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The only headlines so far are the waiting list of Tommy John surgeries reaching abnormally inflated levels, Michael Pineda and baseball's confusing pine tar rules, and Albert Pujols hitting career home run #500.
Even though it's completely ridiculous to waste any time voting for all-stars based off of one month, I do it every year just to keep up on who might end up in Minneapolis for the mid-July game.
With all that said, here's my April all-star ballot based off of me overreacting to one month of baseball games. (CHARLIE BLACKMON IS THE NEW TED WILLIAMS!!!)
AL Roster (Minus Pitchers, fans are not permitted to vote on the pitching staff)
Catcher: Matt Wieters (Baltimore Orioles) - Really sad that I traded this guy in a keeper fantasy league last year for Ryan Braun. It'll all work out since he can't bat .348 all year but the Wilson Ramos injury didn't help me. Honorable Mention: Dioner Navarro (Toronto Blue Jays) - The depth among American League catchers is awful right now and Dioner Navarro has been surprisingly not-awful. I don't expect him to be back on my list next month as surely somebody else will break out (Mike Zunino?) but Toronto needs him to continue hitting if they want to finish above .500. |
| Photo: AP Albert Pujols is enjoying a redemption season alongside fellow all-star Mike Trout. |
First Baseman: Albert Pujols (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim) - "Finally!" exclaimed every Angels fan when they realized this season's Albert Pujols would play much like the healthy, St. Louis version of the 34-year-old slugger. It's a shame that Josh Hamilton got injured as soon as he did or else this Angels team could be very dangerous and there would be nothing but good vibes coming from the two redemption stories. Honorable Mention: Chris Colabello (Minnesota Twins) - He isn't even on the ballot but thanks to the one write-in option, Colabello could be your all-star first baseman (or right fielder) out of the AL. Colabello's breakout has been shocking to most baseball fans as he was figured to be an average role-player who would ride the bench for a wide span of his career. Alas, the man is batting .325 and somehow keeping this mediocre-at-best Twins team above .500 as of April 25th.
Second Baseman: Ian Kinsler (Detroit Tigers) - The Kinsler-for-Fielder trade that flew under the radar for whatever reason this off-season has turned into an absolute steal for Detroit. Kinsler is batting .296 (pretty good for a guy who usually disappoints in batting average) with 2 homers (it's early) and 13 RBI's for the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers. Prince Fielder is only batting .200 with the same amount of home runs in a great park for power hitters that was very nice to Kinsler's home run totals over the past decade. Honorable Mention: Howie Kendrick (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim) - Basically has the same stats as Kinsler on a less successful team.
Third Baseman: Josh Donaldson (Oakland Athletics) - Every third basemen in the American League is struggling to hit for power besides Donaldson and Brett Lawrie. I can't pick Lawrie though since he's struggling to even bat above .175. Donaldson is clearly the best offensive third baseman in the AL right now and there's nobody else worth mentioning.
Shortstop: Alexei Ramirez (Chicago White Sox) - Remember how the consensus was that the American League was like a death-trap for pitchers and all the batters were amazing? Welcome to 2014, where the AL is lackluster and we live in a world where Alexei Ramirez can bat .352 with 4 homers, 17 RBI's, and 4 stolen bases, dominating most of the American League's finest competition. Honorable Mention: Derek Jeter (Yankees) - Let's face it, he's getting to the all-star game since it's his final season and there's nothing stopping him. Also, Elvis Andrus of the Texas Rangers was doing great until he got ejected for arguing balls and strikes mid-April.
Outfielders: Jacoby Ellsbury (New York Yankees), Mike Trout (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim), and Melky Cabrera (Toronto Blue Jays).
Ellsbury hasn't had the 30 home run power that he used in 2011 with Boston but, a .337 batting average and 8 stolen bases (second only to Elvis Andrus in the AL) have once again proved that the Yankees are better than we thought that they would be.
Mike Trout is still Mike Trout.
Melky Cabrera is enjoying himself a redemption season as well. The "Melkman" is batting .350 with solid batting numbers otherwise. A surprising revelation after making headlines for so many of the wrong reasons (PED suspensions, Injuries). I'm happy for the Melkman, we all should be.
Honorable Mentions: Carlos Beltran (New York Yankees), Michael Brantley (Cleveland Indians), and Jose Bautista (Toronto Blue Jays).
Designated Hitter (AL-Only position): Nelson Cruz (Baltimore Orioles) - Cruz has been the only DH with any shade of power so far (6 home runs) and has taken the crown from David Ortiz momentarily as the best Designated Hitter. Honorable Mention: David Ortiz (Boston Red Sox) - Playing solidly, plus the Derek Jeter effect of "He's been the best at his position for years, so why not vote for him again?"
NL Roster
Catcher: Yadier Molina (St. Louis Cardinals) - Yadier continues to be miles better than any other catcher in the National League, batting .367 with gold glove-caliber defense and an on-base percentage just under .400. Honorable Mention: Devin Mesoraco (Cincinnati Reds) - Mesoraco needs a bigger sampling size but so far, 21 hits in 44 at-bats stands as pretty impressive.
First Baseman: Paul Goldschmidt (Arizona Diamondbacks) - Goldschmidt started out cold for the first week or two and now, he's back to being the Paul Goldschmidt that everyone knew and was impressed by last season. Honorable Mention: Freddie Freeman (Atlanta Braves) - The way that Freeman made it to the all-star game over Yasiel Puig last season was brilliant marketing on the part of Freeman, but a complete travesty that anyone was more deserving of getting that final vote over Puig. This year, there won't be any question if Freeman keeps up these numbers. Although, I will say that National League first baseman are playing very well so far.
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| Photo: Chuck Solomon/SI Don't call it a comeback... because this isn't one. |
Second Baseman: Chase Utley (Philadelphia Phillies) - Fantasy zombie Chase Utley is batting in the high .300's; something I was not aware of until today. I thought I was doing pretty well at keeping track of who's hot and who's not until I looked at the stats sheets this morning and BAM! Chase Utley is playing like a young Chase Utley with the batting eye of Miguel Cabrera. He shouldn't keep this pace up but it's plausible that we could witness him playing in the 2014 all-star game. Honorable Mention: Anthony Rendon (Washington Nationals) - This rookie is playing way ahead of his years. Personally, I wasn't expecting Rendon to become much more than a Mark Ellis clone at best but, Rendon is swinging carefully (.275 average), powerfully (3 homers, pretty good for one month for a second baseman), and most importantly has kept Washington above .500 while Ryan Zimmerman is out.
Third Baseman: Aramis Ramirez (Milwaukee Brewers) - Watching a Brewers game, it becomes apparent early on why Milwaukee stumbled last season. Aramis Ramirez was hurt for a majority of the season. Thanks to this past off-season of rest and rehab, Ramirez has stepped through as quietly, the most important player on the Brewers' roster. Honorable Mention: Juan Uribe (Los Angeles Dodgers) - No, seriously. The 35-year-old former White Sock is en fuego this month. The easy bet for least likely to get his name anywhere near the all-star game in time for the game goes to Uribe as after many years of mediocrity and sitting on the bench has led to him somehow batting .330 with 4 homers in the month of April. Soak in the moment, Juan.
Shortstop: Troy Tulowitzki (Colorado Rockies) - Tulo is healthy... for now. As long as he stays in one piece, he's an all-star. The minute he starts breaking down (which is a question of when, not if) will be a tragedy for Colorado as it is every year. Honorable Mention: Right now, Tulowitzki is the only shortstop playing at an all-star level in the NL.
Outfielders: Charlie Blackmon (Colorado Rockies), Giancarlo Stanton (Miami Marlins), Andrew McCutchen (Pittsburgh Pirates)
Charlie Blackmon is the best player in baseball behind one man after one month. He's batting .400 with good power numbers and speed. He is an unstoppable force and it'll be interesting to see when he finally does slow down.
Giancarlo Stanton is the one man ahead of Blackmon. Stanton is playing like the NL MVP; knocking runs in nightly.
Andrew McCutchen is one of the top 10 overall players in baseball. As long as his stats are still above average, he's an all-star with the slight advantage of not getting involved with Miami clinics like Ryan Braun.
Honorable Mentions: Ryan Braun (Milwaukee Brewers), Carlos Gomez (Milwaukee Brewers), and Justin Upton (Atlanta Braves).
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