We just finished recording our 100th podcast episode. Pretty crazy! Paul and I gave our list of 100 things that make baseball great. That will come out tomorrow, so make sure to subscribe now to get it.
The 2017 All-Star Game rosters are set. The Cubs and White Sox have just one representative each, Wade Davis and Avisail Garcia (Kris Bryant is up for the "Final Vote" contest). I want to discuss the selections of Bryce Harper and Mike Trout and then look at the lineups Terry Francona and Joe Maddon might start the game with.
Trout and Harper in context
It is the sixth consecutive selection for Trout, who turns 26 in August. Harper, just 24, is now a five-time All-Star in his six big league seasons (he sat out May and June with an injury in 2014). That's impressive. I used Play Index to see where the two rank for WAR through a player's age 25 season.
1. Ty Cobb: 55.8
2. Mickey Mantle: 52.1
3. Mike Trout: 52.0
5. Alex Rodriguez: 46.3
8. Ken Griffey: 40.2
11. Hank Aaron: 38.5
13. Albert Pujols: 37.6
22. Ted Williams: 34.2
26. Barry Bonds: 33.2
28. Willie Mays: 32.3
29: Babe Ruth: 32
49. Manny Machado: 25.5
50. Giancarlo Stanton: 25
54: Bryce Harper: 24.1
Bryce has all of this year and next year to rise on this list (so does Machado). Of the 53 players ahead of him, eight are still active. Of the 45 retired players, 33 are Hall of Famers (Bonds would be 34). Trout is just a typical second half away from passing up Cobb for best ever. Both players are amazing talents and on the path to the Hall of Fame.
My All-Star Lineups
The fans did a decent job picking the starters for this year's game. Each manager now gets to choose his lineup. Here's how I would do it.
National League
- Charlie Blackmon (CF)
- Buster Posey (C)
- Paul Goldschmidt (DH)
- Bryce Harper (RF)
- Nolan Arenado (3B)
- Daniel Murhpy (2B)
- Ryan Zimmerman (1B)
- Marcel Ozuna (LF)
- Zack Cozart (SS)
Pitcher: Max Scherzer
American League
- Jose Altuve (2B)
- Mike Trout (CF)
- Aaron Judge (RF)
- Justin Smoak (1B)
- Carlos Correa (SS)
- George Springer (LF)
- Jose Ramirez (3B)
- Corey Dickerson (DH)
- Salvador Perez (C)
Pitcher: Chris Sale
Baseball is here! And more importantly, that means the over/under game is back. It seems as though everyone is an expert this time of year. Somehow we convince ourselves that we are better at predicting baseball outcomes than everyone else. Well, AFITB is putting that to the test for the third year in a row. Think you know more about baseball than us? You probably do. But go ahead and prove it anyway.