Article: Picking The 2017 All-Star Starters

[Cody Christie]

Baseball's Midsummer Classic is quickly approaching. Fan voting for the starters ended on Thursday and rosters will be announced on ESPN at 7 p.m. on Sunday. The 2017 MLB All-Star Game will be played at Marlins Park on July 11.

 

There are a few things to consider when looking at the line-ups I created below. I didn't take into consideration the fact that each team needs at least one representative because I was only picking the starters. I also didn't spend time to see if the starting pitchers for either squad will be unavailable because they'll pitch for their team on the Sunday before the All-Star Game.

 

To me, the All-Star roster need to be a combination of a few different things. It shouldn't be rosters composed of just the players having great starts to the season. I like to take into consideration the second-half of the 2016 season as well as looking at veteran players who have earned a spot because of the body of their work.How does this strategy work when creating the starting line-ups? I'm glad you asked...

American League All-Star Starters

C: Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals

1B: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers

2B: Jose Altuve, Houston Astros

3B: Miguel Sano, Minnesota Twins

SS: Carlos Correa, Houston Astros

OF: George Springer, Houston Astros

OF: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels

OF: Aaron Judge, New York Yankees

DH: Corey Dickerson, Tampa Bay Rays

SP: Chris Sale, Boston Red Sox

 

There aren't too many surprises on this starting line-up. Catching has become a wasteland across the baseball world but Perez provides some offensive punch and solid defensive skills. At first base, there isn't anyone that stood out to me from the first half so I picked Cabrera, the player likely on his way to Cooperstown. Houston is off to a tremendous start and their core trio of players all deserve starting nods. Trout is injured but he is still the best player in the game and he deserves to be recognized.

 

Miguel Sano is in a tight race with the Indians' Jose Ramirez for the starting job at third. My vote goes to Sano for his bat and what he has meant to the Twins in the first half. Judge had a first half for the ages and his numbers can't be ignored. Dickerson leads a designated hitter pack that doesn't have a lot of standout candidates.

 

Sale seems like the logical choice to be the American League's starting pitcher. Twins' fans saw first hand what he did to Minnesota's line-up when the club was in Boston. He's at the top of the AL in a variety of pitching categories and it makes sense to trot him out for the first couple of innings.

 

National League All-Star Starters

C: Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants

1B: Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks

2B: Daniel Murphy, Washington Nationals

3B: Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs

SS: Corey Seager, Los Angeles Dodgers

OF: Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals

OF: Charlie Blackmon, Colorado Rockies

OF: Cody Bellinger, Los Angeles Dodgers

SP: Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals

 

There were a couple of tough decisions on the National League side of the game. There are a handful of players with strong credentials at first base but I eventually settled on Goldschmidt for what he can do on both sides of the ball. Third base was another challenge. Bryant had an amazing 2016 and he has been doing well this season so he gets the starting nod (even though he was just hurt). I'm a big fan of Nolan Arenado so as a fan I would vote for him.

 

Harper and Blackmon stand out as strong candidates in the outfield. With Trout injured, Blackmon might be the best center fielder in the game. Bellinger has been a force since being called up so the only thing holding him back might be his late arrival. Posey, Murphy and Seager were easy choices at their position.

 

Like Sale in the American League, Scherzer is off to a tremendous start. As the reigning NL Cy Young winner, Scherzer looks poised to make another All-Star squad and be the first pitcher on the mound. Clayton Kershaw would be another candidate but Scherzer's numbers are too strong this season.

 

So there's my starters with a few picks that were tough to make. Who would part of your All-Star starting rosters? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.

 

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[Brandon]

My line up was similar. In AL i had Smoak at 1B. SS was from Texas and DH Cruz.

 

In NL i had Arrendo at 3rd, Washington 1B, and Stanton instead of Bellanger

[Brandon]

My line up was similar. In AL i had Smoak at 1B. SS was from Texas Rangers and DH Cruz.

 

In NL i had Arrendo at 3rd, Washington 1B, and Stanton instead of Bellanger

[Fritzderkat]

Something of the same for me, but even though he's having a bum year at the plate, Manny Machado is the best 3B in baseball. I picked Molina over Posey and wrote in Carlos Beltran as DH. He's having a bum year too, coming off another injury, but you look at his record over 20 years, he's been an All-Star everywhere he's been.

 

Strictly on the basis of outstand performances, do you think there ought to be a place on the AL squad for Buxton? Like, as a late-inning replacement (just so long as he doesn't have to bat)?

[Mike Sixel]

Has Sano been the best 3B the last calendar year, or to start this year?

[Fritzderkat]

Obviously enough folks think so to have voted him in. So, on that basis, yes. I didn't say I was right; it is my opinion that as a third baseman, Machado is better.