MLB 2014 Thread

[The Buscher]

We’re less than a week away from voting closing for the All Star Game, and presumably the player ballot has already been done or will be very soon so the managers can make their picks. I believe next week is when they’ll reveal the initial rosters anyway, so I’ll continue my annual tradition of guessing how the rosters will shake out. Gives me a good excuse to be a stat nerd and look through the league.

Keep in mind this isn’t necessarily who I think SHOULD make the team, but how I think it will play out based on how the voting is conducted. The fans elect the starting lineups, the players elect a backup at each position, 5 starting pitchers, and 3 relievers, and the manager fills out the rest and picks the Final Vote guys. Besides, the rosters are bound to even change beyond this as players drop out due to injury or ineligibility. Anyway, let’s get to it:

National League

Fan-Elected Starters

C: Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals

1B: Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks

2B: Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies

SS: Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado Rockies

3B: Aramis Ramirez, Milwaukee Brewers

OF: Yasiel Puig, Los Angeles Dodgers

OF: Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates

OF: Carlos Gomez, Milwaukee Brewers

I just went with the current leaders from the most recent polling update this week. Goldschmidt, Tulowitzki, and Puig are no-doubters to start at their positions. There are better options to start at C and 2B than Molina and Utley, but both were going to make the team anyway – Molina because he’s Molina and Utley because nobody else from the Phillies deserves it. Todd Frazier has been the best 3B in the NL by far but isn’t even in the top 5 of voting, Ramirez has a slim lead but Milwaukee is on a voting blitzkrieg so I think he’ll make it. That’s why I also think Gomez will hang onto the 3^rd OF spot, he and McCutchen are certainly both deserving. I think Giancarlo Stanton should be in the starting lineup but it might work out better that he doesn’t get voted in since can simply DH instead while the better defenders play the field.

Player Balloting

C: Jonathan Lucroy, Milwaukee Brewers

1B: Anthony Rizzo, Chicago Cubs

2B: Dee Gordon, Los Angeles Dodgers

SS: Starlin Castro, Chicago Cubs

3B: Todd Frazier, Cincinnati Reds

OF: Charlie Blackmon, Colorado Rockies

OF: Michael Morse, San Francisco Giants

OF: Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins

SP: Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco Giants

SP: Johnny Cueto, Cincinnati Reds

SP: Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers

SP: Alfredo Simon, Cincinnati Reds

SP: Adam Wainwright, St. Louis Cardinals

RP: Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta Braves

RP: Francisco Rodriguez, Milwaukee Brewers

RP: Huston Street, San Diego Padres

Stanton is pretty much guaranteed to get elected, and as mentioned above he should probably be the NL’s DH and hopefully be in the Home Run Derby. I think Frazier will get a lot more respect from the players than he got from the fans. Lucroy has been better than Molina this year. Gordon’s blazing speed should win him a ton of votes from the players. Blackmon and Morse have been big surprises this year, way better than anybody could have expected. And how about those Cubs? Normally I’d say a last place team shouldn’t get 2 reps, but I think the circumstances are right for it to happen. Rizzo is having an incredible season, just way too good to pass up. Castro and Hanley Ramirez are having really similar seasons, but Castro has still been better so I’ll say the players give him some love in spite of his team.

From the pitching side, Wainwright, Cueto, and Bumgarner would seem to be locks to get voted in straight away. Kershaw missed a good chunk of the season, but with 2 Cy Youngs, a no-hitter, and still being crazy good this year, I would be shocked if he didn’t get the player support. Simon has been a huge surprise this season and I think the players vote him in as he’s at the top of the NL in wins. For the relievers, Kimbrel still has his reputation and insane strikeout rate, K-Rod is having himself a career rejuvenation, and Street hasn’t blown a save yet.

Manager Selections

C: Evan Gattis, Atlanta Braves

1B: Justin Morneau, Colorado Rockies

2B: Daniel Murphy, New York Mets

OF: Justin Upton, Atlanta Braves

SP: Zack Greinke, Los Angeles Dodgers

SP: Tim Hudson, San Francisco Giants

SP: Lance Lynn, St. Louis Cardinals

SP: Tanner Roark, Washington Nationals

RP: Jean Machi, San Francisco Giants

Mike Matheny’s first task is to make sure every team has a rep. While David Wright might be the most well-known player on the Mets, Murphy has clearly been their best everyday player so he rightfully gets the nod. The poor first place Nationals don’t have a rep yet either, so breakout pitcher Tanner Roark gets tabbed for a spot.

Anthony Rendon would give the Nats another rep, but there are too many hitters having better seasons, which is why Gattis and Morneau get picked. I think Matheny will also want to take another OF especially if Stanton is the DH, and I can’t see him taking Ryan Braun with his controversy, so Justin Upton is in. Two more Giants get in as the highly respected Hudson is picked, as is Machi who has been ridiculous as a set-up guy. Greinke is selected in a tough call over Josh Beckett. One spot left and with so many good starters in the mix, we haven’t gotten a homer pick yet so I think that’ll be the tiebreaker for Lance Lynn.

Final Vote Candidates

SP: Henderson Alvarez, Miami Marlins

SP: Josh Beckett, Los Angeles Dodgers

RP: Trevor Rosenthal, St. Louis Cardinals

SP: Jeff Samardzija, Chicago Cubs
SP: Julio Teheran, Atlanta Braves

The NL is just loaded with starting pitchers that could have easily been All Stars, enough so that I think Matheny could very easily just load up his Final Vote list with them. I threw Rosenthal in as well as a way of Matheny rewarding one of his guys, would have been Michael Wacha but he just landed on the DL. If Matheny does decide to put position players on his list, I imagine Hanley Ramirez, Freddie Freeman, and Neil Walker will all receive consideration.

American League

Fan-Elected Starters

C: Derek Norris, Oakland Athletics

1B: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers

2B: Robinson Cano, Seattle Mariners

SS: Derek Jeter, New York Yankees

3B: Josh Donaldson, Oakland Athletics

OF: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

OF: Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays

OF: Melky Cabrera, Toronto Blue Jays

DH: Nelson Cruz, Baltimore Orioles

Like with the NL, I stuck with the current vote leaders, the one exception being at C. Matt Wieters is somehow still in the lead there despite not playing in 2 months. Still, Norris is gaining on him and will likely be the starter anyway even if Wieters gets elected. That should be 2 starters for the A’s, whose fans have done a great job ensuring Donaldson isn’t snubbed again this year. Miguel Cabrera, Cano, Trout, and Bautista are all winning handily and rightly so. There was no way on God’s green Earth that Jeter wasn’t getting the start in his final season despite his crappy numbers. Not sure why Cruz is on the ballot as a DH since he’s played the field more than he’s DHed, but he’s winning that race which in turn frees up a OF spot for Melky Cabrera to get elected, not sure the players would have put him on the team following his steroid controversy a couple of years ago.

Player Balloting

C: Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals

1B: Jose Abreu, Chicago White Sox

2B: Ian Kinsler, Detroit Tigers

SS: Alexei Ramirez, Chicago White Sox

3B: Adrian Beltre, Texas Rangers

OF: Michael Brantley, Cleveland Indians

OF: Yoenis Cespedes, Oakland Athletics

OF: Adam Jones, Baltimore Orioles

DH: Edwin Encarnacion, Toronto Blue Jays

SP: Mark Buehrle, Toronto Blue Jays

SP: Yu Darvish, Texas Rangers

SP: Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners

SP: Scott Kazmir, Oakland Athletics
SP: Masahiro Tanaka, New York Yankees

RP: Dellin Betances, New York Yankees

RP: Greg Holland, Kansas City Royals

RP: Koji Uehara, Boston Red Sox

Much like with Cruz, Encarnacion has played the field way more than DH, but I think the players vote from the same ballot as the fans and he’s listed as a DH there. I can’t see the players not voting for the HR/RBI leader so he’s in as backup DH which frees up the rookie powerhouse Abreu to be named as backup 1B. Jones, Kinsler, and Beltre get in for reputation and they’re all having good seasons. Alexei is having the best year for any AL SS and probably would start if it weren’t Jeter’s final year. I thought about Bryan McCann who always seems to make the All Star Game, but really a guy hitting .220 shouldn’t be there, Perez is much better. Brantley gets respect for his breakout season. Poor Brandon Moss is a victim of also being listed as DH on the ballot, but his loss is his teammate Cespedes’ gain.

I’d be stunned if Tanaka, Hernandez, Buehrle, and Darvish aren’t all voted in by the players. Can’t argue with any of them. Kazmir got destroyed in his last start but has still been really good, enough so that I think he gets voted in by the players as well. Holland’s been the best closer in the AL this year and Uehara has picked right up where he left off last year. I’m not sure if a non-closing reliever has ever gotten in via player ballot, but if Betances doesn’t with the kind of year he’s having then I’m pretty sure nobody ever will.

Manager Selections

2B: Jose Altuve, Houston Astros

DH: Victor Martinez, Detroit Tigers

SP: Jon Lester, Boston Red Sox

SP: Garrett Richards, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

SP: Phil Hughes, Minnesota Twins

SP: Chris Sale, Chicago White Sox

RP: Jake McGee, Tampa Bay Rays

3 teams left without a rep. Altuve is the easy choice for the Astros, gives some speed for the bench and he’s easily been their best player. Hughes has had a big bounceback season for the hometown Twins. With only 2 closers on the roster I feel bad snubbing Sean Doolittle and Fernando Rodney, among others. But the Rays do need a rep so I reckon it’ll be McGee.

Martinez gets in as the only true DH on the roster because he has been amazing, but that being said I guarantee John Farrell will consider taking David Ortiz as a loyalty pick. I do think he’ll reward Lester with a spot, not unlike Jim Leyland rewarded Justin Verlander last year. Lester hasn’t been bad or anything but there are better options such as Dallas Keuchel, Sonny Gray, and Jesse Chavez. Sale is kinda like Kershaw, missed time but still incredible when he’s on the mound so Farrell gives him the nod. Richards gets the last spot with a breakout campaign and because the Angels deserve a second rep anyway.

Final Vote Candidates

2B: Brian Dozier, Minnesota Twins

OF: Jacoby Ellsbury, New York Yankees

OF: Alex Gordon, Kansas City Royals

OF: Brandon Moss, Oakland Athletics

DH: David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox

If Farrell doesn’t take Big Papi for the roster, I’d be really surprised if he wasn’t given a chance to be voted in. Dozier gives Minnesota fans a chance to have a second Twin elected for the game at Target Field. Moss, Gordon, and Ellsbury unfortunately get squeezed out in a deep OF pool this year. Most of the pitchers I mentioned earlier (Keuchel, Chavez, Gray, Doolittle, Rodney) should be in play if Farrell wants some arms on his Final Vote list.

[Draevyn]

So crazy question, do The Braves have a designated channel? I know it used to be TBS which has now become Peachtree. I've got Bell satellite.

[thatshortguy]

So crazy question, do The Braves have a designated channel? I know it used to be TBS which has now become Peachtree. I've got Bell satellite.

There aren't dedicated channels for the Braves, but Sportsouth, Peachtree TV & FOX Sports South will always show the games.

They're part of a terrible TV deal that still has 14 to 15 years left on it. There's a reason we don't typically nab the splashy free agents...

[Mx. Canadian Destroyer]

Edwin Encarnacion is playing left field today. I'm interested to see how this goes.

[Your Mom]

I would be a terrible fan if I didn't bring up the fact that we kicked Boston ass! Clean sweep! And we put up 16 runs last night!

[Maxx]

Sorry, we're still hung over from celebrating that World Series victory. You know how it is...

[Mx. Canadian Destroyer]

Lots of interesting David Price talk. I'm sure we're (the Jays) are never going to get him and even if we do, we're going to paying some sort of tax for the fact that he'd still be playing in the AL East. Do you think there's a chance the Rays keep him, especially since they have been rather hot lately.

Here's a good discussion question: what's the one move you'd like to see your team make before the Trade Deadline?

[thatshortguy]

I think the Braves could make a play for Price, though I suspect they'd want to go with what they have instead of giving up any real prospects.

I'd really love to see Atlanta ship B.J. Upton somewhere, because he just has not got it going on a consistent basis while here.

Any Rays fans: B.J. Upton back to ya for David Price. I'll even throw in...$13.74 from my own pocket

[Berober]

New lease OK'd after Selig says A's can leave Oakland ballpark

[The Buscher]

Yeah so I don't think the White Sox thought their promotional giveaway all the way through...

[The Buscher]

And we've got our first big trade of the season. Cubs send Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel to the A's for Addison Russell.

[ThaBoss18]

Wow here I was thinking they was going to deal them with two different trades but hey Russell is a top SS prospect at least

They were playing really well too since May but hey thats Theos plan I guess and now Travis wood is the #1 guy now

[Meacon Keaton]

Addison Russell is a great pick up. I love what the cubs are doing with their farm system. Whether it pans out is one thing, but they're slowly stocking up on very talented youngins.

[Toe]

Wierd to see the A's add salary like that, but I think it's a solid move for them. The prospects going to Chicago must be top rated guys too.

[MalaCloudy Black]

Cubs also get Billy McKinney, Dan Straily, and a player to be named later. McKinney's an outfielder and a 1st round pick in last year's draft, and Dan Straily's made a few starts for the Athletics before being demoted to the Sacramento River Cats in May. Be interesting to see who the player tbd is.

[The Buscher]

The A's better hope they win the World Series in 2014, because Russell was their only position player prospect who was relatively close to the Majors. Fair play to Beane for going for it all. Really hope they get past the first round this year because they're a seriously fun team to watch.

[HC]

Yeah, the A's are now all-in. Great trade for the Cubs, although I hate saying that.

[Your Mom]

Why do we need so many SS prospects?

[HC]

SS is a pretty in demand position. It's not like they're stockpiling first basemen. These guys can be moved around, used as trade chips, etc. Surely you're not upset about netting a top 5 prospect, right?

[SeanDMan]

Why do we need so many SS prospects?

ss is one of the best positions to be deep at. A good hitting ss can move over and play second while one with great d can slide over and play hot corner. Conversely, if you have too many catchers... I guess one dude could dh?