Kuzul

Major League Baseball’s midsummer showcase, also known as the All-Star Game, is less than two months away, and many players have already made strong cases to make their respective league’s team.

But which players will be fortunate enough to try to secure home-field advantage throughout the World Series for either the American or National League?

Some players will be voted into the AL or NL squads via the fans, while the remainder of each team’s 34-man roster will be determined by the coaching staff.

This year’s teams will likely be made up of seasoned veterans as well as a handful of young players who are just starting to make their mark. Don’t be surprised when you see an abundance of first-timers on the rosters.

Let’s jump right into each team’s roster, determining who has done enough thus far to earn a spot in the 2013 All-Star Game.

*All statistics in this article were obtained via FanGraphs unless otherwise noted and are accurate as of Monday, May 20, 2013. All injury information was obtained via Baseball Prospectus. All contract information was obtained via Cot’s Contracts. Stats up to date through games on May 19, 2013.

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As the 2013 Major League Baseball season race reaches the quarter pole, it becomes time to take stock of where teams and players are in terms of production. 

In the American League West, the Texas Rangers have taken their customary position of being the front runner, largely due to tremendous pitching and consistent power in the lineup. The A’s and Mariners have both been largely inconsistent, with the A’s scuffling back to .500 since starting the year 12-4. 

However, the biggest story has been the lack of success in Anaheim as the Los Angeles Angels are not fighting for an expected spot at the top, but trying to keep clear of division newcomers the Houston Astros. In the basement.

There have been solid performances from individuals on all five teams. But sometimes, overlapping positions keep deserving players from receiving deserved accolades. This will likely be no exception. 

So instead of lamenting who is not, we shall spotlight who is. Starting with catcher and ending a pitching rotation (relievers included), here is the AL West’s Quarter-Pole All-Star Team.

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Let’s be honest. The Major League Baseball All-Star Game is nothing more than a popularity contest. 

Unlike a lot of popularity contests where being the best isn’t always recognized—for instance, the Emmy and Academy Awards—playing favorites for the MLB midsummer classic is not a bad thing. 

On the contrary, it is actually quite healthy for the growth of the sport, as long as it is done in an appropriate way. The fact that Derek Jeter is on the ballot even though there is no chance he will play in the game is a joke, yet he will probably end up in the top-three or -four vote-getters at shortstop because he is Derek Jeter. 

In filling out my way-too-early All-Star ballot, I am looking at a few things. First, you have to be a star. This game is simply a marketing ploy for the sport of baseball despite the stakes that Bud Selig tries to attach to the winning side. In order for it to properly work, you have to showcase the best of the best. 

Second, and this is very critical, I do not believe that each team should be represented, and a fluky first half from a journeyman player does not merit an All-Star selection. You need players who are not only the best in the sport, but will maintain that performance, so when you look back at this game 20 years from now, you don’t have a situation where Bryan LaHair is on the National League roster. 

The final rule is that in order for a player to be picked, it has to be for his position. This really only applies to outfielders, who are usually selected as a group. We will take three players whose primary positions are left field, center field and right field.

For pitching, I will list one starter and a few other names that could also be in that role. I will do the same thing for closers, but I am not diving deep to fill out an entire relief corps by taking the 12th man in a bullpen that has been able to post a 1.00 ERA with 15 K/9 IP in mop-up duty. 

Those are the rules that I have established, so with that in mind, here is the ballot that I would fill out as of May 3, 2013. 

All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted. 

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Whether it is a young player taking the next step forward or a veteran putting it all together for the first time in his career, making the MLB All-Star team for the first time is a huge honor.

Every season, a number of players unexpectedly turn in big first-half performances and earn their place in the Midsummer Classic.

Here is a look at 15 players who are off to hot starts and could turn that into a first-time All-Star selection come July.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers have a 2013 Opening Day payroll that is already over $200 million, so it should come as no surprise that their roster is littered with All-Star talent. With 11 players who have previously made at least one appearance in the Midsummer Classic, the Dodgers should lead the National League in All-Stars next season.

No one should expect all of L.A.’s former All-Stars to be playing in Citi Field next July, but most of them are still in their primes. Of that group, only Ted Lilly, who turns 37 in January, is definitely beyond his best years.  

The other 10 players are all 32 years old or younger. All except Josh Beckett have been All-Stars within the past four seasons.

Matt Kemp, Carl Crawford and Chad Billingsley are all returning from season-ending injuries. Their ability to earn All-Star votes will largely depend on how many games they miss and how quickly they return to top form.

Listed in reverse order from least-to-most likely to make the 2013 MLB All-Star team, here are 11 Dodgers who have a very good chance of playing in New York on July 16, 2013.

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