MLB 2016 All-Star Rosters: Who Will Represent The Atlanta Braves?

Looking At The 2016 MLB All-Star Rosters

As we sit on June 28, 2016 the Atlanta Braves are 26-50 and have played 76 of their 162 games of the 2016 season.  We’re inching ever so closely to the half-way point of the season (81 games) and the 2016 All-Star game, let’s look at who we’ll most likely see play on July 12th at Petco Park in San Diego.

In the National League, the Cubs are just dominating the voting.  Currently, every starter in the Cubs infield has a starting spot based on votes.  Two of their three outfielders are in the top four with Dexter Flower leading this category.

Many NL starting positions are still up for grabs as voting doesn’t close until June 30th, but the one position that’s the closes right now is the catcher position.  Yadier Molina is leading the way with 1,568,930 votes compared to Buster Posey with 1,563,800.

The Chicago Cubs leading the voting in almost every category tells me two things – 1) the team is really good 2) their fans are voting!

Current Non-Starters

• Corey Seager and Nolan Arenado are tied for the league lead in fWAR among hitters.  Arenado also leads the league with 21 home runs.
• Matt Carpenter leads the league with a .419 wOBA and 167 wRC+
• Daniel Murphy and Wilson Ramos are leading the NL in batting average, with both over .340 batting average
• Others are having great seasons as well – Trevor Story, Brandon Belt, Paul Goldschmidt

Is the All-Star voting a popularity competition?  Possibly

You probably know, but currently selected by the fans select the starters for both teams, the managers select the pitchers as well as the players for reserves.

The selection show for the All-Star game is July 5 at 7:00pm ET.

Below are the updated votes that the league released last night

If you’re looking down the NL positions like I am, you’re not finding any Braves player even make the list.  Right now, positional player wise Freddie Freeman would be the only consideration for the Braves to send to the All-Star game.  Believe it or not, but Freeman’s stats aren’t that far off from top vote-getter Anthony Rizzo.

Obviously if I ask you who’s stats are who’s, you’ll most likely guess it (Rizzo’s is the top one, Freeman’s stats are on the bottom).  The strikeouts are killer from Freeman as well as his batting average while runners are in scoring position – which is .194 in 2016.

Freeman made the All-Star game in 2013 and 2014, but unfortunately I don’t think Freeman makes the squad this year.

Who Else Has A Shot  

I see two more potential All-Stars for the 2016 Atlanta Braves – Arodys Vizcaino and Julio Teheran.

Vizcaino currently has a 1.93 ERA in the 34 games he’s appeared in.  In 2016, he’s had 12 save chances and saved 10 of those games.  Games of which he’s come into the game that aren’t save situation have been a total of 22 games.  He has a 1.29 ERA in the 21 innings pitched.  Not too shabby for a relief pitcher in the NL.

Teheran has been remarkable for the Braves since May 1st.  The 25-year-old has lowered his ERA to 2.46 (was 4.60 leaving April) and hasn’t allowed a run in his last two outings…both against the New York Mets.

National League Manager, Terry Collins, I believe should select Vizcaino and Teheran to fill out the pitching rosters.

If you’re still interesting in voting, you better hurry.  You can vote until 11:59 p.m. ET on Thursday at 2016 MLB Esurance All-Star ballot.

American League All-Star Interested?

Here’s the updated voting list provided by MLB.com