The staff was discussing last week how All-Star Voting is effectively a popularity contest; if a player’s team has a lot of fans or very passionate fans, he could end up starting the All-Star game over someone more qualified. So we decided to vote for the game ourselves. Who are the most deserving players for the All-Star game? Effectively, if statistics ruled the day and the best players started, who would they be? Here are the staff picks
CATCHER
Wilson Ramos (Tampa Bay Rays)- 7 votes
Gary Sanchez (New York Yankees)- 4 votes
Yan Gomes (Cleveland Indians)- 1 vote
Max Stassi (Houston Astros)- 1 vote
Salvador Perez (Kansas City Royals)- 1 vote
FIRST BASE
Jose Abreu (Chicago White Sox)- 10 votes
Matt Olson (Oakland Athletics)- 2 votes
Mitch Moreland (Boston Red Sox)- 2 votes
SECOND BASE
Jose Altuve (Houston Astros)- 11 votes
Gleyber Torres (New York Yankees)- 3 votes
THIRD BASE
Jose Ramirez (Cleveland Indians)- 14 votes
SHORTSTOP
Manny Machado (Baltimore Orioles)- 6 votes
Francisco Lindor (Cleveland Indians)- 4 votes
Andrelton Simmons (Los Angeles Angels)- 3 votes
Jean Segura (Seattle Mariners)- 1 vote
OUTFIELD (3)
Mike Trout (Los Angeles Angels)- 14 votes
Mookie Betts (Boston Red Sox)- 14 votes
Andrew Benintendi (Boston Red Sox)- 7 votes
Aaron Judge (New York Yankees)- 5 votes
Eddie Rosario (Minnesota Twins)- 1 vote
Nicholas Castellanos (Detroit Tigers)- 1 vote
DESIGNATED HITTER
J.D. Martinez (Boston Red Sox)- 14 votes
STARTING PITCHER (5)
Chris Sale (Boston Red Sox)- 14 votes
Luis Severino (New York Yankees)- 14 votes
Justin Verlander (Houston Astros)- 14 votes
Corey Kluber (Cleveland Indians)- 11 votes
Gerrit Cole (Houston Astros)- 8 votes
Trevor Bauer (Cleveland Indians)- 7 votes
James Paxton (Seattle Mariners)- 2 votes
RELIEF PITCHER (5)
Aroldis Chapman (New York Yankees)- 14 votes
Edwin Diaz (Seattle Mariners)- 14 votes
Blake Treinen (Oakland Athletics)- 13 votes
Craig Kimbrel (Boston Red Sox)- 9 votes
Joe Jimenez (Detroit Tigers)- 6 votes
Chad Green (New York Yankees)- 6 votes
Hector Rondon (Houston Astros)- 5 votes
Dellin Betances (New York Yankees)- 3 votes
You can see the full voting below:
| Nick Pollack | Ben Palmer | Dave Cherman | Andy Patton | Michael Augustine | Adam Garland | Alex Fast | |
| C | Gary Sanchez | Wilson Ramos"}”>Wilson Ramos | Gary Sanchez | Salvador Perez"}”>Salvador Perez | Wilson Ramos"}”>Wilson Ramos | Wilson Ramos"}”>Wilson Ramos | Wilson Ramos"}”>Wilson Ramos |
| 1B | Jose Abreu | Jose Abreu | Matt Olson"}”>Matt Olson | Matt Olson"}”>Matt Olson | Jose Abreu | Jose Abreu | Jose Abreu |
| 2B | Jose Altuve"}”>Jose Altuve | Jose Altuve"}”>Jose Altuve | Jose Altuve"}”>Jose Altuve | Jose Altuve"}”>Jose Altuve | Jose Altuve"}”>Jose Altuve | Gleyber Torres"}”>Gleyber Torres | Jose Altuve"}”>Jose Altuve |
| SS | Manny Machado"}”>Manny Machado | Manny Machado"}”>Manny Machado | Francisco Lindor"}”>Francisco Lindor | Jean Segura"}”>Jean Segura | Andrelton Simmons"}”>Andrelton Simmons | Francisco Lindor"}”>Francisco Lindor | Andrelton Simmons"}”>Andrelton Simmons |
| 3B | Jose Ramirez | Jose Ramirez | Jose Ramirez | Jose Ramirez | Jose Ramirez | Jose Ramirez | Jose Ramirez |
| OF | Mike Trout"}”>Mike Trout | Mike Trout"}”>Mike Trout | Mike Trout"}”>Mike Trout | Mike Trout"}”>Mike Trout | Mike Trout"}”>Mike Trout | Mike Trout"}”>Mike Trout | Mike Trout"}”>Mike Trout |
| OF | Mookie Betts"}”>Mookie Betts | Mookie Betts"}”>Mookie Betts | Mookie Betts"}”>Mookie Betts | Mookie Betts"}”>Mookie Betts | Mookie Betts"}”>Mookie Betts | Mookie Betts"}”>Mookie Betts | Mookie Betts"}”>Mookie Betts |
| OF | Aaron Judge"}”>Aaron Judge | Eddie Rosario"}”>Eddie Rosario | Aaron Judge"}”>Aaron Judge | Nicholas Castellanos | Andrew Benintendi"}”>Andrew Benintendi | Andrew Benintendi"}”>Andrew Benintendi | Andrew Benintendi"}”>Andrew Benintendi |
| DH | J.D. Martinez"}”>J.D. Martinez | J.D. Martinez"}”>J.D. Martinez | J.D. Martinez"}”>J.D. Martinez | J.D. Martinez"}”>J.D. Martinez | J.D. Martinez"}”>J.D. Martinez | J.D. Martinez"}”>J.D. Martinez | J.D. Martinez"}”>J.D. Martinez |
| SP | Chris Sale"}”>Chris Sale | Chris Sale"}”>Chris Sale | Chris Sale"}”>Chris Sale | Chris Sale"}”>Chris Sale | Chris Sale"}”>Chris Sale | Chris Sale"}”>Chris Sale | Chris Sale"}”>Chris Sale |
| SP | Luis Severino"}”>Luis Severino | Justin Verlander"}”>Luis Severino | Luis Severino"}”>Luis Severino | Luis Severino"}”>Luis Severino | Luis Severino"}”>Luis Severino | Luis Severino"}”>Luis Severino | Luis Severino"}”>Luis Severino |
| SP | Justin Verlander"}”>Justin Verlander | Luis Severino"}”>Justin Verlander | Justin Verlander"}”>Justin Verlander | Justin Verlander"}”>Justin Verlander | Justin Verlander"}”>Justin Verlander | Justin Verlander"}”>Justin Verlander | Justin Verlander"}”>Justin Verlander |
| SP | Corey Kluber"}”>Corey Kluber | Gerrit Cole"}”>Gerrit Cole | Corey Kluber"}”>Corey Kluber | Gerrit Cole"}”>Gerrit Cole | Corey Kluber"}”>Corey Kluber | Gerrit Cole"}”>Gerrit Cole | Corey Kluber"}”>Corey Kluber |
| SP | Trevor Bauer"}”>Trevor Bauer | Corey Kluber"}”>Corey Kluber | Trevor Bauer"}”>Trevor Bauer | Trevor Bauer"}”>Trevor Bauer | James Paxton"}”>James Paxton | James Paxton"}”>James Paxton | Trevor Bauer"}”>Trevor Bauer |
| RP | Edwin Diaz | Edwin Diaz | Edwin Diaz | Edwin Diaz | Edwin Diaz | Edwin Diaz | Edwin Diaz |
| RP | Aroldis Chapman"}”>Aroldis Chapman | Blake Treinen"}”>Blake Treinen | Aroldis Chapman"}”>Aroldis Chapman | Aroldis Chapman"}”>Aroldis Chapman | Aroldis Chapman"}”>Aroldis Chapman | Aroldis Chapman"}”>Aroldis Chapman | Aroldis Chapman"}”>Aroldis Chapman |
| RP | Craig Kimbrel"}”>Craig Kimbrel | Aroldis Chapman"}”>Aroldis Chapman | Craig Kimbrel"}”>Craig Kimbrel | Craig Kimbrel"}”>Craig Kimbrel | Chad Green"}”>Chad Green | Craig Kimbrel"}”>Craig Kimbrel | Chad Green"}”>Chad Green |
| RP | Blake Treinen"}”>Blake Treinen | Jose Jimenez"}”>Jose Jimenez | Blake Treinen"}”>Blake Treinen | Blake Treinen"}”>Blake Treinen | Blake Treinen"}”>Blake Treinen | Blake Treinen"}”>Blake Treinen | Blake Treinen"}”>Blake Treinen |
| RP | Hector Rondon | Chad Green"}”>Chad Green | Joe Jimenez | Joe Jimenez | Hector Rondon | Hector Rondon | Joe Jimenez |
| Austin Perodeau | Rick Graham | Austin Bristow II | Jonathan Metzelaar | Jeff Davis | Grayson Blazek | Andrew Gould | |
| C | Max Stassi "}”>Max Stassi | Gary Sanchez | Yan Gomes"}”>Yan Gomes | Wilson Ramos"}”>Wilson Ramos | Gary Sanchez | Wilson Ramos"}”>Wilson Ramos | Wilson Ramos"}”>Wilson Ramos |
| 1B | Mitch Moreland"}”>Mitch Moreland | Jose Abreu | Jose Abreu | Jose Abreu | Jose Abreu | Jose Abreu | Mitch Moreland"}”>Mitch Moreland |
| 2B | Jose Altuve"}”>Jose Altuve | Jose Altuve"}”>Jose Altuve | Jose Altuve "}”>Jose Altuve | Gleyber Torres"}”>Gleyber Torres | Jose Altuve"}”>Jose Altuve | Gleyber Torres"}”>Gleyber Torres | Jose Altuve"}”>Jose Altuve |
| SS | Manny Machado"}”>Manny Machado | Francisco Lindor"}”>Francisco Lindor | Andrelton Simmons "}”>Andrelton Simmons | Manny Machado"}”>Manny Machado | Manny Machado"}”>Manny Machado | Manny Machado"}”>Manny Machado | Francisco Lindor"}”>Francisco Lindor |
| 3B | Jose Ramirez | Jose Ramirez | Jose Ramirez | Jose Ramirez | Jose Ramirez | Jose Ramirez | Jose Ramirez |
| OF | Mike Trout"}”>Mike Trout | Mike Trout"}”>Mike Trout | Mike Trout "}”>Mike Trout | Mike Trout"}”>Mike Trout | Mike Trout"}”>Mike Trout | Mike Trout"}”>Mike Trout | Mike Trout"}”>Mike Trout |
| OF | Mookie Betts"}”>Mookie Betts | Mookie Betts"}”>Mookie Betts | Mookie Betts"}”>Mookie Betts | Mookie Betts"}”>Mookie Betts | Mookie Betts"}”>Mookie Betts | Mookie Betts"}”>Mookie Betts | Mookie Betts"}”>Mookie Betts |
| OF | Andrew Benintendi "}”>Andrew Benintendi | Andrew Benintendi"}”>Andrew Benintendi | Andrew Benintendi "}”>Andrew Benintendi | Andrew Benintendi"}”>Andrew Benintendi | Aaron Judge"}”>Aaron Judge | Aaron Judge"}”>Aaron Judge | Aaron Judge"}”>Aaron Judge |
| DH | J.D Martinez | J.D. Martinez"}”>J.D. Martinez | J.D. Martinez "}”>J.D. Martinez | J.D. Martinez"}”>J.D. Martinez | J.D. Martinez"}”>J.D. Martinez | JD Martinez | J.D. Martinez"}”>J.D. Martinez |
| SP | Chris Sale"}”>Chris Sale | Chris Sale"}”>Chris Sale | Chris Sale"}”>Chris Sale | Chris Sale"}”>Chris Sale | Chris Sale"}”>Chris Sale | Chris Sale"}”>Chris Sale | Chris Sale"}”>Chris Sale |
| SP | Luis Severino"}”>Luis Severino | Luis Severino"}”>Luis Severino | Luis Severino "}”>Luis Severino | Luis Severino"}”>Luis Severino | Luis Severino"}”>Luis Severino | Luis Severino"}”>Luis Severino | Luis Severino"}”>Luis Severino |
| SP | Justin Verlander"}”>Justin Verlander | Justin Verlander"}”>Justin Verlander | Justin Verlander "}”>Justin Verlander | Justin Verlander"}”>Justin Verlander | Justin Verlander"}”>Justin Verlander | Justin Verlander"}”>Justin Verlander | Justin Verlander"}”>Justin Verlander |
| SP | Gerrit Cole"}”>Gerrit Cole | Corey Kluber"}”>Corey Kluber | Corey Kluber"}”>Corey Kluber | Corey Kluber"}”>Corey Kluber | Corey Kluber"}”>Corey Kluber | Corey Kluber"}”>Corey Kluber | Corey Kluber"}”>Corey Kluber |
| SP | Trevor Bauer"}”>Trevor Bauer | Gerrit Cole"}”>Gerrit Cole | Gerrit Cole"}”>Gerrit Cole | Gerrit Cole"}”>Gerrit Cole | Gerrit Cole"}”>Gerrit Cole | Trevor Bauer"}”>Trevor Bauer | Trevor Bauer"}”>Trevor Bauer |
| RP | Edwin Diaz | Edwin Diaz | Edwin Diaz | Edwin Diaz | Edwin Diaz | Edwin Diaz | Edwin Diaz |
| RP | Aroldis Chapman"}”>Aroldis Chapman | Aroldis Chapman"}”>Aroldis Chapman | Aroldis Chapman"}”>Aroldis Chapman | Aroldis Chapman"}”>Aroldis Chapman | Aroldis Chapman"}”>Aroldis Chapman | Aroldis Chapman"}”>Aroldis Chapman | Aroldis Chapman"}”>Aroldis Chapman |
| RP | Craig Kimbrel"}”>Craig Kimbrel | Craig Kimbrel"}”>Craig Kimbrel | Craig Kimbrel"}”>Craig Kimbrel | Chad Green"}”>Chad Green | Chad Green"}”>Chad Green | Chad Green"}”>Chad Green | Craig Kimbrel"}”>Craig Kimbrel |
| RP | Blake Treinen"}”>Blake Treinen | Blake Treinen"}”>Blake Treinen | Blake Treinen"}”>Blake Treinen | Blake Treinen"}”>Blake Treinen | Blake Treinen"}”>Blake Treinen | Craig Kimbrel"}”>Craig Kimbrel | Blake Treinen"}”>Blake Treinen |
| RP | Dellin Betances"}”>Dellin Betances | Joe Jimenez | Dellin Betances "}”>Dellin Betances | Dellin Betances"}”>Dellin Betances | Joe Jimenez | Hector Rondon | Hector Rondon |
You’ll notice a few players received only one vote, others were unanimous. Let’s hear from some of the staff about their picks.
Max Stassi– “Max Stassi on a per plate appearance basis is the best catcher in the American league so far this season. He currently leads all AL catchers in wRC+, SLG%, ISO, and wOBA. He is also 3rd in OBP, and neck-and-neck in fWAR with the likes of Gary Sanchez despite 120 fewer plate appearances. Stassi may not get the votes from my fellow writers because of the lack of at-bats, but he deserves recognition for how he has produced when in the Astros lineup”- Austin Perodeau
There’s some debate on who the American League shortstop should be. Here’s the staff defending each choice:
Manny Machado– “My dude Machado is top-five among ALL shortstops in AVG (4th), OPS (1st), wRC+ (1st), and ISO (2nd). He leads all shortstops with 19 homers. He’s already accumulated more fWAR this year (2.7) than he had all of last year (2.5). And from a sentimental perspective, it’d be great to see him play his last All-Star game in an Orioles uniform so close to the Baltimore fans.”- Jonathan Metzelaar
Francisco Lindor– “Simmons’ calling card is his defense. But he hasn’t been all that much better defensively than Lindor. Lindor has 10 DRS to Simmons’ 8. Simmons leads in UZR 6.5 to 5.9, and they’re tied in dWAR at 1.4. Meanwhile, Machado is last among qualified SS’s in DRS (-16), UZR/150 (-14.6), and Defensive Rating (-2.9). Yikes. Regardless of what Machado has done with the bat, that’s unspeakably bad defense and I can’t reward it with an All-Star game nod. Lindor is 2nd among AL SS’s in OPS and wOBA, 1st in both bWAR and fWAR (4th among all position players in baseball in both), 1st in R+RBI, 3rd in SLG%, 3rd in ISO, and 2nd in Hard Hit%. The only AL SS’s better than him in any of those stats are Machado and Eduardo Escobar, who is probably the second worst defensive SS in the game. As far as Segura goes, he’s having a great season, but there’s not one thing besides batting average that he’s doing better than Lindor- and Lindor even beats him in OBP”- Dave Cherman
Andrelton Simmons– “Andrelton Simmons’s All-Star Game resumé begins with his defense, where he had been acknowledged as the most valuable defensive player in all of baseball for the past few years. As fantasy baseball analysts, we often don’t regard defensive prowess as highly as we ought to; it is half the game after all. This year, in particular, Simmons has stood out with his bat as well. In a year when strikeouts are more common than hits, Simba has only been sat down on strikes 11 times in 238 at-bats. His 4.1 K% is phenomenal when compared to the 22.4% league average rate. Elite defense paired with elite contact skills is an all-star in my book, and Simmons has my vote.”- Austin Bristow II
Jean Segura– “Sure the .372 BABIP is a little misleading, but it’s hard to ignore Segura’s .334 batting average, good for third in all of baseball. Lindor, Machado, and Segura all deserve to be All-Stars, but Segura has been the life-blood of this jumpstart Mariners team. He is striking out at just a 14.2% clip, and his 14 steals are second only to Tim Anderson among AL shortstops. He’s also playing some of the best defense of his career. Segura has done enough to earn a vote from me, even amongst a stacked group of shortstops in the AL.” – Andy Patton
Nicholas Castellanos– “Castellanos continues to remain a sabermetrics darling. He’s sporting a staggering 48.3% hard-hit rate, sixth in all of baseball. His 28.5% line drive rate leads the American League and puts him fifth in all of baseball. Although his nine home runs on the year is a bit disappointing, xHR has him pegged for 12 on the year. I have no doubt a power surge is coming for the right fielder, which should place him firmly among the elite class of American League outfielders. Castellanos is a bona fide star on the offensive side of the ball. His defense leaves, a lot, I mean a lot, to be desired, but he deserves to make his first All-Star game as the undisputed leader of this somewhat surprising Tigers squad.” – Andy Patton
We also had a near tie for the last pitcher spot. Here are two staff veterans sharing the rationale behind their choices:
Trevor Bauer– “I had a tough time deciding between Gerrit Cole and Trevor Bauer, and in the end in came down to consistency. Bauer’s 2.44 ERA is actually elevated over his 2.25 FIP due to a .302 BABIP and 75.0% LOB rate, numbers that display how he’s deserved the constant success through the year and isn’t a product of an incredible eight start run. Meanwhile, Cole’s fantastic 2.58 ERA is on the back on his brilliant opening to 2018, while still forunate with a .237 BABIP and 84% LOB mark. There is a big separation in HRs allowed – Bauer’s 5.4% HR/FB and Cole’s 13.1% HR/FB create their distinctions – though I’d argue for All-Star voting, showcasing HR suppression should be rewarded. Both are stud pitchers and there is no wrong answer here, and Cole’s recent downward trend with Bauer continued high performance makes me more inclined to reward him with a vote.”- Nick Pollack
Gerrit Cole– “Cole and Bauer are extremely close, and if you wanted to argue Bauer over Cole, I’d have a hard time telling you you’re totally wrong, but I ended up going with Cole simply because he’s just been a little bit better this year. The ERAs are comparable (Bauer at 2.44 and Cole at 2.59), but Cole has the better K/9 at a gaudy 12.34, and a killer WHIP at 0.89—also better than Bauer’s. Still, like I said, the two are absurdly close for me.”- Ben Palmer
Who do you agree with? Who do you not agree with? We’d love to hear your thoughts.
