Predicting the MLB All Star Teams

By Michael Urbanec
July 9, 2018

Major League Baseball’s first half is in the books, with every team having now played 81 games.

Now is the time for fans to start thinking of who they want to vote in to start in the All Star Game, and the voting tallies to this point can allow for an educated guess as to who will make their appearance.

Catcher

Wilson Ramos (Tampa Bay Rays)

Ramos leads a AL catchers in hits with 74, and has remained healthy all season unlike those behind him in the voting. New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez has been on the disabled list with a groin injury since mid-June. This would be Ramos’ second all-star game appearance, and his first as a starter.

Willson Contreras (Chicago Cubs)

Contreras is second in the All-Star voting among NL catchers right now, but Giants catcher Buster Posey is in the lead because of his track record (a five time all star and former MVP). Contreras has been providing offensive firepower to the Cubs and is leading all catchers in assists and putouts. He also leads all catchers with an OPS of .835.

First Baseman

Jose Abreu (Chicago White Sox)

The first baseman race in the American League is a two horse race, but Abreu does all the things a traditional first baseman should. He walks, he hits home runs and he leads all first baseman in doubles. He also leads AL first basemen in RBIs.

Freddie Freeman (Atlanta Braves)

Freeman is the only deserving candidate in the NL. He has been a monster for the much improved Atlanta Braves, leading all first basemen in batting average, OPS and hits.

Second Baseman

Jose Altuve (Houston Astros)

Altuve gets in on consistency: he has been the best second baseman in the league for the past few years, and will be for the foreseeable future. He leads the league with a .332 batting average and plays elite defense.

Scooter Gennett (Cincinnati Reds)

The last couple years have been good to the former 16th round pick. His power numbers have picked up (14 home runs and 57 RBIs so far this season), and he is second in the league in batting average behind Altuve. Braves rookie Ozzie Albies is in the lead for all star voting, aided by his exciting play for a rising squad. Javier Baez is in third, but Baez has been playing nearly every position this season, spending most games lately playing third base.

Third Baseman

Jose Ramirez (Cleveland Indians)

Ramirez has looked like an MVP candidate this season, playing spectacular defense, hitting 24 home runs and maintaining a .294/.398/.600 slash line, and second to Mike Trout with 5.7 Wins Above Replacement.

Nolan Arenado (Colorado Rockies)

Arenado is leading all third basemen with a .312 average and is second with 22 home runs. Initially known for his stellar defense when he entered the league, Arenado has staked claim to second best third basemen in the league after Kris Bryant’s injury addled first half.

Shortstop

Manny Machado (Baltimore Orioles)

Impressive seasons from Jean Segura and Didi Gregorius should be rewarded, but Manny Machado is just too good. He has been the lone bright spot for the lowly Baltimore Orioles, batting .308 and swatting 21 home runs. Francisco Lindor of the Cleveland Indians is also an acceptable pick; his season is nearly parallel with Machado’s.

Brandon Crawford (San Francisco Giants)

Crawford’s .315 average and .884 OPS lead NL shortstops, and where the AL is piled high with talent, there is a darth in the NL. Although Addison Russell of the Chicago Cubs and Trevor Story of the Colorado Rockies have picked things back up as the season goes on, Crawford’s offensive consistency and defense make him the obvious choice.

Outfielders

Mike Trout (Los Angeles Angels), J.D. Martinez (Boston Red Sox), Mookie Betts (Boston Red Sox)

Trout has been having an all time great season, matching WAR with legends Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays. The one knock on his game has always been his arm strength, which is not nearly as big of a deal for a speedy center fielder who hits for power and average. Trout is one of the best players the game has ever seen.

Martinez has continued his pace from previous seasons, hitting for a workable average and a lot of power. The smaller left field in Boston helps hide his poor defense and his strong arm makes up for some of his mistakes in the field.

Betts has missed some time, but his numbers are still up there with the best, hitting 21 home runs in 16 less games than Martinez, who leads all outfielders with 26. Betts is not the defensive liability that Martinez can be, and leads the American League with a .338 batting average.

Nick Markakis (Atlanta Braves), Matt Kemp (Los Angeles Dodgers), Lorenzo Cain (Milwaukee Brewers)

Markakis and Kemp are both former all stars having comeback seasons, and Cain has been robbed of a slot the last few seasons. Markakis is third in the league in hits, and is second among NL outfielders in batting average at .322 and RBI’s at 58.

Kemp is batting .318 with 15 home runs in a resurgent year, and is second only to his former teammate Markakis in RBI’s, with 55.

Cain is serviceable at the plate, slashing .291/.394/.832 and playing good defense. He does not hurt the Brewers at the plate, and the NL suffers the same dearth of talent in the outfield compared to the American League that they do at shortstop. Bryce Harper has been slumping, batting only .212, and the Albert Almora, Jr, who leads NL outfielders in batting average at .329, is not even on the ballot.