My All-Star Roster: Tommy

Tommy's All-Star Roster

So Wade has his rosters yesterday, and he got them completely wrong (just kidding Wade, you're alright).  All-Star talk is about as hot as Alfonso Soriano right now, so we continue to ride the trend and share our teams, one day at a time.  

One common thread, no ManBearPuig to be found.  Make a statement and #VoteFreeman




Let's start with the American League roster 

STARTERS

C: Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins

1B: Chris Davis, Baltimore Orioles

2B: Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox

3B: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers

SS: Jhonny Peralta, Detroit Tigers

OF: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels

OF: Adam Jones, Baltimore Orioles

OF: Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston Red Sox

DH: Edwin Encarnacion, Toronto Blue Jays

SP: Max Scherzer, Detroit Tigers

RESERVES

C: Jason Castro, Houston Astros

1B: Adam Lind, Toronto Blue Jays

2B: Robinson Cano, New York Yankees

2B: Jason Kipnis, Cleveland Indians

3B: Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays

3B: Manny Machado, Baltimore Orioles

3B: Josh Donaldson, Oakland Athletics

SS: Jed Lowrie, Oakland Athletics

OF: Daniel Nava, Boston Red Sox

OF: Nelson Cruz, Texas Rangers

OF: Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays

DH: David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox

PITCHERS:

SP: Hisashi Iwakuma, Seattle Mariners

SP: Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners

SP: Bartolo Colon, Oakland Athletics

SP: Chris Sale, Chicago White Sox

SP: Yu Darvish, Texas Rangers

SP: John Lackey, Boston Red Sox

RP: Joe Nathan, Texas Rangers

RP: Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees

RP: Greg Holland, Kansas City Royals

RP: Glen Perkins, Minnesota Twins

RP: Grant Balfour, Oakland Athletics

RP: Jesse Crain, Chicago White Sox

My roster doesn't differ much from what the actual roster is.  Like Wade, I had to take Josh Donaldson.  The guy is 5th in the AL in OPS and is having one hell of a season.  A couple more position players that I differ on are Daniel Nava and Jed Lowrie.  Nava has been a huge surprise for the Red Sox and has done it all.  He has hit for power, gotten on base, and has solidified the Red Sox outfield despite the slew of injuries.  Lowrie has been steady as a rock for Oakland.  Despite probably being better suited for 2nd base, Lowrie has been able to stay healthy and hit all season long.  Adam Lind is another surprise here, but he has been hot all year long for the offensive minded Blue Jays.  Pitching wise, the starters have all been very good and the closers have been dominant.  Jesse Crain is the lone middle reliever, who despite his injury recently, has been fantastic.  He leads all AL relievers in WAR and has been one of the few bright spots for the White Sox all year long.  My one surprise starter is Edwin Encarnacion, but he just continues to hit, and even though Big Papi has been excellent, Edwin has provided a ton of pop and deserves the starting nod.

STARTERS

C: Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals

1B: Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks

2B: Matt Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals

3B: David Wright, New York Mets

SS: Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado Rockies

OF: Carlos Gonzalez, Colorado Rockies

OF:Carlos Beltran, St. Louis Cardinals

OF: Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates

SP: Matt Harvey, New York Mets

RESERVES

C: Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants

1B: Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds

1B: Allen Craig, St. Louis Cardinals

1B: Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves

2B: Brandon Phillips, Cincinnati Reds

3B: Pedro Alvarez, Pittsburgh Pirates

SS: Everth Cabrera, San Diego Padres

SS: Jean Segura, Milwaukee Brewers

SS: Ian Desmond, Washington Nationals

OF: Starling Marte, Pittsburgh Pirates

OF: Carlos Gomez, Milwaukee Brewers

OF: Michael Cuddyer, Colorado Rockies

OF: Dominic Brown, Philadelphia Phillies

PITCHERS

SP: Jordan Zimmerman, Washington Nationals

SP: Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals

SP: Travis Wood, Chicago Cubs

SP: Adam Wainwright, St. Louis Cardinals

SP: Jeff Locke, Pittsburgh Pirates

SP: Patrick Corbin, Arizona Diamondbacks

SP: Cliff Lee, Philadelphia Phillies

SP: Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers

SP: Jose Fernandez, Miami Marlins

RP: Jason Grilli, Pittsburgh Pirates

RP: Mark Melancon, Pittsburgh Pirates

RP: Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta Braves

Just like I went third base heavy on the AL side, I went shortstop heavy on the NL side.  Segura, Cabrera, and Desmond have all been great for their respective clubs.  Starling Marte has provided some pop as well as a ton of speed.  Michael Cuddyer had to be on here following his long hit streak.  Matt Carpenter may be a surprise starter here, but when taking all things into account, I feel that he has been better than Brandon Phillips.  Pedro Alvarez has been incredibly hot the last month or so and has forced his way onto this team.  The pitching is much more starter heavy than the American League, simply because there are more quality relievers in the AL.  Lefties Corbin, Locke, and Wood are all surprises, but all of them have been incredible this year.  Wood has 17 quality starts in 18 total starts.  Rookie Jose Fernandez is the lone Marlins rep, well mostly because there is no one else worth taking.  The 8th and 9th inning duo for the Pittsburgh Pirates are both here for me.  Grilli has been great, but Melancon has perhaps been better, earning him a roster spot.

Well there are my All-Star teams.  There may be some guys you agree with and some that you don't, but that's the fun of the All-Star game.  Even the so called "experts" don't agree on the guys that should or shouldn't be there.  If you think I picked someone who doesn't belong, or if I snubbed anyone, please share your thoughts with me, and I will gladly tell you why my picks are right and yours are wrong.  But in all seriousness, we live on feedback and just thoroughly enjoy to argue baseball.  

Also here are your Home Run Derby contestants:

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Prince Fielder, Detroit Tigers 

Chris Davis, Baltimore Orioles

Robinson Cano, New York Yankees

Yoenis Cespedes, Oakland Athletics

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Carlos Gonzalez, Colorado Rockies

Michael Cuddyer, Colorado Rockies

David Wright, New York Mets

Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals

Who you got???? I'll take Bryce Harper because well, he's Bryce Harper

Up tomorrow is Chris with his All-Star roster, which will without a doubt be the worst of the three of us, I can tell you that much.