Happy baseball friends and neighbors...
It's that time again, time to look back on the first half of the baseball season (which is in the home stretch as I type this) and look at who I feel from the NL side of the house is deserving of inclusion of the mid-summer classic being held at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.
The ground rules from MLB are observed, so 34 players on the roster,
each team must have at least one representative. I usually like to have at
least one utility player and a couple middle relievers (both are
positions that tend to get overlooked most years) thrown in although this year I didn't really see a utility guy deserving this go around. I saw a couple more middle relievers and setup guys that I felt deserving, so there's a couple more from that group in 2015. I try and
find the best per position, and while I'm always going to be a Braves
fan, I won't be a homer about it come voting time. I'll list a starter and reserve at each
position, then fill-in with at large selections, pitching and a utility
player to fill out the roster. And aside from catchers and any utility
players, I usually stick to selecting players that have enough plate
appearances in the first half to qualify for the batting title (3.1
PAs/game). All stats are complete as of the games of 7/5/2015.
Starting Pitcher - Max Scherzer (Washington)
It came down to Scherzer and Zach Grienke as far as best pitching performance in the first half and Grienke's numbers in many respects are as strong as if not better (1.48 ERA for Grienke vs 1.82 for Scherzer, 5 less earned runs). Scherzer's hitless streak a few weeks back is what gives him the nod in my mind.
Rest of the NL Pitching Staff
Zach Grienke (Los Angeles)
Shelby Miller (Atlanta)
AJ Burnett (Pittsburgh)
Jacob deGrom (New York)
Gerrit Cole (Pittsburgh)
JP Howell (Los Angeles)
Will Smith (Milwaukee)
JJ Hoover (Cincinnati)
Ken Giles (Philadelphia)
Trevor Rosenthal (St Louis)
Mark Melancon (Pittsburgh)
I've got a roughly 50/50 split between starters and relievers this year. Top 5 in the league right now in ERA are all represented (that being in order Grienke (1.48), Scherzer (1.82), Burnett (2.05), Miller (2.07) and Cole (2.28)). deGrom has pitched well for the Metropolitans and Howell, Smith, Hoover and Giles have pitched very well out of their respective pens. Best closers so far in the first half would be Rosenthal and the NL leader in saves, Mark Melancon.
Catchers - Buster Posey (San Francisco - Starter), Derek Norris (San Diego - Reserve), Yadier Molina (St Louis - At Large)
I've got Posey, Norris and Molina this year behind the plate, however I also believe Yasmani Grandal of the Dodgers, Francisco Cervelli of the Pirates and Miguel Montero of the Cubs are all deserving. Posey is hitting .314 with 14 HRs and is the easy choice for starter in 2015.
First Base - Paul Goldschmidt (Arizona - Starter), Anthony Rizzo (Chicago - Reserve), Adrian Gonzalez (Los Angeles - At Large)
Goldschmidt is having a great year so far for Arizona and is hitting .348 with 20 HRs, 67 RBIs and a 1.087 OPS. First base is usually a crowded position for All-Star consideration on the NL side. I believe Freddie Freeman would also have been in for consideration before his trip to the DL for his wrist injury.
Second Base - Joe Panik (San Francisco - Starter), Kolten Wong (St Louis - Reserve), Dee Gordon (Los Angeles - At Large)
I've got Panik just barely over Wong and Gordon. Wong has the better power numbers, Gordon has the better average, but I like Panik here with a good average (.304), good power (6 HRs for a second baseman) and a whole lot less strikeouts (only 38 versus 50 for Wong and 55 for Gordon).
Shortstop - Troy Tulowitzki (Colorado - Starter), Jhonny Peralta (St Louis - Reserve), Brandon Crawford (San Francisco - At Large)
Last week Crawford would have started at short in my mind, but now it's a familiar face in the Rockies' Tulowitzki who is hitting .321 now in Denver.
Third Base - Todd Frazier (Cincinnati - Starter), Nolan Arenado (Colorado - Reserve), Kris Bryant (Chicago)
Todd Frazier is the home town choice at third sack and has had a great first half for what has been overall a disappointing year to date for the Reds. The Cubs rookie phenom Bryant has not disappointed so far on the north side and Colorado's Arenado has quietly put up great numbers in the first half.
Outfield - Bryce Harper (Washington - Starter), Giancarlo Stanton (Miami - Starter but on DL), Joc Pederson (Los Angeles - Starter), Andrew McCutchen - Pittsburgh, replacing Stanton), Justin Upton (San Diego - Reserve), Curtis Granderson (New York - Reserve), Chris Coughlan (Chicago - Reserve), Denard Span (Washington - At Large)
My outfield would be Harper, Stanton and Pederson, however with Stanton on the DL, Andrew McCutchen would ably step in without missing a beat. I have Upton, Granderson, Coughlan and Span as reserve/at large selections). Ryan Braun, AJ Pollock and Starling Marte should also be in the conversation for spots also based on their first half performances.
First five out were Joey Votto (Cincinnati), Freddie Freeman (Atlanta), Kenley Jansen (Los Angeles), Matt Carpenter (St Louis) and Michael Wacha (St Louis).
My first half Cy Young Award winner would be Scherzer, first half MVP would be Harper and first half Rookie of the Year would be Bryant.
Showing posts with label Troy Tulowitzki. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Troy Tulowitzki. Show all posts
Monday, July 6, 2015
Thursday, July 3, 2014
My 2014 National League All-Star Roster
Hey folks...
We're in the home stretch for the first half of the baseball season, so submitted for your perusal is what would be my 2014 National League All-Star roster for the mid-summer classic at Target Field in Minneapolis.
The ground rules from MLB are observed, so 34 players on the roster, each team must have at least one representative. I like to have at least one utility player and a couple middle relievers (both are positions that tend to get overlooked most years) thrown in. I try and find the best per position, and while I'm always going to be a Braves fan, I won't be a homer about it come voting time (which ends in exactly 15 minutes as I type). I'll list a starter and reserve at each position, then fill-in with at large selections, pitching and a utility player to fill out the roster. And aside from catchers and any utility players, I usually stick to selecting players that have enough plate appearances in the first half to qualify for the batting title (3.1 PAs/game).
Anyway, without further ado, here we go...
Starting Pitcher - Adam Wainwright (St Louis)
This could have easily been Johnny Cueto and would have been had I stayed with stats through Monday, however Adam Wainwright edges Cueto out as my starter after posting an 11 win, 1.89 ERA first half (both league leading). Wainwright is also in the top ten in K's and WHIP in the league.
Rest of the Pitching Staff
Johnny Cueto (Cincinnati)
Clayton Kershaw (Los Angeles)
Henderson Alvarez (Miami)
Julio Teheran (Atlanta)
Andrew Cashner (San Diego)(on DL)
Josh Beckett (Los Angeles)(replacing Cashner)
Jonathan Broxton (Cincinnati)
Pat Neshek (St Louis)
Tony Watson (Pittsburgh)
Rafael Soriano (Washington)
Huston Street (San Diego)
I usually prefer to have players that have played most of not all of the first half, but have to make an exception for the way Clayton Kershaw is pitching right now after returning from his first career DL stint in time to pitch his no-hitter against Colorado in June. Soriano and Street have been lights out in their closing roles for the Nationals and Padres and have had easily better first halves than any of the other league closers. Both have ERAs at least a full point better than F Rod, Kimbrel, Jansen and Romo.
Catcher - Jonathan Lucroy (Milwaukee - Starter), Evan Gattis (Atlanta - Reserve (DL)), Buster Posey (San Francisco - At Large), Devin Mesoraco (Cincinnati - replacing Gattis)
The Brewers have the best record in the NL as I write this and one of the unsung heroes of the first half is Lucroy who is 2nd in the NL in hits with 101 and leads the leagues in runners caught stealing with 18. Up until his back injury this week which led to time on the Disabled List, Gattis was leading all NL catchers in homers and Posey has put up unsurprising strong numbers in the first half. The surprise for me here is Mesoraco who is hitting .314 with 15 HRs in only 49 games. Russell Martin could also make a case for inclusion this year.
First Base - Adam LaRoche (Washington - Starter), Paul Goldschmidt (Arizona - Reserve), Anthony Rizzo (Chicago - At Large)
I like Adam LaRoche here as starter just over Arizona's Paul Goldschmidt, who has come on strong in the last few days for a team which is also having their issues winning games in the desert. LaRoche has done a great job keeping his K rate down in the first half (52 versus 88 for Goldschmidt) and is a notoriously slow starter. Rizzo has had a great first half in what has been a below average batting lineup in Chicago (with the exception of Starlin Castro). Freddie Freeman is also having a great first half, but just misses the cut in a crowded field at first in 2014.
Second Base - Scooter Gennett (Milwaukee - Starter), Chase Utley (Philadelphia - Reserve), Daniel Murphy (New York - At Large)
This is where I pretty much go off script for my starter. Gennett has outhit perennial All-Star Chase Utley (whom I give the reserve spot), hitting .311 for the Brewers in the first half. Utley is hitting well, one of the few in the Phillies lineup day in and day out that is producing. Murphy leads the league in hits as of now with 104. Neil Walker just missed the cut here and has had a great first half in Pittsburgh.
Shortstop - Troy Tulowitzki (Colorado - Starter), Hanley Ramirez (Los Angeles - Reserve), Brandon Crawford (San Francisco - At Large)
This would be Tulowitzki's 4th All-Star selection and leads the league in batting average (.350). Ramirez and Crawford have both shown some power at the plate and Ramirez has 10 stolen bases in the first half. Starlin Castro could have also easily made it based on his numbers most other seasons.
Third Base - Todd Frazier (Cincinnati - Starter), Anthony Rendon (Washington - Reserve)
Frazier leads all 3Bs in HRs with 17 and has also swiped 13 bases for the Reds in the first half. Ryan Zimmerman's injury was an opportunity for Matt Williams to move Rendon over from second to third, and he put up great numbers in the first half and is deserving of an All-Star nod (12 HRs, 48 RBIs, .280 BA). I feel like Aramis Ramirez is also deserving but lost out to a couple Brewers that are having a little better season within their positions.
Outfield - Giancarlo Stanton (Miami), Andrew McCutchen (Pittsburgh), Yasiel Puig (Los Angeles)(Starters), Carlos Gomez (Milwaukee), Justin Upton (Atlanta), Mike Morse (San Francisco)(Reserves), Ryan Braun (Milwaukee), AJ Pollock (Arizona-DL), Marlon Byrd (Philadelphia - replacing Pollock)
Stanton, McCutchen and Puig are my starters, each batting over .300 and Stanton leading the senior circuit in homers with 21. Gomez, Justin Upton and Morse would be my next three primarily for their power numbers. Braun's numbers aren't what they were (obviously), however he is hitting .293 and Byrd has hit 16 homers. I like Seth Smith and Hunter Pence also, both have had strong seasons to date.
Utility - Josh Harrison (Pittsburgh)
Harrison has the knack for getting clutch hits for the Pirates and is hitting .299 with 5 HRs, 24 RBIs and 7 stolen bases off the bench.
Mesoraco, Byrd, Braun, Watson, Neshek and Cashner would be the last six on the roster.
First six out were Freeman (Atlanta), Ramirez (Chicago), Seth Smith (San Diego), Samardzija (Chicago), Jonathan Papelbon (Philadelphia) and Craig Kimbrel (Atlanta).
We're in the home stretch for the first half of the baseball season, so submitted for your perusal is what would be my 2014 National League All-Star roster for the mid-summer classic at Target Field in Minneapolis.
The ground rules from MLB are observed, so 34 players on the roster, each team must have at least one representative. I like to have at least one utility player and a couple middle relievers (both are positions that tend to get overlooked most years) thrown in. I try and find the best per position, and while I'm always going to be a Braves fan, I won't be a homer about it come voting time (which ends in exactly 15 minutes as I type). I'll list a starter and reserve at each position, then fill-in with at large selections, pitching and a utility player to fill out the roster. And aside from catchers and any utility players, I usually stick to selecting players that have enough plate appearances in the first half to qualify for the batting title (3.1 PAs/game).
Anyway, without further ado, here we go...
Starting Pitcher - Adam Wainwright (St Louis)
This could have easily been Johnny Cueto and would have been had I stayed with stats through Monday, however Adam Wainwright edges Cueto out as my starter after posting an 11 win, 1.89 ERA first half (both league leading). Wainwright is also in the top ten in K's and WHIP in the league.
Rest of the Pitching Staff
Johnny Cueto (Cincinnati)
Clayton Kershaw (Los Angeles)
Henderson Alvarez (Miami)
Julio Teheran (Atlanta)
Andrew Cashner (San Diego)(on DL)
Josh Beckett (Los Angeles)(replacing Cashner)
Jonathan Broxton (Cincinnati)
Pat Neshek (St Louis)
Tony Watson (Pittsburgh)
Rafael Soriano (Washington)
Huston Street (San Diego)
I usually prefer to have players that have played most of not all of the first half, but have to make an exception for the way Clayton Kershaw is pitching right now after returning from his first career DL stint in time to pitch his no-hitter against Colorado in June. Soriano and Street have been lights out in their closing roles for the Nationals and Padres and have had easily better first halves than any of the other league closers. Both have ERAs at least a full point better than F Rod, Kimbrel, Jansen and Romo.
Catcher - Jonathan Lucroy (Milwaukee - Starter), Evan Gattis (Atlanta - Reserve (DL)), Buster Posey (San Francisco - At Large), Devin Mesoraco (Cincinnati - replacing Gattis)
The Brewers have the best record in the NL as I write this and one of the unsung heroes of the first half is Lucroy who is 2nd in the NL in hits with 101 and leads the leagues in runners caught stealing with 18. Up until his back injury this week which led to time on the Disabled List, Gattis was leading all NL catchers in homers and Posey has put up unsurprising strong numbers in the first half. The surprise for me here is Mesoraco who is hitting .314 with 15 HRs in only 49 games. Russell Martin could also make a case for inclusion this year.
First Base - Adam LaRoche (Washington - Starter), Paul Goldschmidt (Arizona - Reserve), Anthony Rizzo (Chicago - At Large)
I like Adam LaRoche here as starter just over Arizona's Paul Goldschmidt, who has come on strong in the last few days for a team which is also having their issues winning games in the desert. LaRoche has done a great job keeping his K rate down in the first half (52 versus 88 for Goldschmidt) and is a notoriously slow starter. Rizzo has had a great first half in what has been a below average batting lineup in Chicago (with the exception of Starlin Castro). Freddie Freeman is also having a great first half, but just misses the cut in a crowded field at first in 2014.
Second Base - Scooter Gennett (Milwaukee - Starter), Chase Utley (Philadelphia - Reserve), Daniel Murphy (New York - At Large)
This is where I pretty much go off script for my starter. Gennett has outhit perennial All-Star Chase Utley (whom I give the reserve spot), hitting .311 for the Brewers in the first half. Utley is hitting well, one of the few in the Phillies lineup day in and day out that is producing. Murphy leads the league in hits as of now with 104. Neil Walker just missed the cut here and has had a great first half in Pittsburgh.
Shortstop - Troy Tulowitzki (Colorado - Starter), Hanley Ramirez (Los Angeles - Reserve), Brandon Crawford (San Francisco - At Large)
This would be Tulowitzki's 4th All-Star selection and leads the league in batting average (.350). Ramirez and Crawford have both shown some power at the plate and Ramirez has 10 stolen bases in the first half. Starlin Castro could have also easily made it based on his numbers most other seasons.
Third Base - Todd Frazier (Cincinnati - Starter), Anthony Rendon (Washington - Reserve)
Frazier leads all 3Bs in HRs with 17 and has also swiped 13 bases for the Reds in the first half. Ryan Zimmerman's injury was an opportunity for Matt Williams to move Rendon over from second to third, and he put up great numbers in the first half and is deserving of an All-Star nod (12 HRs, 48 RBIs, .280 BA). I feel like Aramis Ramirez is also deserving but lost out to a couple Brewers that are having a little better season within their positions.
Outfield - Giancarlo Stanton (Miami), Andrew McCutchen (Pittsburgh), Yasiel Puig (Los Angeles)(Starters), Carlos Gomez (Milwaukee), Justin Upton (Atlanta), Mike Morse (San Francisco)(Reserves), Ryan Braun (Milwaukee), AJ Pollock (Arizona-DL), Marlon Byrd (Philadelphia - replacing Pollock)
Stanton, McCutchen and Puig are my starters, each batting over .300 and Stanton leading the senior circuit in homers with 21. Gomez, Justin Upton and Morse would be my next three primarily for their power numbers. Braun's numbers aren't what they were (obviously), however he is hitting .293 and Byrd has hit 16 homers. I like Seth Smith and Hunter Pence also, both have had strong seasons to date.
Utility - Josh Harrison (Pittsburgh)
Harrison has the knack for getting clutch hits for the Pirates and is hitting .299 with 5 HRs, 24 RBIs and 7 stolen bases off the bench.
Mesoraco, Byrd, Braun, Watson, Neshek and Cashner would be the last six on the roster.
First six out were Freeman (Atlanta), Ramirez (Chicago), Seth Smith (San Diego), Samardzija (Chicago), Jonathan Papelbon (Philadelphia) and Craig Kimbrel (Atlanta).
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