My Complete National League All-Star Team Selections

by Julian Spivey

Every year I like to make selections for which players I believe should make the Major League Baseball All-Star Game for each league. It's quite the task because you don't just pick the 32 best players from each league because each team (even the worst in the game) must have at least one selection for the Midsummer Classic (I actually like this rule because it gets every fan-base involved). 

MLB has changed up its All-Star voting as of late. The fans still get to pick the starters for each league, but now voting is a two-pronged process where the first round selects the two finalists (or six for outfielders) at each position and round two decides which of those two players gets the start. The leading vote getter round one of voting is automatically given a starting spot - it was Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. for the National League this year. 

My selections for the starting lineup will be based on which of the two finalists I believe is more deserving and not which player in the league is necessarily more deserving. For example I don't really think Miami Marlins second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. should be an All-Star this season, but the other second base finalist is Ozzie Albies of the Braves who is out with an injury. 

All statistics as of July 4. 

Screenshot

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Starters: 

Catcher: Willson Contreras (Chicago Cubs) 
Avg: .274, HR: 13, RBI: 35, OBP: .392, WAR: 2.9

First Base: Paul Goldschmidt (St. Louis Cardinals) 
Avg: .340, HR: 19, RBI: 65, OBP: .422, WAR: 4.4

Second Base: Jazz Chisholm Jr. (Miami Marlins) 
Avg: .254, HR: 14, RBI: 45, OBP: .325, WAR: 2.4

Third Base: Nolan Arenado (St. Louis Cardinals) 
Avg: .292, HR: 17, RBI: 55, OBP: .353, WAR: 4.1

Shortstop: Trea Turner (Los Angeles Dodgers) 
Avg: .311, HR: 11, RBI: 59, SB: 16, OBP: .359, WAR: 2.8

Left Field: Joc Pederson (San Francisco Giants) 
Avg: .278, HR: 17, RBI: 40, OBP: .348, WAR: 1.0 

Center Field: Ronald Acuna Jr. (Atlanta Braves) 
Avg: .287, HR: 7, RBI: 19, SB: 16, OBP: .389, WAR: 1.7

Right Field: Mookie Betts (Los Angeles Dodgers) 
Avg: .278, HR: 17, RBI: 41, OBP: .356, WAR: 3.0

Designated Hitter: Bryce Harper (Philadelphia Phillies) 
Avg: .318, HR: 15, RBI: 48, OBP: .385, WAR: 2.6 

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Reserves: 

Catcher: Travis d'Arnaud (Atlanta Braves) 
Avg: .264, HR: 11, RBI: 36, OBP: .309, WAR: 0.8

First Base: Pete Alonso (New York Mets) 
Avg: .276, HR: 22, RBI: 69, OBP: .356, WAR: 2.1

First Base: Josh Bell (Washington Nationals) 
Avg: .318, HR: 12, RBI: 47, OBP: .399, WAR: 3.3

Second Base: Jeff McNeil (New York Mets) 
Avg: .318, HR: 4, RBI: 34, OBP: .375, WAR: 2.1

Second Base: Tommy Edman (St. Louis Cardinals) 
Avg: .266, HR: 7, RBI: 32, SB: 19, OBP: .335, WAR: 4.2

Third Base: Manny Machado (San Diego Padres) 
Avg: .318, HR: 12, RBI: 46, OBP: .392, WAR: 3.9 

Shortstop: Dansby Swanson (Atlanta Braves) 
Avg: .304, HR: 14, RBI: 49, OBP: .361, WAR: 3.5

Outfield: Charlie Blackmon (Colorado Rockies) 
Avg: .272, HR: 13, RBI: 45, OBP: .320, WAR: 0.8

Outfield: Bryan Reynolds (Pittsburgh Pirates) 
Avg: .253, HR: 15, RBI: 32, OBP: .328, WAR: 1.4

Outfield: Starling Marte (New York Mets) 
Avg: .282, HR: 9, RBI: 39, OBP: .332, WAR: 2.4

Designated Hitter: Garrett Cooper (Miami Marlins) 
Avg: .315, HR: 5, RBI: 36, OBP: .380, WAR: 1.4

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Pitchers: 

Tony Gonsolin (Los Angeles Dodgers) 
W-L: 10-0, ERA: 1.54, K: 77, WAR: 3.4

Max Fried (Atlanta Braves) 
W-L: 8-2, ERA: 2.66, K: 96, WAR: 3.8

Kyle Wright (Atlanta Braves) 
W-L: 9-4, ERA: 2.91, K: 98, WAR: 2.7

Sandy Alcantara (Miami Marlins) 
W-L: 8-3, ERA: 1.95, K: 97, WAR: 4.5

Carlos Rodon (San Francisco Giants)
W-L: 7-5, ERA: 2.87, K: 112, WAR: 2.8 

​Joe Musgrove (San Diego Padres) 
W-L: 8-2, ERA: 2.25, K: 92, WAR: 2.3

Zack Wheeler (Philadelphia Phillies) 
W-L: 7-4, ERA: 2.66, K: 99, WAR: 2.8 

Corbin Burnes (Milwaukee Brewers) 
W-L: 7-4, ERA: 2.36, K: 124, WAR: 3.1 

Josh Hader (Milwaukee Brewers) 
SV: 25, ERA: 1.35, K: 45, WAR: 1.5 

Edwin Diaz (New York Mets) 
SV: 18, ERA: 1.95, K: 63, WAR: 1.3

Joe Mantiply (Arizona Diamondbacks)
ERA: 1.13, K: 33, WAR: 1.4

Alexis Diaz (Cincinnati Reds)
ERA: 2.40, K: 36, WAR: 1.2​