COAS Picks the 2017 MLB All Stars

I'm taking a brief break from the MLB Tournament of Champions to bring you a tradition that I've undertaken the last few years: voting for the MLB All Star Game.

We're finally back to the All Star Game being just an exhibition that doesn't determine home field advantage in the World Series, so all is right with the game again. Unfortunately, the daily voting limit remains in place and I'm unable to get all of my votes in because I wait until the end of the voting window, I won't be able to max them out.

Like I said last year, as much as I'd like to vote spam for the Cubs, I can't do it. I want to vote the deserving players into the game, and that's what my goal with this is.


American League

1B- Justin Smoak, TOR
2B- Jose Altuve, HOU
SS- Elvis Andrus, TEX
3B- Miguel Sano, MIN
C- Salvador Perez, KC
DH- Corey Dickerson, TB
OF- Aaron Judge, NYY
OF- Mike Trout, LAA
OF- George Springer, HOU

This was all fairly straightforward. Justin Smoak has the best offensive numbers at first, Jose Altuve is Jose Altuve, Elvis Andrus brings a speed aspect that Carlos Correa and Xander Bogaerts don't bring (at least, not in terms of steals), and Miguel Sano has really broken out this year. Salvy is the best catcher in the American League, Corey Dickerson was the best option in the DH spot, and the outfield was all fairly obvious. Aaron Judge has been mashing, and he deserves a starting spot. Mike Trout was playing very well before he got hurt, but still deserves the starting nod, and George Springer is right there as well.

National League

1B- Paul Goldschmidt, ARZ
2B- Daniel Murphy, WSH
SS- Zach Cozart, CIN
3B- Kris Bryant, CHC
C- Buster Posey, SF
DH*- Nolan Arenado, COL
OF- Charlie Blackmon, COL
OF- Bryce Harper, WSH
OF- Cody Bellinger, LAD

Paul Goldschmidt continues to do Paul Goldschmidt things, Daniel Murphy is raking again, Zach Cozart has come out of nowhere and absolutely deserves to start at short, and then we get to the controversial selection. The National League doesn't allow a write in for a DH, which is dumb, so I give the fictional and not official vote to Nolan Arenado, because the race between him and Kris Bryant is that close, but Bryant gets the nod. Buster Posey takes his usual spot behind the plate, and the outfield was fairly easy: Charlie Blackmon has been ridiculous, Bryce Harper has recovered from whatever the problem was in 2016, and I almost went with Marcell Ozuna as the third outfielder before coming to my senses and putting likely NL Rookie of the Year Cody Bellinger in that third and final spot.