I fill in my All-Star ballot based on my gut

Votto is clearly the NL's best first baseman

For those that know me they know my gut has gotten smaller over the past 18 months, but I still definitely have a gut. For some reason it just dawned on me that the All-Star game is like two weeks away and I have yet to fill out one All-Star ballot. I figured I would use my gut to fill one ballot out and then look into the statistics (all stats, including WAR, come from Fangraphs) to complete a second ballot and then see how they compare.

Here we go…

Gut based ballot
American League

• First: (Daric Barton is first name listed, I laughed) Gotta be Paul Konerko, right? He gets my vote.
• Second: Robinson Cano, without even looking. He has 18 or 19 bombs already at second.
• Short: (I watched the Cubs v White Sox series, I know Alexei Ramirez has a Jose Lopez-like OBP, he doesn’t get my vote) Derek Jeter is playing pretty well again, I give my vote to the future HOF’er.
• Third: Adrian Beltre or Miguel Cabrera…first tough choice for my gut…I know Miggy is probably hitting for a much higher OPS but Beltre plays better defense. I want a laser show at the ASG, Miggy gets my vote.
• Catcher: Along with old ass Konerko I know A.J. Pierzynski has quite a few dongs of his own, he gets my vote.
• Designated Hitter: Adam Dunn, no doubt.
• Outfield 1: Jose Bautista is smoking hot and contending for the homer crown again.
• Outfield 2: Has to be Mike Trout, HAS TO BE! (Trout career WAR: 4.6 and Dante Bichette’s career WAR: 11.5. Trout is nearly half way there in about 1,600 fewer games.)

Wait…I CAN’T VOTE FOR MIKE TROUT!?!?! I can vote for Nolan Reimold but not Mike Trout. I can vote for VERNON-F’ING-WELLS and NOT MIKE TROUT?! I, now, can totally understand why HOF voters look at All-Star appearances when deciding who is Hall of Fame worthy or not. Since I cannot vote for Trout I will vote for Josh Hamilton, who I would have voted for anyway.

• Outfield 3: So I still have one spot left and my gut tells me NOT to vote for Carl Crawford…but I am quadruple checking that Mike Trout actually is not on the ballot…nope…so I vote for Nelson Cruz simply because he referred to his bat as a “boom stick” on a commercial last year.
• Write-in: Um, duh, MIKE TROUT!

National League

• First: (Todd Helton is listed, I laughed) I know Freddie Freeman was huge when the Bravos came to Denver but last I saw Joey Votto’s OBP was near .500, he gets my vote.
• Second: (I would LOVE to vote for Jose Altuve just because he is short) I am voting for Brandon Phillips. I know he started off slow, but I think he has picked it up over the past 4-6 weeks.
• Short: (I weep at the site of Tulo’s name on the ballot) While Starlin Castro makes at least three boneheaded plays a week, he does have a nice bat, he gets my vote.
• Third: Isn’t David Wright hitting like .500 or something? He gets my vote.
• Catcher: Jonathan Lucroy was on fire until he broke his hand reaching for luggage under his bed so Carlos Ruiz gets my vote.
• Outfield 1: Carlos Beltran – F U O’DOWD, F U. I oh-so-bad wanted the Rockies to sign him this past offseason and instead we got crappy Cuddyer.
• Outfield 2: The Melk Man, Melky Cabrera and all those hits he is collecting.
• Outfield 3: And as much as I would like to vote for Carlos Gonzalez (I heart him) I have to vote for Andrew McCutchen. I am sick of watching CarGo half-ass it in the outfield.
• Write-in: Only because I want Trout vs Bryce Harper to be this generations Willie Mays vs Mickey Mantle vs Duke Snider does Harper get my write-in vote.

The guy who made this catch (best of the year) and leads the AL in WAR is NOT on the AL ballot

So that is what my gut tells me, was I right?

Based on stats (my gut vote in parenthesis)
American League

• First (Konerko): Paulie only has 13 home runs?! Wow, I am way off. While Konerko is tied for the league lead in WAR Edwin Encarnacion has nine more home runs and a higher slugging. I think the Konerko vote is safe but Encarnacion should certainly get votes. Konerko does have the highest wOBA in the AL at first.
• Second (Cano): With twice as many homers as the guy in third place and the highest WAR by nearly double, easy pick.
• Short (Jeter): Oof, whiffed badly on this one. Should know better than to fall for Jeter. Elvis Andrus leads in WAR and his triple slash is almost identical to Jeter’s.
• Third (Cabrera): Mike Moustakas (Moooose) leads the AL in WAR at third. Who’da thunk it? The WAR race is close and when looking specifically at Beltre and Cabrera (who my gut had to choose between) Beltre has been slightly better this year and should get the vote.
• Catcher (Pierzynski): A.J., Matt Wieters and Joe Mauer have all been equally valuable but Pierznynski has the most home runs – and I want that laser show.
• Outfield (Bautista, Hamilton and Cruz): According to WAR Trout, Hamilton and Adam Jones are top three outfielders. Bautista has the most home runs in the AL in the OF and I admit Cruz was a silly pick and Jones deserves that third spot (fourth because Trout should get the third spot).

National League

• First (Votto): It’s not even close, Votto should get ALL of the votes.
• Second (Phillips): Surprisingly, to me anyway, Altuve is right there in WAR with the leaders in the NL. Altuve trails Aaron Hill (2.6), Dan Uggla (2.3) and Phillips (2.2) by a negligible amount (Altuve’s WAR is 2.0). When looking at OPS, WAR, power numbers, etc, Hill should get the vote this year in the NL.
• Short (Castro): Another close group in terms of WAR but Jed Lowrie (Altuve’s double play partner in Houston) leads NL shortstops in home runs, OBP, slugging and WAR. He should start the game for the NL.
• Third (Wright): Easy pick and it’s wright…
• Catcher (Ruiz): Ruiz is closely trailed by Yadier Molina in WAR but when looking at the triple slash Ruiz separates himself and makes him the clear pick to start the ASG.
• Outfield (Beltran, Cabrera, McCutchen): My three picks trail Ryan Braun, Michael Bourn, Martin Prado and Jason Heyward in WAR (Cutch, Melky and Beltran in order after those four). Braun is tied for the league lead in homers among OF’ers. When sorting by wOBA CarGo is #1 with Braun, McCutchen, Beltran, DEXTER FOWLER and Cabrera trailing. I think the outfield comes down to four guys to choose from; my three picks and Braun. Some might make a case for Heyward or Bourn but I am OK with what my gut thought and would certainly be OK if someone choose Braun over Cabrera or McCutchen.

There are my two ballots, one by gut feel and a second after looking at statistics. Who do you got? Let me know the comments below.

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My tweet:

Just saw that the Waldo fire can be seen from Castle Pines Parkway – BACK OFF OF THOSE GOLF COURSES, MR FIRE!! Please, sir?

Got this response:

@TravisLay_BSB Keep burning peoples lives down, but not your golf course? That’s hilarious. ‪#douche

Sarcasm avoided!