Yesterday, the full American and National League rosters were announced for Major League Baseball’s 85th annual All-Star game. This season's “summer-classic” will be played in Minneapolis’ Target Field where the Twins call home.
Okay, so while it is still an “All-Star” game (exhibition), let’s admit one thing: unlike the NFL (where the pro-bowl is a complete joke and waste of everybody’s time), and the NBA and NHL (where they become exhibition skill competitions), baseball’s version of the All-Star game is actually one that is somewhat enjoyable and it has nothing to do with the deciding of home-field advantage in the World Series. The sport of baseball lends itself to “individuality” and putting those individuals together on one field is still somewhat of a romantic-notion.
Inter-league play and technology have taken much meaning out of the game for many (because back in the old-days the all-star game would be the rare occasion to see the best players all at once), but in the dead of summer with nothing else going on and baseball purists all on-hand, it is still near and dear to many of our hearts.
Here are your AL and NL All-Stars:
[ new page = American League All-Stars ]
AL Starters (fan vote)
C Matt Wieters, Orioles
1B Miguel Cabrera, Tigers
2B Robinson Cano, Mariners
SS Derek Jeter, Yankees
3B Josh Donaldson, Athletics
DH Nelson Cruz, Orioles
OF Jose Bautista, Blue Jays (leading vote-getter overall)
OF Mike Trout, Angels
OF Adam Jones, Orioles
AL Reserves
C Salvador Perez, Royals -- will replace Wieters (Tommy John surgery) in the starting lineup
C Derek Norris, Athletics
C Kurt Suzuki, Twins
1B Jose Abreu, White Sox
1B Victor Martinez, Tigers
1B Edwin Encarnacion, Blue Jays
1B/OF Brandon Moss, Athletics
2B Jose Altuve, Astros
SS Alexei Ramirez, White Sox
3B Adrian Beltre, Rangers
OF Yoenis Cespedes, Athletics
OF Alex Gordon, Royals
OF Michael Brantley, Indians
AL Pitchers
RHP Yu Darvish, Rangers
RHP Max Scherzer, Tigers
RHP Felix Hernandez, Mariners
RHP Masahiro Tanaka, Yankees
LHP Jon Lester, Red Sox
LHP David Price, Rays
LHP Scott Kazmir, Athletics
LHP Mark Buehrle, Blue Jays
LHP Sean Doolittle, Athletics
RHP Greg Holland, Royals
LHP Glen Perkins, Twins
RHP Dellin Betances, Yankees
The biggest story of the game in 2014 will be that of Derek Jeter. For Jeter, this will be his 14th and last All-Star game. Much of the festivities will have the “captain” in mind as Minnesota and baseball will send him away on a much deserved positive note. Despite the lack of real all-star stats, hHe was selected by the fans (as we all knew he would be) to start as short-stop with 3,928,422 votes.
"It feels good. All-star games are fun. Having the opportunity to come back here is special. It's the last one for me. I'm extremely happy,” Jeter said after knowing he was selected, according to NJ.com.
Another story-line is also Yankee related as rookie-foreign sensations Masahiro Tanaka and Jose Abreu (Chicago White Sox) were elected. Managers John Ferrell (Boston Red Sox) and Mike Matheny (St. Louis Cardinals) still have some time before they announce their starting pitchers, but odds are Tanaka will be the AL starter with his league-leading 12 wins, sparkling 2.27 ERA and 130 strikeouts, according to BaseballReference.com. Meanwhile Abreu will bring his MLB leading 27 HR’s to the game.
A few snubs on the AL side were Ian Kinsler of the Detroit Tigers (16 doubles, 11 home-runs and 60 runs-scored), and Kyle Seager of the Seattle Mariners (13 home-runs and 59 runs-batted-in). Seager did not make the cut although, ironically, he’s having the much better season than his new all-star teammate Robinson Cano.
[ new page = National League All-Stars ]
NL Starters (fan vote)
C Yadier Molina, Cardinals
1B Paul Goldschmidt, Diamondbacks
2B Chase Utley, Phillies
SS Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies
3B Aramis Ramirez, Brewers
OF Andrew McCutchen, Pirates
OF Carlos Gomez, Brewers
OF Yasiel Puig, Dodgers
NL Pitchers
RHP Johnny Cueto, Reds
LHP Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers
RHP Zack Greinke, Dodgers
LHP Madison Bumgarner, Giants
RHP Adam Wainwright, Cardinals
RHP Tyson Ross, Padres
RHP Jordan Zimmermann, Nationals
RHP Julio Teheran, Braves*
RHP Craig Kimbrel, Braves
LHP Aroldis Chapman, Reds
RHP Francisco Rodriguez, Brewers
LHP Tony Watson, Pirates
RHP Pat Neshek, Cardinals
* Teheran replaces Jeff Samardzija, who was voted into the game but is ineligible to play following his trade from the Cubs to the Athletics.
NL Reserves
C Jonathan Lucroy, Brewers
C Devin Mesoraco, Reds
1B Freddie Freeman, Braves
2B Dee Gordon, Dodgers
2B Daniel Murphy, Mets
SS Starlin Castro, Cubs
3B Todd Frazier, Reds
3B Matt Carpenter, Cardinals
IF/OF Josh Harrison, Pirates
OF Charlie Blackmon, Rockies
OF Hunter Pence, Giants
OF Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins -- will be in starting lineup at DH
The National League side will see a much more hotly-contested debate over who will start the game: Johnny Cueto or Clayton Kershaw. Cueto probably has the statistical edge over Kershaw, but it was only due to Kershaw missing the first few weeks of the season. Cueto leads the league in innings-pitched with 131.1, and has a ridiculous 1.99 ERA. Kershaw actually has a better ERA at 1.85 but with 44 less innings pitched.
While the Blue Jays’ Jose Bautista was the overall top vote-getter, Troy Tulowitzki was tops on the NL side. With his league-leading .350 BA and 18 HR’s, he’ll start at short-stop and be right in the middle of the lineup. Along with Andrew McCuthchen possibly leading-off (4th all-star appearance) and Paul Goldschmidt (2nd appearance), the NL lineup looks scary on paper. Adding to the potency will be a healthy Giancarlo Stanton who will be plugged in at DH (playing in AL ball-park).
The top NL snub has to be San Diego Padres closer Huston Street who has been successful in 23 of 24 save chances with a 1.13 ERA and 0.78 WHIP.
*All-Star lists courtesy of CBSSports.com.