Headed For Hollywood

We know the starters, we know the two Commissioner's selections, and soon we'll know the full rosters headed to Dodger Stadium for the 2022 All*Star Game.  I've gotta admit, I love the new format with how the teams are announced!  There was no reason to hold off the announcement of the starters until the whole team was announced, especially since voting updates were being posted so regularly!

I also absolutely love the new wrinkle that gives the Commissioner two discretionary choices.  That was added in the new CBA, and it really is a great way to honor deserving players.  The All*Star Game is a celebration of baseball, so why not celebrate a pair of future Hall of Famers?  This is Albert Pujols' final season and he's a part-time player now.  But if there's any active player who should get the chance to say goodbye to baseball on the national stage (and vice versa), it's Albert Pujols!  (The fact that Albert spent last season playing for both the Angels and Dodgers really makes it a full-circle moment, too.)

It won't be Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn in 2001 or Mariano Rivera at Citi Field in 2013 or even Derek Jeter in 2014, but it's not meant to be.  It's more like Ozzie Smith in 1995.  And I, for one, have no issue with an extra spot on each All*Star roster as a sort of lifetime achievement award.  We won't have a retiring player of Albert's caliber every year, but this is exactly why this Commissioner's selection was created.

What I'm not sure about regarding the Commissioner's selections is if they count as their team representative.  The Cardinals obviously don't have to worry about that since Goldschmidt is starting at first, but does Miggy count as the Tiger?  If he does, that makes things a lot easier.  Then that frees up a roster spot for somebody else.

For the sake of constructing my AL team, I'm assuming he didn't.  Which means I had to pick another Tiger in addition to Miggy.  Although, I'm also assuming Ohtani, who's starting at DH, made the AL team as a pitcher, too.  Last year, they let the AL pick an extra pitcher since he's obviously just one person, so I did the same thing again.

The National League will also get an extra player because of its DH.  Bryce Harper was deservedly selected as the starter, but has a broken hand and obviously can't play.  So, the NL's starting DH will be announced on Sunday along with the reserves, which will include Harper's replacement on the active roster.

That Harper replacement spot actually turned out to be pretty important, too, since I had two position players I wanted to include (Pete Alonso and Tommy Edman) and only one spot after putting Josh Bell on there as the National.  No Harper means no choosing between Alonso and Edman.  They're both on! 

So, there you go.  That's three of my NL All*Star reserves.  Here are my full teams for both leagues...

AMERICAN LEAGUE
SP: Dylan Cease (CWS), Justin Verlander (HOU), *-Shohei Ohtani (LAA), Gerrit Cole (NYY), Paul Blackburn (OAK), Logan Gilbert (SEA), Shane McClanahan (TB), Alek Manoah (TOR)
RP: Jorge Lopez (BAL), Emmanuel Clase (CLE), Gregory Soto (DET), Clay Holmes (NYY), Jordan Romano (TOR)
C: Alejandro Kirk (TOR), Christian Vazquez (BOS), Jonah Heim (TEX)
1B: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (TOR), Luis Arraez (MIN), Ty France (SEA)
2B: Jose Altuve (HOU), Gleyber Torres (NYY)
SS: Tim Anderson (CWS), Xander Bogaerts (BOS)
3B: Rafael Devers (BOS), Jose Ramirez (CLE)
OF: Aaron Judge (NYY), Mike Trout (LAA), Giancarlo Stanton (NYY), Kyle Tucker (HOU), Andrew Benintendi (KC), Julio Rodriguez (SEA)
DH: *-Shohei Ohtani (LAA), Yordan Alvarez (HOU), Miguel Cabrera (DET)

NATIONAL LEAGUE
SP: Zac Gallen (ARZ), Max Fried (ATL), Luis Castillo (CIN), Tony Gonsolin (LAD), Sandy Alcantara (MIA), Corbin Burnes (MIL), Zack Wheeler (PHI), Joe Musgrove (SD)
RP: David Robertson (CHC), Josh Hader (MIL), Edwin Diaz (NYM), David Bednar (PIT)
C: Willson Contreras (CHC), Will Smith (LAD)
1B: Paul Goldschmidt (STL), Freddie Freeman (LAD), Pete Alonso (NYM), Josh Bell (WSH)
2B: Jazz Chisholm (MIA), Jeff McNeil (NYM), Tommy Edman (STL)
SS: Trea Turner (LAD), Dansby Swanson (ATL)
3B: Manny Machado (SD), Nolan Arenado (STL)
OF: Ronald Acuna Jr. (ATL), Mookie Betts (LAD), Joc Pederson (SF), Ian Happ (CHC), Starling Marte (NYM), Kyle Schwarber (PHI)
DH: x-Bryce Harper (PHI), Charlie Blackmon (COL), Albert Pujols (STL)

They haven't said how the new NL DH will be chosen.  It's normally whoever finishes first in the player ballot, but I'm not sure if that will be the case here.  And, with four first basemen on the roster (five if you include Albert), it would be so much easier if Brian Snitker could just go with one of them.  Which is what I think he'll do.  And I think it'll be a guy who helped Snitker win a World Series, but now plays for the home team.  He gets to write "Freddie Freeman" on a lineup card one more time.

There could actually be four Dodgers in the starting lineup if Tony Gonsolin gets the nod on the mound.  Seeing as the guy is undefeated on the season, that wouldn't be a bad call at all.  But he wouldn't be my choice.  My choice would be the Marlins' Sandy Alcantara, who may very well be the best pitcher in the National League.

Last year, Ohtani was the AL's starting pitcher, partially because that was just easier.  It wouldn't surprise me if he gets the start again for the same reason.  (Ohtani's pitching Wednesday, so rest-wise he'd be lined up for an All*Star start.)  I can just as easily see Dusty Baker going with his own guy, Justin Verlander, though.  (Verlander, BTW, could also be in line for a Commissioner's selection at some point relatively soon.)

Personally, I'd give the nod to Verlander.  Ohtani does play for the Angels, though.  So, in addition to once again acknowledging his truly unique talent, an Ohtani start would bring some more hometown flavor to the game.  And that may be too much for Baker to pass up.