangers; Mark Buehrle, Blue Jays
(Final Vote: Alex Gordon, Royals-OF; Erick Aybar, Angels-SS; Brian Dozier, Twins-2B; Kyle Seager, Mariners-3B; Alex Rios, Rangers-OF)
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