MLB has announced the 2016 All-Star starters.
First up the American League
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Starters
C: Salvador Perez, Royals
1B: Eric Hosmer, Royals
2B: Jose Altuve, Astros
3B: Manny Machado, Orioles
SS: Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox
OF: Mookie Betts, Red Sox
OF: Jackie Bradley Jr., Red Sox
OF: Mike Trout, Angels
DH: David Ortiz, Red Sox
Initial impressions? What the fuck? Seriously? 4 Red Sox players? Come on. The ballot stuffing has got to stop. This is why people don’t care about the All-Star game.
Missing at first base. Chris Davis, Edwin Encarnacion, Miguel Cabrera or Carlos Santana. Take your pick.
Missing from the Outfield. Ian Desmond, Mark Trumbo, Nelson Cruz.
At least they got Altuve and Machado right.
Update: Reserves were announced.
Pitchers
RHP: Dellin Betances, Yankees
RHP: Brad Brach, Orioles
LHP: Zach Britton, Orioles
RHP: Alex Colome, Rays
RHP: Wade Davis*, Royals
RHP: Marco Estrada, Blue Jays
LHP: Cole Hamels, Rangers
RHP: Will Harris, Astros
RHP: Kelvin Herrera, Royals
RHP: Craig Kimbrel, Red Sox
LHP: Andrew Miller, Yankees
RHP: Danny Salazar, Indians
LHP: Chris Sale, White Sox
RHP: Steven Wright, Red Sox
Reserves
C: Stephen Vogt, Athletics
C: Matt Wieters, Orioles
1B: Miguel Cabrera, Tigers
2B: Robinson Cano, Mariners
3B: Josh Donaldson, Blue Jays
SS: Francisco Lindor, Indians
SS: Eduardo Nunez, Twins
OF: Carlos Beltran, Yankees
OF: Ian Desmond, Rangers
OF: Mark Trumbo, Orioles
DH: Edwin Encarnacion, Blue Jays
Final Vote candidates
2B: Ian Kinsler, Tigers
3B: Evan Longoria, Rays
2B: Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox
OF: Michael Saunders, Blue Jays
OF: George Springer, Astros
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Starters
C: Buster Posey, Giants
1B: Anthony Rizzo, Cubs
2B: Ben Zobrist, Cubs
3B: Kris Bryant, Cubs
SS: Addison Russell, Cubs
OF: Yoenis Cespedes, Mets
OF: Dexter Fowler, Cubs
OF: Bryce Harper, Nationals
We knew the Cubs fans were stuffing the ballot box, but I was kind of hoping that MLB would step in this year like they did last year with Royal fans. Five of 8 players are Cubs. The entire infield minus Buster Posey will be Cubs, and likely so will be the starting pitcher.
Wil Myers and Paul Goldschmidt missed out. I’m pretty sure Freddie Freeman will be the lone Brave, missing someone will get the shaft.
Daniel Murphy not making the roster is a real embarrassment. Also, Matt Carpenter would like to have a word with you.
Addison Russell is a joke. Sorry Cubs fans. Corey Seager, Trevor FUCKING STORY, Brandon Crawford, Danny Espinosa, Zach Cozart. But no, we go with Addison .238 Russell.
Marcell Ozuna was the big Outfield snub. I can’t wait to see all the reserves that have to get selected now that the Cubs are stuffing the roster.
NL Reserves
Pitchers
RHP: Jake Arrieta, Cubs
LHP: Madison Bumgarner, Giants
RHP: Johnny Cueto, Giants
RHP: Jeurys Familia, Mets
RHP: Jose Fernandez, Marlins
RHP: Kenley Jansen, Dodgers
LHP: Clayton Kershaw*, Dodgers
LHP: Jon Lester, Cubs
RHP: Mark Melancon, Pirates
RHP: A.J. Ramos, Marlins
RHP: Fernando Rodney, Marlins
RHP: Stephen Strasburg, Nationals
RHP: Noah Syndergaard, Mets
RHP: Julio Teheran, Braves
Reserves
C: Jonathan Luroy, Brewers
C: Wilson Ramos, Nationals
1B: Paul Goldschmidt, D-backs
1B: Wil Myers, Padres
2B: Daniel Murphy, Nationals
3B: Nolan Arenado, Rockies
3B: Matt Carpenter, Cardinals
SS: Corey Seager, Dodgers
OF: Adam Duvall, Reds
OF: Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies
OF: Odubel Herrera, Phillies
OF: Marcell Ozuna, Marlins
Final Vote candidates
1B: Brandon Belt, Giants
OF: Ryan Braun, Brewers
3B: Jake Lamb, D-backs
OF: Starling Marte, Pirates
SS: Trevor Story, Rockies
Fan Interference 
While the downgrade in WAR (and dWAR) in going with Hosmer over Miggy is annoying, the really startling and depressing thing is that this is the first year since 2008 that the Tigers haven’t had a pitcher on the All-Star team.
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There’s a lot of head scratching going on in this. I’m not the biggest Miggy fan, but he’s a sight better all around than Eric Hosmer, who should be the winner of a Tarnished Glove because of his less than golden fielding. I’m sorry, but that just bothers me.
Also, y’all know I love the Cubs, a lot, and I voted for almost all of them, but there was no reason why Addison Russell should have been on the team. None. Nope. Wrong. I can think of three people way more deserving than Addy to have been on the ASG roster. Corey Seager, Trevor Story, and even Jonathan Villar for the Brewers has had a better season and a better story than Addy. Crap, Villar, Seager, and Story all have better EVERYTHING than Addy and yet he’s the starting SS. That’s just all sorts of wrong here.
And of course, Julio is the one and only Braves choice, and he has a damn staph infection in his leg, which means he probably won’t be able to make the game anyway.
UGH.
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Yeah, I’m not sure it’s fair to call out the Cubs fans for “stuffing” the ballot boxes when every Cub elected other than Russell was either clearly deserving or at least defensible. Same thing with the Red Sox – Ortiz and Boegarts were clearly the best players at their positions, especially with Machado on the ballot at third, and Betts/JBJ are 3/4 in fWAR among AL outfielders. There’s nothing egregious about both of them getting in. The Cubs and Red Sox just have lots of good players this year.
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