All-Star Update and A Quick Recap Of The Lebron Finals

The #1 seed out of the Western Conference, the Golden State Warriors are your 2014-15 NBA Champions!!!

and now that that's out of the way, LEBRON. What? You want to hear more about how the Warriors had an all-time great season? "Too bad" shouted every sports network, "now enjoy the What is Riley Curry doing today? segment and accept the 23.5 hours of discussing some false drama between Lebron and David Blatt". Thank god the draft is around the corner.

Game 1: Warriors win 108-100 in overtime.

This game's regulation was fantastic. Overtime was like slowly watching your hometown being overtaken by the neighboring town that you have a rivalry with. Kyrie Irving fractured his left knee cap and was out for the remainder of the series. The Cavaliers didn't have a chance in overtime and were likely done playing competitive basketball. I was of the mindset that if Cleveland won even one game in the 2015 Finals, David Blatt should be able to take the Coach of the Year award away from Steve Kerr even though it has already been awarded to Kerr.

Game 2: Cavaliers win 95-93 in overtime.

At least my original prediction is still in play! This was another phenomenally well-played basketball game and Lebron's triple-double (39 Points, 16 Rebounds, 11 Assists) was the easily the most impressive performance between the two teams.

Game 3: Cavaliers win 96-91.

Well... I was wrong. We were almost all wrong. The Cavaliers actually led the series thanks to Blatt, James and Matthew Grit-elladova. It was a really wild two day span in sports history.

Game 4: Warriors win 103-82.

Oh no, please don't get boring on us, incredible series. I don't think I can handle watching an outmatched team watch helplessly as a baby-faced man chewing on his mouth-guard constantly and Squidward's house (Curry and Klay Thompson) hit every single shot. Game 4 felt like a fall back into reality which is that Cleveland is minus two All-Stars and Golden State is super friggin' talented.

Game 5: Warriors win 104-91 and take a 3-2 series lead.

I regret ever getting my hopes up. This was a good game but, it never really felt like Cleveland had a chance in this one because Stephen Curry responded EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. 37 points for Curry should have been his case for MVP but, he disappeared in pretty much every other game of the series, only hitting shots when his team already had a sizable lead.

Game 6: Warriors win 95-87 and win the NBA Finals.

Lebron went for 32-18-9 in this one and was a lock for MVP if the voters would have been able to get their heads out of their posteriors. Instead, Andre Iguodala (who was completely unremarkable outside of some nice defense and two 20-point games) somehow got the votes in one of the worst travesties to ever happen in a championship in the three major sports. It was a disgusting abuse of the word "Valuable" somehow meaning the award should automatically go to the winning team when the Warriors played team basketball and did not have a superduperstar performance whereas, Lebron made the most out of a lottery team and won two games in the NBA's highest stage.

It was a good ride, White Board:NBA Playoff Edition. I just wish some series were a bit less predictable. 

Now that the NBA season is over, it's time for 2 months of nothing but baseball and we are in the midst of one of the best baseball seasons since McGwire and Sosa's home run chase. There are new prospects being brought up pretty much every day now with huge names like Carlos Correa and Joey Gallo tearing apart the majors and smaller names like Marlins southpaw Justin Nicolino going seven shutout endings this past Saturday against the Reds. Seemingly every night there is at least one game that should capture the casual baseball fan's interest and it is a seriously exciting time in the MLB.

One thing that has not changed unfortunately, is the All-Star Game becoming a complete joke with Royals fans and bandwagoners riding off of their feel-good World Series vibes and punching eight of their nine players into the starting lineup as of last week. The Royals are a good team with 4-5 deserving All-Stars, don't get me wrong but, this is ridiculous and I feel like something should be done about it since the winner of the All-Star game is the league that will have home-field advantage in the World Series.

Despite all of the nonsense going on in Kansas City, I will be going with the current results of All-Star voting for my All-Star starter picks here. I'm simply here to figure out how the rest of the rosters might fill out and pick my own rotation based on the results of the season through the first day of Summer, June 21st.

Current American League Starting Lineup
Catcher - Salvador Perez (KC)
1st Baseman -Miguel Cabrera (DET)
2nd Baseman - Omar Infante' (KC)
3rd Baseman - Mike Moustakas (KC)
Shortstop - Alcides Escobar (KC)
Outfielders - Mike Trout (LAA), Alex Gordon (KC), Lorenzo Cain (KC)
Designated Hitter - Kendrys Morales (KC)

Who SHOULD be the AL All-Star Reserves & Pitchers
C - Russell Martin (TOR) and Stephen Vogt (OAK)

Typically, there are always two backup Catchers for both All-Star teams and Russell Martin has been a game-changer for Toronto this season. He's making contact (something he didn't do in his previous stint in the AL East), he's hitting for power (10 home runs) and he's still one of the fastest Catchers in baseball at an advanced age for fast Catchers (32). Vogt has broken out of his previously-average shell. The Athletics' Catcher/1st Baseman was losing out on playing time last season to now-Rays C John Jaso and now-White Sox C Geovany Soto. If Vogt were missing from Oakland's lineup, they would be the worst team in baseball record-wise even though the Phillies are still probably the worst team.

1B - Prince Fielder (TEX) and Albert Pujols (LAA)

 (Mark J. Terrill, AP)
Prince is the king Ranger in Texas and their lone Star.

Prince Fielder might actually beat out players like Matt Harvey and Jose Iglesias for Comeback Player of the Year. After a just okay season in Detroit, Fielder was swapped with Ian Kinsler (another perennial All-Star candidate) and spent one disappointing, injury-filled losing season in Texas. With Fielder healthy and third in the AL in batting average (.340), the Texas Rangers look like a respectable baseball team again. Pujols is also having a comeback season, only his comeback is simply a return to 35-homer power that he was severely missing since signing with Anaheim before 2012. 21 home runs are a lock for an All-Star berth nowadays as long as you're hitting above .220 and Pujols is hitting .271 (slightly above average) so I say, lock him in unless he injures himself.

2B - Jason Kipnis (CLE) and Dustin Pedroia (BOS)

Where was this Jason Kipnis last season?! He's batting .345 (2nd in AL), has an on-base percentage of .423 (2nd in AL) and leads the American League in WAR (4.4) through June 21st. I don't care if you are a Royals fan, voting for Omar Infante' (.229, .237 and 0.2 in those same categories) over this man is pure evil and you should be banned from voting in any ballot (that's right, I'm throwing politics under this new law!) for life.

Screw you, Royals fans.

Dustin Pedroia has recovered from a very average season for most second basemen (awful for his high standards) and has rediscovered his ability to hit towering homers over the green monster in left. nine home runs and a very nice .307 average later and Pedroia is the lone Red Sox representative in Cincinnati this July.

3B - Josh Donaldson (TOR) and Manny Machado (BAL)

I'd like to credit myself with the Josh Donaldson MVP campaign that's about to begin if Toronto makes the postseason. Donaldson has been one of the best hitters in baseball, churning out an incredible 56 runs, 46 RBI's and a .302 average. Unlike some of the other AL power hitters (Cabrera, Cruz, Bautista, etc.), Donaldson also has a great glove and should be in competition for the Golden Glove Award at the hot corner, ultimately losing to Manny Machado again. Machado was always thought to be a tremendous defensive player and any offense that came with him would just be a nice added bonus (think Brooks Robinson as a best-case scenario). Instead, Machado has dodged injury this season and just absolutely crushed major league pitching, especially in the last few weeks. He's on pace for a 20/20 season and is batting .305. Baltimore certainly welcomes this unexpected skilled batting eye. 

SS - Jose Reyes (TOR)

Alright, alright, alright... Let me explain this one. Jose Reyes might not simultaneously drop every person's jaw once they see his stat-line but comparative to Jose Iglesias (the only other AL shortstop worth putting on the team who's team has also had success), he's way more experienced and is likely to get the edge from the AL manager who puts the bench together due to Reyes' reliability. Besides, a .287 average is still a good and while Iglesias bats .323, he's still the ninth hitter in Detroit's lineup most nights and has only knocked in nine runs. Reyes gets the slight edge.

OF - Adam Jones (BAL) and George Springer (HOU)

(USATI)
George Springer is bringing the retro feel of winning baseball back to Houston.

Adam Jones is a consistent force of an offensive player who will likely never win an MVP but, is on a smooth path to a fourth consecutive All-Star Game if he keeps up his Torrii Hunter-like stats. Don't test his fielding ability either. George Springer is like both of those two plus strikeouts plus a few more home runs in his first full season in the majors (12 home runs, 14 stolen bases). Springer has not yet put together a full 162 major league games and he has 32 home runs through 143. "Uh oh" exclaimed the rest of the AL West. 

DH - Nelson Cruz (SEA)

Unlike every season since the end of the home run/steroid-era, we actually have a competition of viable All-Star candidates at the Designated Hitter position. With Kendrys Morales already projected in the starting lineup, Nelson Cruz (.315-19-44), Alex Rodriguez (.282-14-40) and Morales (.289-8-45) are all respectable All-Star choices while batters like David Ortiz (.236-10-31), Victor Martinez (.228-2-19) and Kennys Vargas (.221-4-11) have not been even close to the players I thought they would be halfway through the season. I give the backup DH spot to Cruz because his transition from Baltimore to Seattle has somehow not affected him one teeny tiny bit. His stats basically match many of Ortiz's prime years around this time.

Pitching Staff - bold indicates All-Star Game starter
Chris Archer (TB) 1st All-Star appearance
Dellin Betances (NYY) 2nd All-Star appearance
Zach Britton (BAL) 1st All-Star appearance
Wade Davis (KC) 1st All-Star appearance
Sonny Gray (OAK) 1st All-Star appearance
Felix Hernandez (SEA) 6th All-Star appearance
Dallas Keuchel (HOU) 1st All-Star appearance
Andrew Miller (NYY) 1st All-Star appearance
Glen Perkins (MIN) 3rd All-Star appearance
David Price (DET) 5th All-Star appearance
Chris Sale (CWS) 4th All-Star appearance, 1st All-Star Start
Huston Street (LAA) 3rd All-Star appearance

If you came here looking for me to say anyone besides Chris Sale is the hottest pitcher in the American League, you came to the wrong blog. Pitching is weird because most of these pitchers will only pitch two to four more times before the All-Star break and in any one of those two to four performances, they could absolutely obliterate their shot at an All-Star cameo. What I'm trying to say is, don't take this as an absolute "THESE GUYS MUST BE IN" list but, it's just the players who's performances and statistics suggest should be in Cincinnati that week based on their performances three weeks prior, that's all.

Current National League Starting Lineup
Catcher - Buster Posey (SF)
First Baseman - Paul Goldschmidt (ARI)
Second Baseman - Dee Gordon (MIA)
Third Baseman - Matt Carpenter (STL)
Shortstop - Jhonny Peralta (STL)
Outfielders - Bryce Harper (WAS), Matt Holliday (STL) and Norichika Aoki (SF)

Who should be the NL All-Star reserves & Pitchers
C - Yadier Molina (STL) and Derek Norris (SD)

I'll be the first to say that Yadier Molina has gotten a lot of undeserved votes for the All-Star Games of the past but, this year he has at least earned a bench spot with a batting average just under .290 and the fact that he still plays defense like he's Yadier Molina or something. Meanwhile in San Diego, Derek Norris and his impressive beard are on a bit of a cold spell but, that has not made me forget that he has the most impressive power numbers of anyone at the position in the NL (9 homers, 41 RBI, 36 runs). It's not the most competitive position in the National League and the right guy is getting all of the votes (Buster Posey) so, I wouldn't be overly surprised to see someone with a better eye for the ball so far like Nick Hundley sneak his way into the lineup via managerial decision.

1B - Anthony Rizzo (CHC), Joey Votto (CIN) and Freddie Freeman (ATL)

Could you imagine the backlash from Cincinnati if Votto did not make the All-Star Team after his many years of being the face of the franchise? (no offense to Todd Frazier but, he's not the one making all of the team's payroll). Anthony Rizzo and Paul Goldschmidt appear to be in a First Basemen-only stolen base battle (12 for Goldy, 10 for Rizzo) and their homer totals are quite close as well (18 for Gold, 15 for Riz). Rizzo is a starter at six other positions offensively in the National League if he learns how to play them in time for the big game. Freddie Freeman gets in based on this giant cult-following he has out of Atlanta and the fact that he's not too shabby of a baseball player either. (He might also be the most boring good hitter in baseball, there I said it.)

2B - Yunel Escobar (WAS)

After a certain controversy in Toronto near the end of the 2012 season, I never thought I'd have to mention or hear Escobar's name ever again. Alas, here we are in 2015 and the former Brave/Ray/Blue Jay is the baseball equivalent of whatever Chris Pratt is in movies right now (Okay, definitely not that big but his stock is also rising). An unfathomable .331 batting average and .381 on-base percentage are basically the stats everybody originally thought he'd get five or six years ago when he only put up stats even closely resembling these his rookie season of 2007. Apparently, Escobar's prime is now on a playoff contender with the only goal being a World Series victory.   

3B - Todd Frazier (CIN) and Nolan Arenado (COL)

The Enquirer/Kareem Elgazzar)
Todd Frazier looking happy after an opening day home run followed by 22 more.

Todd Frazier is not just an All-Star based on where the game is taking place, he's an All-Star based on he is putting up career numbers that cannot possibly go unnoticed despite being on a shipwreck of a fourth-place team. If "Flava Fraz" stays on his current pace, he'll not only top 30 home runs for the first time, he'll eclipse 45 HOME RUNS. That was an unimaginable total just a season ago for any baseball player. Nolan Arenado is right there with Machado as the best defensive third baseman and quite possibly, best defensive player(?) in baseball. Just like Machado, he too is a mammoth of a hitter with 17 homers and a .284 batting average. He's about to win his third Gold Glove in three seasons and Colorado better dump Tulowitzki's contract on someone or else they could lose Arenado due to overall cheapness. 

SS - Troy Tulowitzki (COL)

Speaking of Tulo, he was the only Shortstop I thought was a clear candidate for the backup Shorstop role and he's guaranteed to make the roster any time he can stay healthy this deep into a season (which is all too rare).

OF - Giancarlo Stanton (MIA), Justin Upton (SD) and Andrew McCutchen (PIT)

GIANCARLO SMASH! Giancarlo has smashed 25 home runs to be exact (He leads the majors). Justin Upton, previously only a powerful bat with little usage of his base-running talent, has gone from being a home run or a strikeout every at-bat in Atlanta to lowering his strikeout rate, keeping the power totals on pace for around 25 homers and 85 RBI's and stealing 14 bases through 71 games compared to the eight he stole in 2014. Maybe it has something to do with the coaching in San Diego or maybe Justin Upton is finally ready to achieve his high praise he got early on in his career. Andrew McCutchen started out dinged up and with a bat made of newspaper as he could not hit anything through the first 5 weeks of the season. Six weeks later and McCutchen has returned to his old ways and despite lower-than-average stats in pretty much every category, the now-dreadless Pirate still has the respect of his peers and that should result in another All-Star Game for the seven-year pro.

I really hope we get to see Giancarlo smash in the Home Run Derby again as well.

Pitching Staff - bold indicates All-Star Game starter
Santiago Casilla (SF) - 1st All-Star appearance
Aroldis Chapman (CIN) - 4th All-Star appearance
Gerrit Cole (PIT) - 1st All-Star appearance
Jacob deGrom (NYM) - 1st All-Star appearance
Zack Greinke (LAD) - 3rd All-Star appearance
Jason Grilli (ATL) - 2nd All-Star appearance
Cole Hamels (PHI) - 4th All-Star appearance
Mark Melancon (PIT) - 2nd All-Star appearance
Shelby Miller (ATL) - 1st All-Star appearance
Francisco Rodriguez (MIL) - 6th All-Star appearance
Trevor Rosenthal (STL) - 1st All-Star appearance
Max Scherzer (WAS) - 3rd All-Star appearance
Drew Storen (WAS) - 1st All-Star appearance

A pretty dull pitching staff when it all boils down to seven spots being filled by Closers like Melancon, Grilli and Casilla. Scherzer may have just had the two best starts back-to-back ever in baseball's history (and that's a very, very long history) but, Cole's stats are Jurassic World dinosaur-sized currently and he may never have a chance to start an All-Star Game again whereas, Scherzer has been putting up his numbers fairly consistently to this point of his still-young career.

Don't think I forgot about the 34th man vote for the last spots on each roster!
American League
Texas Rangers P Yovani Gallardo
Oakland Athletics P Scott Kazmir
Minnesota Twins P Kyle Gibson
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim P Hector Santiago
Cleveland Indians P Corey Kluber
National League
Chicago Cubs 3B Kris Bryant
Los Angeles Dodgers OF Joc Pederson
Arizona Diamondbacks OF A.J. Pollock
Los Angeles Dodgers 1B Adrian Gonzalez
San Francisco Giants 2B Joe Panik

Now, those are all duels that I'd like to see. How about you?