Since Bud Selig allowed the Fox executives to strong arm him into making the All Star Game count for something, the fans should no longer have the right to vote.  Why should people that might have seen 2 games so far this season have a voice in choosing the lineups that will determine home field advantage for the World Series?  Every year, the “fans” vote at least 2 or 3 players into the starting lineup that don’t even deserve to be within a country mile of the game.  I can almost guarantee that Albert Pujols and his .213 average, .254 on base percentage, 4 home run, 20 RBI and team being in last place will win the vote for 1B.  I bet Jacoby Ellsbury gets a ton of votes and he has only played 7 games this season.  How many votes will go to Mark Teixiera and his .229/.281 w/ 5 homers going to get?  Ryan Howard will probably be in the top 3 or 4 vote getters for NL 1B AND HE HASN’T EVEN PLAYED ONE FREAKING GAME YET!!!!  It is absolutely ridiculous that clueless fans are allowed to decide something that holds such importance.  It is even more ridiculous that the All-Star Game has that much riding on it in the first place.  But since it does, the ground rules for selecting the team needs to change.  Here is a look at who should receive the votes for the All-Star Game.

National League

First Base

Joey Votto – Cincinnati Reds – .302 average/.457 on base percentage/1.027 OPS  2.2 WAR  7 home runs 28 RBI 3 stolen bases.   Former NL MVP.  Team is currently 1/2 game out of 1st place.  Solid defensively.  Team leader.

Adam LaRoche – Washington Nationals – .298 average/.395 OBP/.927 OPS  1.6 WAR  7 home runs 32 RBI.  Team is currently in first place.  Missed several games with an injury but came back without missing a beat.

Freddie Freeman – Atlanta Braves – .261 average/.317 OBP/.784 OPS   .6 WAR   7 home runs 32 RBI 11 doubles.  Team is currently 1/2 game out of 1st place.

Bryan LaHair – Chicago Cubs – .313 average/.411 OBP/1.028 OPS  1.2 WAR  10 home runs 21 RBI.  Team is in last place but a week ago, he would have been clear choice for vote but a 1-20 tailspin has him dropping down list.  However, every team gets 1 representative and he may be the best choice for Cubs representative.

Votto should get the vote as he has the proven track record to continue putting up these kind of numbers for the rest of the year while the other three will more than likely cool off.

 

Second Base

Omar Infante – Miami Marlins – .326 average/.357 OBP/.925 OPS   1.1 WAR  6 home runs  20 RBI  10 doubles 2 triples 4 stolen bases.  Team currently in 3rd place, 2 GB of 1st.

Jose Altuve – Houston Astros – .310 average/.360 OBP/..797 OPS   1.1 WAR  2 home runs 13 RBI  3 triples  9 steals.

Dan Uggla – Atlanta Braves – .264 average/.364 OBP/.786 OPS  1.3 WAR  5 home runs  24 RBI 10 doubles.

Daniel Murphy – New York Mets – .317 average/.362 OBP/.752 OPS   .6 WAR  0 HR  16 RBI  12 doubles 2 steals. Can play 1B, 2B, 3B and OF

Infante edges out Uggla for the start.  He hits for higher average and power so far and is a bigger threat to steal a base.

 

Shortstop

Rafael Furcal – .St. Louis Cardinals – .343 average/.403 OBP/.861 OPS   1.6 WAR   2 home runs 21 RBI  8 steals  11 doubles  57 hits   Team in 1st place

Ian Desmond – Washington Nationals – .280 average/.305 OBP/.791 OPS  .6 WAR  8 home runs  21 RBI  13 doubles  5 steals  53 hits   Team in 1st place

Starlin Castro – Chicago Cubs – .309 average/.319 OBP/.730 OPS   1.6 WAR  2 home runs  25 RBI  2 triples  12 steals  54 hits.  Team in last place

Jed Lowrie – Houston Astros – ..289 average/.368 OBP/.865 OPS  1.6 WAR   7 home runs 19 RBI  2 steals  But he’s played in about 10 less games than everyone else on this list.

The people will vote for either Troy Tulowitzki or Jose Reyes.  Both having down years for them and sitting at NEGATIVE WAR right now!!!!

Furcal should get the vote.  He is far and away dominating in average and OBP.  If you want to win the ASG, you need guys that can get on base.  Keep an eye on Desmond however as he has been getting very hot lately and he could pass Furcal in the next couple of weeks.

 

Third Base

David Wright – New York Mets – .403 average/.503 OBP/.1.107 OPS  2.7 WAR  4 home runs  25 RBI  4 steals  14 doubles  56 hits  More walks than strikeouts.  Team currently in 4th place.

Hanley Rameriz – Miami Marlins – ..250 average/.323 OBP/.765 OPS  .6 WAR  7 home runs 29 RBI 9 steals  10 doubles

Chipper Jones – Atlanta Braves – .307 average/.372 OBP/.857 OPS  1.2 WAR  5 home runs  24 RBI  – played just 28 games compared to others being in the 40s.  Sentimental favorite since he’s retiring at end of the year

Chase Headley – San Diego Padres – .245 average/.368 OBP/.785 OPS  1.5 WAR  5 home runs  20 RBI  11 doubles  3 steals  – cooled off from hot start, plays in a pitcher’s ballpark, Padres need someone on the team

Wright is leading the league in hitting and OBP.  His HR number will improve and he’s one of the top 3B when he is healthy.  I have a feeling though that Chipper will win the vote due to sentimentality.  If healthy, he’ll at least be given a bench spot for sure.  I’m thinking Headley might be the other bench selection by coaching staff so Padres have a representative.

 

Catcher

Carlos Ruiz – Philadelphia Phillies – .344 average/.397 OBP/.973 OPS  1.9 WAR   7 home runs  29 RBI  8 doubles  2 steals – very good defensively…no errors…36% caught stealing rate – league average is 29%

Yadier Molina – St. Louis Cardinals – .299 average/.350 OBP/.843 OPS  1.5 WAR  5 home runs 20 RBI  4 steals  13 doubles – 36% caught stealing.  Great defensively.

Jonathon Lucroy – Milwaukee Brewers – .344 average/.390 OBP/.958 OPS  1.8 WAR  4 home runs  27 RBI  4 triples (for a catcher!!!)  2 steals – But only a 23% caught stealing rate

Buster Posey – San Francisco Giants – .300 average/.361 OBP/.847 OPS  1.4 WAR  6 home runs 23 RBI  8 doubles 1 steal – Only 24% caught stealing rate and probably worst defensively out of this list

It pains me to say but I think Molina deserves the nod.  Pujols left.  LaRussa retired.  Dave Duncan took a family leave.  Lance Berkman has missed practically the entire season.  Yet the Cardinals are still in 1st place mostly because of Molina’s leadership, bat and ability behind the plate to call a game.  The intangibles put him over the top but Lucroy and Ruiz deserve to be on the team as reserves unless Posey goes on a tear and passes one of them.

 

Outfield

Matt Kemp – Los Angeles Dodgers – .359 average/.446 OBP/1.173 OPS  1.5 WAR  12 home runs  28 RBI  5 doubles 1 triple 2 steals – currently on DL so he’s had several less games than others – damn near won Triple Crown last season

Carlos Gonzalez – Colorado Rockies – .301 average/.374 OBP/.912 OPS  .2 WAR  8 home runs  32 RBI 9 doubles 2 triples 6 steals

Ryan Braun – Milwaukee Brewers – .331 average/.399 OBP/1.036 OPS  2.5 WAR  12 home runs 31 RBI  8 doubles 2 triples 8 steals – reigning MVP and only playing due to getting off a steroid suspension on a technicality.

Melky Cabrera – San Francisco Giants – .360 average/.409 OBP/.918 OPS  2.0 WAR  2 home runs  17 RBI  leading league with 5 triples & 63 hits  10 doubles  6 steals

Andre Eithier – Los Angeles Dodgers – .321 average/.380 OBP/.965 OPS  2.3 WAR  9 home runs  league leading 40 RBI  13 doubles  1 triple

Carlos Beltran – St. Louis Cardinals – .293 average/.404 OBP/1.011 OPS  1.9 WAR  league leading 13 home runs  35 RBI  5 steals

Michael Bourn – Atlanta Braves – .323 average/.376 OBP/.815 OPS  3.0 WAR  3 home runs 13 RBI 13 steals 9 doubles 2 triples  61 hits

 

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Eithier gets one of my spots.  Leading the league in RBI.  Good power with a slugging % of .585.  Great defensive in the outfield.

 

Melky deserves this spot.  What a story to go from scrap heap to All-Star.  Leading the league in triples and hits.  Good speed and I’d rather have a feel good story in the All-Star game than rewarding a guy for finding loopholes to allow him to use steroids.

 

My last spot goes to Michael Bourn.  Fantastic speed.  Makes good contact.  61 hits.  No failed steroid tests.  Good  defense.  However, if Matt Kemp comes back healthy and picks up where he left off, this spot goes to him.  Unfortunately, the people are going to vote that cheating sack of shit from the Brewers into this game because 50% of them are morons that don’t even know what the hell is going on and about 10% of them will be drunken idiots from Milwaukee that don’t give a damn that he is a lowlife cheating scumbag.

 

The American League choices will come out later tonight/tomorrow.