2015 All Star Game Rosters

[CaptainLaddie]

An exercise I enjoy every year is taking the current voting results and trying to figure out the ASG rosters, top to bottom.
 

 
A little bit funky in terms of the AL infielders, but I had to get all of them in there.
 
This was easier than most years, in spite of the Royals dominance in voting (which is pretty much locked down).

 

[keninten]

Just need a Texas Ranger. Maybe Cespedes for Fielder. Might need to cut Horseface instead just because of position.

 

[CaptainLaddie]

Ah shit.  I had Fielder in there before.  Yeah, Cespedes was the last add, too.

 

[E5 Yaz]

Derek Norris is with SD, not Pitt ... although Cervelli might be having the better season

 

[ThePrideofShiner]

No Felix Hernandez?

 

[Al Zarilla]

Make a place for Madison Bumgarner. There is no way he gets left off considering last year's WS and who is the ASG manager.

 

[CaptainLaddie]

No Felix Hernandez?

No Felix.

He's had a very good season, but he's 15th among starters in WAR.  It's hard to argue for him when he's not even top 30 in ERA.

 

[CaptainLaddie]

Derek Norris is with SD, not Pitt ... although Cervelli might be having the better season

Not sure why I thought Norris was with Pittsburgh.

 

[CaptainLaddie]

Make a place for Madison Bumgarner. There is no way he gets left off considering last year's WS and who is the ASG manager.

I agree with this.  However, I'm basing this solely on merit.

 

[CarolinaBeerGuy]

No Felix.
He's had a very good season, but he's 15th among starters in WAR.  It's hard to argue for him when he's not even top 30 in ERA.

He's 1st in the majors in wins, 14th in ERA and 9th in WAR according to BBREF.

 

[Yelling At Clouds]

Guessing Bryant would be on the Final Man ballot in your scenario (which he would win).

 

[CaptainLaddie]

He's 1st in the majors in wins, 14th in ERA and 9th in WAR according to BBREF.

I'm going with Fangraphs?

 

[Yelling At Clouds]

I'm going with Fangraphs?

 
Which version do you think Ned Yost prefers?

 

[RedOctober3829]

No ARod??

 

[CarolinaBeerGuy]

I'm going with Fangraphs?

Fair enough. He's 28th there now.

 

[glennhoffmania]

I don't see how Felix doesn't go.  Looking at just AL pitchers (which is what really matters when you're voting separately in each league) he's first in wins, third in Ks, seventh in ERA, and fourth in WHIP.  He's a lock as far as I'm concerned unless he blows up.  I doubt Yost will look at WAR.

 

[soxhop411]

“@jjcoop36: Wonder if MLB would do anything if Royals end up with 7 ASG starters. MLB overturned fan vote in ‘57 when Reds ballot-stuffed to 7 starters”

 

[CaptainLaddie]

I don't see how Felix doesn't go.  Looking at just AL pitchers (which is what really matters when you're voting separately in each league) he's first in wins, third in Ks, seventh in ERA, and fourth in WHIP.  He's a lock as far as I'm concerned unless he blows up.  I doubt Yost will look at WAR.

You're probably right, and Felix probably ends up making the roster.  I'll be updating this as it goes along.

 

[TigerBlood]

@jjcoop36: Wonder if MLB would do anything if Royals end up with 7 ASG starters. MLB overturned fan vote in 57 when Reds ballot-stuffed to 7 starters

Anyone know what KC is doing to promote this level of stuffing? Passing iPads down the aisles at games?

 

[dynomite]

Anyone know what KC is doing to promote this level of stuffing? Passing iPads down the aisles at games?

Thanks to MLB.tv I know they're promoting it non-stop on the TV broadcast.

 

[CaptainLaddie]

 
My update.
 
I had to make some pretty big cuts thanks to the Royals stuffing the ballot box.  If Infante jumps over Altuve, it's going to be near-impossible to get everyone in that REALLY deserves it.
 
I added Felix (although I think he's the last starter on the roster), and there's a decent chance that Adam Jones comes off at OF to make room for a non-Royal.

 

[Yelling At Clouds]

Good for Royals fans, I guess, but this is kind of pathetic. Morales, Moustakas, and Hosmer over Cruz, Donaldson, and Cabrera is a complete joke.

 

[E5 Yaz]

Good for Royals fans, I guess, but this is kind of pathetic. Morales, Moustakas, and Hosmer over Cruz, Donaldson, and Cabrera is a complete joke.

 
Moustakas isn't that far off of Donaldson this season. Granted, Donaldson should be the starter; but Moustakas would deserve being selected anyway

 

[Al Zarilla]

 
My update.
 
I had to make some pretty big cuts thanks to the Royals stuffing the ballot box.  If Infante jumps over Altuve, it's going to be near-impossible to get everyone in that REALLY deserves it.
 
I added Felix (although I think he's the last starter on the roster), and there's a decent chance that Adam Jones comes off at OF to make room for a non-Royal.

Why do you like Sergio Romo so much, his K/9? He's basically a roogie (1.048 OPS against LHH).
 
His ERA+ is 94. I would think even his manager, who in the past has not been shy about loading up on his own players, doesn't pick him. 

 

[Boggs26]

Honestly, in a year where the Sox have very few good choices for the ASG, I don't mind watching Royals fans try to break the All-Star game. It may even give us some idea of how Manfred will react to unplanned situations.

 

[CaptainLaddie]

Why do you like Sergio Romo so much, his K/9? He's basically a roogie (1.048 OPS against LHH).
 
His ERA+ is 94. I would think even his manager, who in the past has not been shy about loading up on his own players, doesn't pick him. 

 

That's a good question.  I should remove him.

 

[Yelling At Clouds]

 
Moustakas isn't that far off of Donaldson this season. Granted, Donaldson should be the starter; but Moustakas would deserve being selected anyway

Some hyperbole on my part, but I don't think of a nearly-two-win separation as being all that close in June. By FG, at least, there's not much separation between Moose, Longoria, and Seager. He would have been a deserving choice as a backup, though, you're right.

 

[glennhoffmania]

I may have to rethink my position on Felix after last night. That was brutal.

 

[HriniakPosterChild]

Felix's start reminded me of this game, in which the '87 Sox squandered a 9-0 lead to NY with Roger on the mound: http://www.nytimes.com/1987/06/27/sports/yanks-down-by-9-0-win-in-10.html

It's baseball. It happens.

 

[Wingack]

Got my votes in for the Royals. As this gets more publicity, the more people are going to vote for KC players.

 

[CaptainLaddie]

 
My update.
 
AL Pitching remained mostly the same, AL hitting the same (only King Felix, Altuve, and Adam Jones were pulled).
NL Pitching had a revamp with Greinke, Burnett, KRod, and Rosenthal replacing Harvey, Hammel, Smith, and Romo.  Thankfully Posey passed Molina, so I could get Montero on the roster, and I had to move McCutchen off for Stanton with Aoki going into the starting lineup.
 
This is getting ugly.  There's at least four or five guys in the AL who deserve to be there who won't make it if this holds with 8 Royals starting.  You could make the case for Colby Lewis over Pineda and then getting Jones or Pedroia into the reserves, but I think Pineda and Fielder more worthy than Lewis and Pedroia/Jones.

 

[E5 Yaz]

Nori Aoki, popular in Kansas City, is ahead of Stanton and McCutcheon for the third NL outfield spot

 

[CaptainLaddie]

Yep.  And popular in SF!  That'll do it.

 

[DJnVa]

Manfred "open to change" on voting for ASG: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/mlb--open-to-change--to-all-star-game-fan-voting-says-rob-manfred-130945029.html

 

[CaptainLaddie]

My latest update:
 

 
AL:
+ Albert Pujols - Eric Hosmer
+ Jose Bautista - Josh Reddick
+ David Robertson - Andrew Miller
 
NL:
+ Joey Votto - Adrian Gonzalez
+ Yasmani Grandal - Derek Norris
+ Joe Panik - Nori Aoki
 
Pitching doesn't change for NL.

 

[Just a bit outside]

Felix's start reminded me of this game, in which the '87 Sox squandered a 9-0 lead to NY with Roger on the mound: http://www.nytimes.com/1987/06/27/sports/yanks-down-by-9-0-win-in-10.html

It's baseball. It happens.

I was at that game. 17 years old in Yankee Stadium laughing and having a great time. I got more than a few 1918 chants when it all unravelled.

 

[Al Zarilla]

Thinking of not watching the all star game this year, but what good would that do. The worst voting at a position might not be the in the AL. Nolan Arenado has 24 HR, 68 RBI and an OPS of .958 (he doesn't walk a lot yet). He's also the best fielding third baseman since Brooks Robinson, IMO. He doesn't get a lot of pub because Rockies, but if you get a chance to watch him, do it. A really great fielder. He's currently fourth in the voting for NL 3B. Just one of his great plays.
 
http://m.mlb.com/video/v74605683/?game_pk=413759

 

[CaptainLaddie]

 
Final update with actual voting.
 
Losing two Royals from the starting lineup was a relief, but losing Infante would really make a big big difference.  Gave Houston another AS representative because the team with the most wins and second best win pct should probably have more than one player there.
 
Trying to find a way to put Iglesias on the AL squad, but unless I drop Xander and put.... I dunno, Uehara in there, it's very hard.  I guess I could drop Perkins for Uehara and then put Iggy on the roster, but Perkins is leading MLB in saves and has a decent WAR for a reliever.
 
With the NL, nothing changed.
 
I'll update this again before the rosters are announced, and I'm praying we get Altuve in the starting lineup.

 

[glennhoffmania]

How are you determining the DH for the NL?

 

[CaptainLaddie]

How are you determining the DH for the NL?

That's just a guess.  Really, pick any of the NL first basemen.

 

[soxhop411]

 

[MakMan44]

Hosmer is going to get in at 1st, correct?

 

[CaptainLaddie]

He shouldn't.  He's had a good season, but Pujols and Teixeira have been better and even Chris Davis can be considered better.
 
My update:
 

 
I'm interested to see how the injuries play out.

 

[glennhoffmania]

This would've been crazy to ask just a few weeks ago but does Buchholz get some consideration?  He's top 10 in the AL in several categories and while a few other guys have better numbers overall he's been one of the best in baseball over the last month or so.

 

[CaptainLaddie]

Honestly, yes.  But he won't.  He's the best starter on a last place team.  Tied for 16th in W, 9th in K, 10th in WAR among starters.  He's having a very good season but there are guys who simply deserve to be there more.
 
Mookie also deserves to be there, but he's not gonna get in before Martinez or Bautista or Cruz because of the OPS numbers.

 

[Bob Montgomerys Helmet Hat]

Honestly, yes.  But he won't.  He's the best starter on a last place team.  Tied for 16th in W, 9th in K, 10th in WAR among starters.  He's having a very good season but there are guys who simply deserve to be there more.
 
Mookie also deserves to be there, but he's not gonna get in before Martinez or Bautista or Cruz because of the OPS numbers.

I agree that Mookie isn't going to make it, but he's just the kind of young stud that MLB should want/probably does want to showcase at their event

 

[CaptainLaddie]

And he will be there eventually.  Honestly his problem is that his stats are just good.  But ALL of them are good.  SB, HR, RBI, OBP, SLG -- they're all good but none are great.  If he had less SB but more HR or less RBI but a higher OBP that would be a way for him to get in.  But he's going to end up with one of those 20/20 years where he has an 825 OPS and plays great defense.  They're awesome seasons that make you a 6-win player but won't get you into an ASG despite some guys will have 2- or 3-win season but hit 30 homers and have a .320 OBP.

 

[HanleysHelmet]

I know it's fan vote but I don't like the fact that Alex Gordon is one of the starting outfielders.  He's a good player, not great and not better than any of the reserves in my opinion. Granted, he is a great defender but his offensive numbers are nothing spectacular at .262/.380/.435 with 10 HR and 33 RBIs while JD Martinez is sitting on .285/.340/.563 to go with 23 HR and 56 RBI. Gordon is certainly better in the field but JD's offensive numbers should have been more than enough to slingshot him over Gordon IMO.

 

[CaptainLaddie]

Yeah, but that doesn't matter.
 
He's a starter because KC voted him in.  Thankfully, Gordon's not the worst player ever to be elected -- he's not elite offensively or defensively, but he's fine at both.

 

[Al Zarilla]

I agree that Mookie isn't going to make it, but he's just the kind of young stud that MLB should want/probably does want to showcase at their event

The opposite take on him is that he has to pay his dues, in other words, be good to excellent for at least, say, two years before he gets really noticed and selected. Some managers and players just feel that way. The other thing is that he just recently turned it on, so a lot of players and managers will not be aware of the year he's having. They don't look at Fangraphs every day like we do.