Who Should Win The All Star Game Final Vote In The American League?
The All Star break is almost upon us. The rosters have been announced, and now we’ve got a few days of this guy’s hurt, so this guy’s in, but actually that guy’s hurt too, so now this guy’s in. Good times.
The other way that fringe players can make the All Star team is through the Final Vote, where the MLB takes five players from each league and has a voting competition to figure out which fan base has the most time on their hands. It’s largely a popularity contest, but sometimes the best player in the bunch prevails, so we shall see. Here are this year’s candidates out of the American League, and why they should be All Stars.
Ian Kinsler — Here’s where Kinsler ranks among the other second baseman in the American League: He’s second to Robinson Cano in home runs (16), he’s scored more runs than any other second baseman in the league (71), he’s driven in the second most runs (52), and he’s third in OPS (.848).
Evan Longoria — Longoria ranks fourth among American League third basemen with 18 home runs, fifth in slugging percentage (.520), fourth in doubles (23), and fifth in OPS (.853).
Dustin Pedroia — Pedroia ranks second among American League second basemen in on-base percentage (.369), third in batting average (.305), third in hits (103), fifth in doubles (20), and is fifth in OPS (.810).
Michael Saunders — Captain Canada leads all American League left fielders in wRC+ (144), first in OPS (.926), first in slugging (.557), first in doubles (24), second in on-base percentage (.369), second in home runs (16), second in hits (86), and is third in batting average (.296).
George Springer — Honestly, that’s the best campaign video that any of the AL teams put out for one of their players. Springer is second among American League right fielders in runs (61), second in on-base percentage (.362), tied for third in home runs (19), tied for fourth in hits (91), and fifth in wRC+ (126).
I’m voting for Michael Saunders here. You could make a case that he’s the only Final Vote candidate in the American League who should be starting at their respective position. Looking over the numbers, I felt like Ian Kinsler was having an All Star season, but he’s not even the first or even the second best at his own position this year. Saunders should be an All Star, and he should be starting in left field. He obviously can’t start in left field, but he should, at the very least, be in San Diego, representing the Blue Jays at the All Star Game.
You can vote for who you think should make it to the All Star game by clicking here. Part 2 with the National League candidates is coming up next.