2016 MLB All-Star Game voting snubs and surprises

After a scare following the first MLB All-Star Game voting results released in May, the balloting came back to normal in the American League and the starting lineup isn’t quite as Royal blue as last year. In fact, the Royals have just two starters, while the red-hot Red Sox offense was able to get four players in the starting lineup, all well-deserving.

In the National League, the starting lineup was far from unbiased. As it appeared all throughout voting, the Cubs ran the table and will have five players in the starting lineup, including the entire infield. While Kris Bryant is well-deserving to start at third, both as the NL’s best hitter and most popular player, the rest of the infield is not quite as clear. Paul Goldschmidt has an argument at first base over starter Anthony Rizzo, the Nationals’ Daniel Murphy has one at second over Ben Zobrist, and the biggest argument of all is Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager over Addison Russell. That Russell made this team at all is disappointing, considering that him and his .238/.336/.392 line are keeping another, much more worthy player, off the roster. Goldschmidt, Murphy and Seager were all included on the NL roster as reserves.

The NL starting outfield has just one Cub, Dexter Fowler, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the starters were chosen perfectly. There’s no argument with reigning NL MVP Bryce Harper getting one of the three spots. However, both the Marlins’ Marcell Ozuna and Pirates’ Gregory Polanco are having better offensive and defensive seasons than Fowler, and are better in the field than the Mets’ Yoenis Cespedes. Yet Ozuna is relegated to the bench, while Polanco is a gigantic snub.

Polanco could be the biggest snub on either team, as he has become the Pirates’ best outfielder and one of the best in baseball. Instead, the NL roster has the Reds’ only representative, outfielder Adam Duvall, on the bench and the Pirates’ lone representative, closer Mark Melancon, in the bullpen. Other than that, the bench isn’t that offensive for the NL, although Giants fans will certainly be mad shortstop Brandon Crawford wasn’t chosen. They can be placated with having two of seven starting pitchers, Madison Bumgarner and Johnny Cueto, Buster Posey as the starting catcher and a Final Vote candidate in Brandon Belt.

National League starting lineup

C Buster Posey, Giants
1B Anthony Rizzo, Cubs
2B Ben Zobrist, Cubs
SS Addison Russell, Cubs
3B Kris Bryant, Cubs
OF Bryce Harper, Nationals
OF Yoenis Cespedes, Mets
OF Dexter Fowler, Cubs

NL reserves

C Jonathan Lucroy, Brewers
C Wilson Ramos, Nationals
1B Paul Goldschmidt, Diamondbacks
1B Wil Myers, Padres
2B Daniel Murphy, Nationals
SS Corey Seager, Dodgers
3B Nolan Arenado, Rockies
IF Matt Carpenter, Cardinals
OF Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies
OF Odubel Herrera, Phillies
OF Marcell Ozuna, Marlins
OF Adam Duvall, Reds

NL Final Vote candidates

1B Brandon Belt, Giants
3B Jake Lamb, D-Backs
SS Trevor Story, Rockies
OF Starling Marte, Pirates
OF Ryan Braun, Brewers

If there was any mistake in the AL starting lineup, it was Kansas City’s Eric Hosmer at first base, although there wasn’t one clear obvious better option. The top power players, Toronto’s Edwin Encarnacion (included as a bench player) and Baltimore’s Chris Davis (not on roster) don’t have a high enough average to appeal to the average voter, and perennial All-Star Miguel Cabrera (on bench) didn’t have quite the power numbers of the other two. With the vote split, Hosmer, who was less deserving than either of those three and about five others, was able to take the starting spot.

Rays third baseman Evan Longoria, who is having a resurgent season, and Astros outfielder George Springer, were both left off the roster, but are among the five Final Vote choices. Also included are Detroit’s Ian Kinsler and Boston’s Dustin Pedroia, who have both had nice seasons at second base, yet didn’t make the initial roster. This is not to say that Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano doesn’t deserve a spot and infielder Eduardo Nunez is the Twins’ only representative.

American League starting lineup

C Salvador Perez, Royals
1B Eric Hosmer, Royals
2B Jose Altuve, Astros
SS Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox
3B Manny Machado, Orioles
OF Mike Trout, Angels
OF Jackie Bradley Jr., Red Sox
OF Mookie Betts, Red Sox
DH David Ortiz, Red Sox

AL reserves

C Stephen Vogt, Athletics
C Matt Wieters, Orioles
1B Miguel Cabrera, Tigers
2B Robinson Cano, Mariners
SS Francisco Lindor, Indians
3B Josh Donaldson, Blue Jays
IF Eduardo Nunez, Twins
OF Carlos Beltran, Yankees
OF Ian Desmond, Rangers
OF Mark Trumbo, Orioles
DH Edwin Encarnacion, Blue Jays

AL Final Vote candidates

2B Ian Kinsler, Tigers
2B Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox
3B Evan Longoria, Rays
OF Michael Saunders, Blue Jays
OF George Springer, Astros

In both leagues, there have been so many great pitchers this season that it would be impossible for all of them to make the All-Star team. It is surprising (but not really) that two teams had their second-best pitcher named to the team over their No. 1 starter in the AL, as the Blue Jays’ Marco Estrada beat out Aaron Sanchez while Chris Sale made the cut over Jose Quintana. Obviously, the two players who made it have the greater careers and name recognition, but are not currently having the better seasons. Sale is currently the only White Sox representative, but it is possible manager Ned Yost will add Quintana when he has to replace pitchers who start the Sunday before the All-Star game (July 10) or get injured.

Similarly, you can’t really complain about the AL bullpen (and Yost knows his bullpens), although it’s unfortunate that White Sox closer David Robertson and his AL-leading 23 saves will be excluded. The same is generally true in the NL, as the bullpen is used to make sure every team gets a representative, rather than reflecting the league’s best relief talent. There have simply been too many fantastic relievers this season to include them all. But the Cardinals’ Seung Oh and his 1.71 ERA stand out as a top exclusion. Luckily, the recently traded Fernando Rodney and his 0.85 ERA did make the squad, so both the Padres and Marlins can feel like they got an extra guy on the team. Of course, the Marlins were already well-represented on the pitching staff with starter Jose Fernandez and closer A.J. Ramos making the team as well.

As for the NL starting pitchers, the Mets’ Jacob deGrom was left off, but the NL champs already have Noah Syndergaard and reliever Jeurys Familia on the staff. Breakout star Drew Pomeranz (2.65 ERA, 109 strikeouts in 94 innings) is also missing as the only Padres player for the All-Star Game held at San Diego’s Petco Park is first baseman Wil Myers. While the Padres have struggled this year, Pomeranz hasn’t and it would have been nice for the home crowd to have more than one bench player to cheer for.

AL pitchers

RHP Dellin Betances, Yankees
RHP Brad Brach, Orioles
LHP Zach Britton, Orioles
RHP Alex Colome, Rays
RHP Wade Davis, Royals
RHP Marco Estrada, Blue Jays
LHP Cole Hamels, Rangers
RHP Will Harris, Astros
RHP Kelvin Herrera, Royals
RHP Craig Kimbrel, Red Sox
LHP Andrew Miller, Yankees
RHP Danny Salazar, Indians
LHP Chris Sale, White Sox
RHP Steven Wright, Red Sox

NL pitchers

RHP Jake Arrieta, Cubs
LHP Madison Bumgarner, Giants
RHP Johnny Cueto, Giants
RHP Jose Fernandez, Marlins
LHP Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers
LHP Jon Lester, Cubs
RHP Stephen Strasburg, Nationals
RHP Noah Syndergaard, Mets
RHP Julio Teheran, Braves
RHP Jeurys Familia, Mets
RHP Kenley Jansen, Dodgers
RHP Mark Melancon, Pirates
RHP A.J. Ramos, Marlins
RHP Fernando Rodney, Padres/Marlins