MLB All-Star Game: Rosters with package deals on defense
Aug 6, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Reds unveil the All Star Game logo prior to the game against the Cleveland Indians at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports
Putting a unique spin on this July’s MLB All-Star Game in Cincinnati can be fun. Even more so if you’re one of the bitter fans out there who does not like what is going on in the American League with the Kansas City Royals.
But for the most part, the Midsummer Classic is supposed to be fun and full of festivities for kids and their parents. The Home Run Derby is a showcase like the dunk competition is in the NBA. You go, you watch, have a few smiles and move on. Here is one interesting spin on the All-Star Game, breaking teams down in terms of divisions instead of leagues.
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MiLB does its own take, pitting the best American born players versus foreign born ones in an All-Stars Futures Game. You could scour the internet and undoubtedly find a multitude of different alterations or spins on the event. Call to the Pen offers you this latest twist on the game. What if the All-Star roster’s were composed based on overall value of players, but determined by defensive groupings as a stipulation? Everything is a package deal. Pitcher and catcher. Right side of the infield. Left side of the infield. All three outfield positions.
Using wins above replacement is probably the best overall way to gauge value, so that will definitely factor in. But to the detriment of some players who are paired with far inferior options in their positional grouping, it’s about finding a balance. Someone like center fielder Mike Trout, who has a sturdy companion in Kole Calhoun in right field, would likely not appear on this version of an All-Star roster due to terrible options in the Angels’ left field.
Without further delay, let’s get after it. Here are your American and National League All-Star roster’s, if everything had to be a package deal.
Next: American League
Pitcher & Catcher: Oakland Athletics
Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
There are plenty of strong starting pitcher’s to choose from in the American League. If the Blue Jays or Royals had a true ace to pair with Russell Martin or Salvador Perez, respectively, there might be competition in this slot. But right now, Toronto’s best hurler has been rookie Aaron Sanchez who is currently on the DL with a 0.9 WAR, while KC’s has been 36-year-old Chris Young in mostly spot starts with a 1.6 WAR.
Given the pitching shortcomings of those AL East and AL Central clubs, it’s an AL West team — and perhaps the worst club overall in the American League — that boasts the best starting pitcher and catcher tandem. Ironic.
Sonny Gray and Stephen Vogt have been outstanding in 2015. A lot of people probably saw Gray building on his 2014 success, but few could have predicted that Vogt would break out. A career minor leaguer until his age 28 season with the Oakland Athletics, Vogt is slashing .280/.383/.523 with 12 homers and 45 RBI.
Gray leads all MLB pitcher’s in WAR with a 4.3 mark, while Vogt is tied for first with Martin amongst all catcher’s with a 2.4 mark. This equates to a cumulative WAR of 6.7 for Gray and Vogt over 67 games played.
Runners-up: Houston Astros’ Dallas Keuchel (3.7) and Jason Castro (1.2)
Next: Right side of infield
First & Second Base: Detroit Tigers
Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
While Jason Kipnis has been the AL’s best second baseman with a 3.9 WAR to date, Miguel Cabrera has been its best first baseman. No surprise there. His 3.4 WAR trails only Paul Goldschmidt at his position across all of MLB.
Miggy has the luxury of working alongside Ian Kinsler, the product of the Prince Fielder trade back in 2013. Kinsler’s power numbers have dropped off since moving to the spacious Comerica Park, but he’s still a highly effective player. His 2.3 WAR is third to only Kipnis and Brian Dozier. A well balanced second baseman, it’s truly evident in Kinsler’s 1.2 oWAR and 1.2 dWAR ratings. There’s no need to even touch on a team like the Royals, who boast strong corner options, but have been sub-par through the middle infield in 2015.
On the right side in the AL, you can do no wrong pairing a future Hall of Famer in Cabrera with a steady veteran second baseman like Kinsler, himself a four-time All-Star in previous seasons. The duo has a combined WAR of 5.7.
Runners-up: Cleveland Indians’ Carlos Santana (0.7) and Jason Kipnis (3.9)
Next: Left side of infield
Third Base & Shortstop: Toronto Blue Jays
Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Like with Miggy, when a possible MVP candidate is in your starting lineup, there’s a good chance you will see him balancing out the weaker half of his defensive pairing. For the Blue Jays, it’s difficult to overlook Josh Donaldson‘s 3.8 WAR. When it comes to shortstop, Jose Reyes could just as easily be alternated with Ryan Goins.
What you lose in offensive production with Goins, you gain in defensive range and efficiency. Reyes has played in only 37 games this season, but nonetheless ranks inside the top 10 at his position in WAR with a 0.6. His defense has fallen off some in recent years, but he is still a very productive leadoff hitter who gets on base, finding ways to steal them and cross home plate.
Goins, meanwhile, displays fine defensive chops and is not doing all that terrible on offense either with two home runs and 22 RBI through 54 games played. His dWAR of 0.9 speaks for itself. Either way, the AL gets an MVP caliber third baseman and an above average shortstop. For the sake of argument and because of his leadoff abilities, we’ll roll with Reyes for a total WAR of 4.4 between the two.
Runners-up: Seattle Mariners’ Kyle Seager (2.3) and Brad Miller (1.5)
Next: The Outfield
Left, Center & Right Field: Detroit Tigers
Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Royals fans, your trio of outfielder’s were tough to pass up here. But the group is generally stronger with their gloves and arms than they are their bats. That, and the absence of a legitimate right fielder all season presents a problem. Had Rios not spent a lengthy stay on the disabled list earlier this year, it might be a different story.
The Tigers, as many would have predicted, have seen excellent production from their core outfielder’s in 2015. In left, Yoenis Cespedes leads the AL with a 3.0 WAR at his position. The Cuban’s .309 BA, nine HRs and 25 RBI also project to solid totals over an entire season. He boasts a cannon of an arm from the outfield that any manager would be happy to have.
In center, take your pick between Anthony Gose or Rajai Davis. Gose has seen more action and has a higher WAR (1.3) than Davis (0.9), but both run the bases very well and provide sound defense.
Over in right, J.D. Martinez has picked up where he left off in 2014. His 1.3 WAR ranks fifth amongst AL right fielder’s, and the left-handed hitter punishes righties with a .284 BA and 12 of his 13 home runs coming against them.
On the whole, Detroit’s outfield is well rounded offensively and defensively. Their collective WAR comes in at 5.6.
Runners-up: Kansas City Royals’ Alex Gordon (2.4), Lorenzo Cain (3.2) and Alex Rios (-0.3)
Next: National League
Catcher & Pitcher: Washington Nationals
Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The Pittsburgh Pirates and Los Angeles Dodgers have some pretty viable options here as well, but Max Scherzer and Wilson Ramos take the cake. Scherzer is living up to the expectations that come with his enormous new contract, while Ramos is delivering from behind home plate (0.8 dWAR) and within the batter’s box (0.9 oWAR). He’s hitting .265 with seven homers and 31 RBI.
Buster Posey leads all National League backstops with a 2.7 WAR, but Giants ace Madison Bumgarner (7-3. 3.16) is not pitching lights out the way Scherzer has been in 2015. Mad Bum’s WAR is 1.3, compared to Scherzer’s 3.6, which leads all NL arms. Though his winning percentage is not elite, he leads the NL in strikeouts with Clayton Kershaw at 113 apiece, but Kershaw has a game in hand on Scherzer.
The Nats’ ace ranks third in the NL with a 1.93 ERA, but it’s his outstanding FIP of 2.03 that really sets him apart. A number that low is as close as a starting pitcher will come to making defense nearly irrelevant in ball games. Cole ranks a distant second in the category with a mark of 2.37. The Rays’ Chris Archer leads the AL with a 2.08 FIP.
Runners-up: A.J. Burnett (2.8) or Gerrit Cole (2.5) and Francisco Cervelli (1.3)
Next: Right side of infield
First & Second Base: Chicago Cubs
Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Aside from Bryce Harper, no one is the National League is killing the ball or the wins above replacement (4.8) category than D-backs first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. Unfortunately, second baseman Chris Owings doesn’t register statistically in WAR with a -0.4 showing so far.
Cubs rookie Addison Russell is probably the best athlete on his team and should be playing shortstop. But due to Starlin Castro‘s seniority, it may take a trade or an injury to change things. Russell’s strength is defense, as his 1.0 dWAR in only 47 games represents. But he has an overall 1.5 WAR and is contributing at the plate as well with five homers and 20 RBI.
Anthony Rizzo, meanwhile, is one of the best all-around first basemen in the league. His 2.8 WAR ranks second in the NL at his position. His .422 OBP is fourth in MLB and his 12 home runs and 10 stolen bases gives both he and Goldschmidt an outside shot at a 30-30 season, a rare milestone for first basemen.
Runners-up: San Francisco Giants’ Brandon Belt (2.2) and Joe Panik (2.2)
Next: Left side of infield
Third Base & Shortstop: San Francisco Giants
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Simply put, it’s Brandon Crawford‘s career year that catapults the Giants into this spot, aided by rookie Matt Duffy. There are some strong duos on the left side of the infield in the NL. Had Reds shortstop Zack Cozart (2.0) not been lost for the season, this spot likely would have went to him and Todd Frazier (3.5).
But as it is, Crawford is set to shatter his personal bests for home runs and RBI in a single season while still supplying the Giants with strong defense. His current 3.0 WAR is not far off from his career high of 3.3 set last season. The 28-year-old has played in at least 143 games since becoming San Francisco’s everyday shortstop in 2012, so he is reliable and durable when it comes to getting quality defensive innings out of him. The added pop in his bat this season is just a bonus.
Duffy has replaced a largely ineffective Casey McGehee and is doing an admirable job. His 1.7 WAR ranks sixth amongst third basemen and he’s currently slashing .293/.344/.443 with six long balls and 29 runs knocked in. With these two manning the infield alongside Posey, Belt and Panik for years to come, the Giants are in great shape.
Because this group is so strong, we’ll give honorable mention to the Rockies’ Nolan Arenado (2.9) and Troy Tulowitzki (0.9) too.
Runners-up: St. Louis Cardinals’ Matt Carpenter (1.8) and Jhonny Peralta (2.4)
Next: The Outfield
Left, Center & Right Field: Los Angeles Dodgers
Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports
As mentioned, Harper is dominating opposing pitching this season. Denard Span with a 0.5 WAR is not a bad option, either. But the Nationals are completely void of having an impact left fielder in 2015 without Jayson Werth.
A.J. Pollock (3.3) and Ender Inciarte (1.4) are pretty decent in the desert as well, but Arizona is no longer with Mark Trumbo in right field and Yasmany Tomas is a mess on defense and has logged 31 of his 38 starts at third base this season.
Thus, the NL’s best option lies with steady veteran Andre Ethier (1.1) in left, rookie sensation Joc Pederson (2.8) in center and the flamboyant Yasiel Puig (1.0) in right. Their overall WAR of 4.9 would be higher if Puig did not spend all of May on the DL. It’s kind of difficult to justify any other unit too, when you consider the Dodgers’ depth with guys like Scott Van Slyke (0.7) Alex Guerrero (0.5) and Carl Crawford in reserve roles.
Runners-up: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Starling Marte (1.7), Andrew McCutchen (2.1) and Gregory Polanco (0.7)
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As its stands right now, the AL’s starting lineup would have a total WAR of 22.4 and the NL’s an 18.8. Because it makes sense, consider Nelson Cruz (2.7 oWAR) to be the AL’s designated hitter and Goldschmidt (4.1 oWAR) the NL’s. That brings cumulative team WAR numbers to 25.1 and 22.9, respectively, giving the AL roster a fairly sizeable advantage.