Astros All-Star Update: Vote for the Infielders

Astros All-Star Update: Vote for the Infielders

Apr 6, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; A general view of the MLB All-Star Game banner prior to the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports

With the turn of the calendar from May to June, the time between now and the MLB All-Star game is decreasing. The Kansas City fans a trying to vote their entire team onto the All-Star game roster. The All-Star game is a popularity contest, in which people tend to vote for players who are not really deserving that year. With social media nowadays, some fans are more educated about other players around the league.

The Houston Astros are in first place in the AL West. According to Brian McTaggart, “This is the latest the Astros have been in first place in a season since September 25, 2003.” After a decade of losing, have the Astros find themselves winning again. Has Astros fever taken ahold of H-Town yet so they can do some ballot stuffing like the Kansas City Royals yet? How are Astros players doing in the All-Star voting for the 2015 game? Of the nine regulars in the Astros lineup, how many of them are among the early leaders of the most recent release of the AL All-Star Game Ballot by MLB.com?

Next: Catcher

Catcher

May 24, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Houston Astros catcher

(15) at bat in the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The catcher in with the most votes is Kansas City Royals backstop, Saldovar Perez with 2,681,063 votes. The closest competition to Perez is the Oakland Athletics backstop Stephen Vogt with 1,401,747. These names are not very exciting, but one of them was in the World Series last year, and the other was not. Is Jason Castro even in the top five leading vote-getters in the American League?

No, so is it the “East Coast Bias” that Castro is not amongst the leading vote-getters at catcher? Let’s look a Castro’s stats versus Salvador Perez’s and Stephen Vogt’s stats.

As you can see, Vogt is having a great season for the losing Athletics. Anyone with an OPS of 1.000 this late in the season should be on the All-Star team. Perez is the leader in All-Star votes, but he falls short on most other stats to Vogt. The voters could be taking defensive ability in voting for Saldovar Perez, but most likely it has to do more with name recognition than anything. Victor Martinez and Carlos Sanatana are no longer catchers, so fans remember Perez from the World Series.

Concerning Castro, he is not on the same level with the two leaders at the moment. He has showed glimpses in the past but lacks consistency.

Next: First Base

First Base

Remember back to the days when the Astros were in the NL Central, and Albert Pujols was dominating the vote at first base for the All-Star games? Those days are over, even though Pujols is starting to reestablish himself as a big time hitter. He does not lead in the vote but does fall in the top five All-Star vote-getters.

Miguel Cabrera leads the vote with a count of 2,123,752, followed closely by Eric Hosmer with 2,053,237 votes. Please don’t laugh as you read this, but does Chris Carter belong among the top five All-Star vote-getters? I told you not to laugh, let’s look at the stats.

This time, Miguel Cabrera should be on top of the heap at first base. Despite the close lead in votes, he has to fight off the computer savvy Royals fans who a trying to get all their boys into the All-Star game. Hosmer is worthy, but not over Cabrera. Don’t worry Royals fans, Hosmer’s day is coming.

Carter could earn a spot on the second half All-Star team if he starts hitting soon. Wait, they don’t have one, maybe next year Carter.

Next: Second Base

Shortstop

Apr 25, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Houston Astros shortstop

(8) singles in Astros right fielder

(4), not in picture, during the fifth inning against the Oakland Athletics at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Bob Stanton-USA TODAY Sports

The Astros suffered a big loss when they lost Jed Lowrie until after the All-Star break. And where would he play when he does come back because it might be occupied by a stud player? However, the Astros shortstop is still getting some love in the ballot box. Alcides Escobar leads the voting at shortstop with 2,269,046 votes. The second most votes go to Jose Iglesias with 1,277,655 votes.

Jed Lowrie makes an appearance on the list, with 511,714 votes, which is the fourth most in the American League. Let’s look at the stats.

Once again, the Royals fans are ruining the process by stuffing the ballot boxes. No, I don’t think that Lowrie, Marwin Gonzalez, and Jonathan Villar need to make the team, but Escobar’s stats don’t scream All-Star. Iglesias deserves a spot on the roster before him.

Next: Third Baseman

Third Baseman

Yes, this is the year that Mike Moustakas has finally put things together this year, after years of disappointing fantasy baseball owners. However, Josh Donaldson is off to a great start this season. Moustakas is leading the vote with 2,385,024 votes while Donaldson only has 1,496,065 votes.

As you probably can imagine, Luis Valbuena does not appear in the top five vote getters at third base. Should he get some more votes, let’s compare their stats.

Josh Donaldson statistically should be ranked ahead of Moustakas, but the fans are voting Royals. Josh Donaldson is one of the best players in the game and one of the best defensive third baseman. The OPS alone could justify Donaldson getting the starting nod, much less the 15 homers. Donaldson will be on the All-Star team, because the manager will put him on the team.

The problem is that while the Royals have the best record, and they are a well-rounded team, but if you try to put too many Royals on the team, you take away representatives of other teams. But fans are going to do what they want to do, support their home team.

Astros fans, it’s your turn now, let’s make sure Jose Altuve stays in the top spot. #VoteAstros

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