Breaking Down The 2014 MLB All-Star Rosters

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The mid-summer classic known as the MLB all-star game is upon us and while I had an issue with many of the initial selections, due to replacements and the final vote I feel slightly better. This years all-star game at Target Field is headlined by 25 first time selections which I think is great because it shows that the game is heading in a new direction and there are new stars to be made moving forward. The Oakland A’s who have the best record in baseball highlight the roster with 6 all-stars, this is the most selections they have had since 1975. It’s always cool to look at the rosters and how they shook out as far as selections go, so without any further delay let’s get into these selections.

The Rosters (National League)

Yadier Molina (Cardinals)

Paul Goldschmidt (Diamondbacks)

Troy Tulowitzki (Rockies)

Chase Utley (Phillies)

Yasiel Puig (Dodgers)

Andrew McCutchen (Pirates)

Carlos Gomez (Brewers)

Aramis Ramirez (Brewers)

Miguel Montero (Diamondbacks)

Henderson Alvarez (Marlins)

Alfredo Simon (Reds)

Tyler Clippard (Nationals)

Giancarlo Stanton (Marlins)

Tim Hudson (Giants)

Johnny Cueto (Reds)

Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers)

Craig Kimbrel (Braves)

Pat Neshek (Cardinals)

Jordan Zimmerman (Nationals)

Jonathan Lucroy (Brewers)

Aroldis Chapman (Reds)

Madison Bumgarner (Giants)

Zack Greinke (Dodgers)

Francisco Rodriguez (Brewers)

Tyson Ross (Padres)

Houston Street (Padres)

Jeff Samardzija (Cubs)

Julio Teheran (Braves)

Charlie Blackmon (Rockies)

Tony Watson (Pirates)

Adam Wainwright (Cardinals)

Starlin Castro (Cubs)

Todd Fraizer (Reds)

Freddie Freeman (Braves)

Dee Gordon (Dodgers)

Josh Harrison (Pirates)

Devin Mesoraco (Reds)

Daniel Murphy (Mets)

Hunter Pence (Giants)

Anothny Rizzo (Cubs)

American League

Matt Weiters (Orioles)

Josh Donaldson (A’s)

Salvador Perez (Royals)

Miguel Cabrera (Tigers)

Robinson Cano (Mariners)

Derek Jeter (Yankees)

Jose Bautista (Blue Jays)

Mike Trout (Angels)

Adam Jones (Orioles)

Nelson Cruz (Orioles)

Dellin Betances (Yankees)

Mark Buehrle (Blue Jays)

Yu Darvish (Rangers)

Sean Dolittle (A’s)

Felix Hernandez (Mariners)

Greg Hollad (Royals)

Scott Kazmir (A’s)

Jon Lester (Red Sox)

Glen Perkins (Twins)

David Price (Rays)

Fernando Rodney (Mariners)

Chris Sale (White Sox)

Jose Abreu(White Sox)

Max Scherzer(Tigers)

Masahiro Tanaka (Yankees)

Koji Uehara (Red Sox)

Jose Atluve (Astros)

Adrian Beltre (Rangers)

Michael Brantley (Indians)

Yoenis Cespedes (A’s)

Edwin Encarnacion (Blue Jays)

Alex Gordon (Royals)

Ian Kinsler (Tigers)

Victor Martinez (Tigers)

Brandon Moss (A’s)

Derek Norris (A’s)

Alexi Ramirez (White Sox)

Kyle Seager (Mariners)

Kurt Suzuki (Twins)

When you listen to managers talk about what they look for in a player, they very often mention how they want a guy who “plays the game the right way”. That doesn’t always mean they want some stuck up jerk who hits 40 home runs, but rather they want a player who for all 9 innings isn’t going to cheat you. He will run hard, he will not butcher plays intentionally and he will always be a great representation of what your organization should strive to be off the field. These are the characteristics that describe Yankees great and baseball icon Derek Jeter.

Jeter has already announced that this year will be his final one in what has been a legendary career. 5 gold gloves, 14 all-star selections, 1996 rookie of the year and 5 silver sluggers are some of the countless accolades for Derek Jeter. The farewell tour for the Yankee great reaches one of its crescendo’s as baseball fans worldwide watch #2 play in his final mid-summer classic. Over the years I have uttered many hateful statements about the Yankees but its never interfered with my respect for the greatest shortstop I have ever seen.

In this day and age it’s very rare that we see anybody in sports achieve greatness all in one uniform while wearing the same number. Derek Jeter is a 5-time champion and if not for Luiz Gonzalez in 2001 and those pesky Marlins in 2003 then he would have 7 championships. Still the fact remains, he was never a cry baby, he never was a diva, never took a play off and is class personified. To say Derek Jeter was a great ambassador for the game of baseball is a understatment.

For as great as Miguel Cabrera is on the field I feel like from a national perspective that the sports world doesn’t celebrate this guy the way he should be celebrated. He’s been great since he was a 20-year old kid with the Florida Marlins hitting home runs in the world series off Rodger Clemens. This is his 9th all-star appearance and 5th as a Detroit Tiger, he’s won back to back MVP’s in a sport where mentality is everything and it takes more to stay consistent and play at the level he’s made a regularity in his career.

With the exception of Derek Jeter you would have to say that Miguel Cabrera is the biggest name on the roster. He’s not a global icon like Jeter, but anybody who knows a lick about baseball knows who Cabrera is. This is just another ho-hum year for Cabrera and the Tigers, his team sits atop the AL Central at 53-38 and he’s still having an MVP Caliber season. If he can become the MVP for a 3rd straight year then he will become the one of only 2 players in MLB history along with Barry Bonds to do so. Cabrera will hit cleanup at the all-star game.

The Oakland A’s are the feel good story of the year and they play in a small market where its tough to generate any type of success because the margin for error is so small. Tell that to someone else, Oakland has the most all-stars in the MLB and the best record in baseball at 59-36. They got everything you could want from young stars in Josh Donaldson and Yoenis Cespedes to the rejuvenation of Scott Kazmir.

They are as well-balanced as they come they have the 2nd highest scoring offense in the american league (466 runs) only behind the Angels (478). They also happen to allow the least amount of runs least amount of runs in the american league along with the Seattle Mariners (321). Billy Beane deserves a raise because to have Josh Donaldson, Yoenis Cespedes, Sean Dolittle, Derek Norris, Brandon Moss and Scott Kazmir speaks volumes to the all-around greatness in Oakland right now. This is baseball’s most complete team and a great pick to win this years world series.

Even though they are in last place and there’s not a lot to cheer about it would be disrespectful to the hosts of this years all-star game in Minneapolis to not talk about the Twins in this article. So even though the Twins don’t have a lot going for them in the win column they are well represented by closer Glen Perkins and Kurt Suzuki. Both are feel good stories in the Twin cities, Perkins who is a native of Minnesota is elated to pitch in front of his hometown friends, fans and team. “I hope to make more all-star games because they’re all special, but this is the apex” said Perkins about pitching in front of his hometown fans. Surely it will make for a great atmosphere as he gets the very rare chance to pitch in an all-star game for his hometown team, not a bad way to celebrate your second straight all-star appearance. Perkins is 4th in the american league in saves with 22.

Kurt Suzuki of all the players who made the all-star team was probably the biggest surprise out of anybody. The former Oakland A’s catcher recently turned 30 and has made his first all-star team is having a career year for Twins. This was coming off the worst year of his career with the Nationals and A’s last year where he it a career low .232. Suzuki as you would expect is elated to be in the all-star game, “’I’m walking around here. You got Jeter, you got Jon Lester, you got Jose Bautista, all these great players walking around. And I’m saying, ‘I’m an all-star! I’m an all-star this year!’ It’s been real surreal. I’m just enjoying.” Suzuki is having a great year hitting .309, with 2 home runs and 37 runs batted in.

With Derek Jeter on his way out the heir apparent to being the premier shortstop in baseball now belongs to Troy Tulowitzki. The Rockies have struggled mightily in the pitching department but that still doesn’t diminish the offensive onslaught of Troy Tulowitzki. As I’m typing this Tulowwitzki is either leading or tied for the national league lead in home runs (21), batting average (.345), on-base percentage (.435), slugging (.613) and OPS (1.048). He’s getting it done across the board and he’s the MVP of the national league right now.

It seems like he’s been in the league forever but he’s still 29-years old with some great baseball ahead of him. So expect more home runs and jaw dropping defensive plays because Tulowitzki seemingly never disappoints when he steps onto a baseball diamond. That quality he possesses is very Jeter-like and more people should pay more attention now that the games biggest global ambassador will be gone soon.

When we talk about “raw power” in the game of baseball then the conversation begins and ends with Giancarlo Stanton. This season he owns 3 of the top 15 longest home runs in baseball and averages the most distance on his home runs in baseball at 423.8 feet. When he squares a ball up there’s no prayers for the other team, all they can do is watch the ball sail out the park. This is Stanton’s 2nd career all-star appearance and it is more than well deserving.

Prior to this season starting Stanton said that this is the healthiest he has ever felt in his entire career and it shows in his numbers. He’s tied for the national league lead in home runs with 21 and leading in RBI with 63. His contributions have seen the Marlins over achieve for a majority of the season, but the bats have quieted down and they are now 4th in the NL East. Either way it’s hard to argue that this guy isn’t one of the very best players in the game now, hope the Marlins open up that check book and pay the man.

When Jose Fernandez was healthy I was making the argument that he was better than Clayton Kershaw, now he’s injured and Kershaw is clearly the best pitcher in the game today. He’s led all of baseball in ERA 3 years straight, been an all-star 4 years straight and has won 2 Cy Young awards in 3 years. He’s getting the job done and making his presence felt every night he takes the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers and he’s doing a great job in doing so.

The Dodgers are a game ahead of the rival San Francisco Giants for first place in the NL West and this guy is a huge reason. He’s been a nightmare for hitters this year averaging an unworldly 11.7 strikeouts per game. Back in June he threw a no-hitter and struck out 15 players in the process, it was masterful to say the least. One day I firmly believe Jose Fernandez will be the best pitcher in baseball but for now this guy has earned every right to hold that title.

The Steele city is well represented as the Pittsburgh Pirates have two-thirds of their out field in the all-star game this year. On one end you have Andrew McCutchen who has won an MVP and is one of baseballs biggest names, he’s been here before. On the other hand you have Josh Harrison who came out of nowhere as a super utility guy for the Pirates and has earned himself a spot among baseballs best players. The Pirates got off to a slow start but have gotten back to their winning ways just 3.5 games out of the hotly contested NL Central.

Andrew McCutchen is putting together another season worthy of MVP consideration, you know a .324/17 home runs/ 61 RBI type deal that we have come to expect from the Pirates franchise player. The surprise here is Harrison because he basically made the all-star team as an undefined position player being that he has played 14 games or more at 3 different positions. He’s a versatile guy and he earned his way on to the team. “If there was anything my parents or my wife kept saying, it was ‘hey, you’ve still got a shot.’ I just kept working hard and waiting to get an opportunity to play everyday.” Harrison said. He’s very humbled to be here and ready to continue making an impact for the Pirates as the season moves forward.

Last but not least we have 2 Chicago Cubs in Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo who bring a ray of hope to a Cubs franchise that is in rebuilding mode. Both of these guys are 24 years of age with some of their best baseball in front of them and with a loaded farm system you have to think that in a few years the Cubs will be ready to compete. Although they might be in last place in the NL Central the Cubs have 2 feel good stories in these players. For Starlin Castro this marks his 3rd all-star selection while Rizzo is a first time all-star.

In 2011 Starlin Castro made history and became the youngest Chicago Cubs player to make an all-star team at 21-years old, fast forward to 2013 and he hit .245 while having the worst year of his career. He’s clearly bounced back and increased his numbers across the board, statistically speaking he has a chance to set career highs in home runs and RBI as he is not that far from those totals already at the all-star break. This year he’s hitting .276 with 11 home runs, 52 RBI and 103 hits, its a turn around for the Cubs cornerstone and a true testament to how tough he is.

Although I’m a bit upset that he got picked over Casey McGehee I couldn’t be any happier for Anthony Rizzo. The Ft.Lauderdale native looks like he will be a fixture in the Cubs lineup for a long time to come. He’s got a sweet left-handed swing that now is having a career year, Rizzo is already hitting 40 points higher on his average and is only 3 home runs short of tying his career high he set last season. This is his 2nd full season starting and if you’re a Cubs fan you have to be encouraged by his development. It may be gloomy now but in a couple of years we will see the Cubs in the thick of things again.

So there you have it some of the feel good stories going into this years summer classic. Make sure to catch the all-star game at 7PM on FOX.