MLB Announces 2015 All-Star Game Rosters

A-Rod, among many others, snubbed of 15th All-Star appearance.

The All-Star break is a week away. The much anticipated time off for most players, but for the best or most liked they players, they get an extra game. An extra game that has become much more meaningful theses past few years after rule changes. The league that wins means, the team representing the them in the World Series, gets home field advantage. So, the All-Star Game becomes way more important because of the prize at hand. The fans will get a show from the big names and competitive play. Along with a Home Run Derby that will be nothing short of spectacular. The 86th All-Star Game will be held at the Great American Ball Park, home of the Cincinnati Reds. The city will get a treat in seeing their own third baseman, Todd Frazier, start for the National League.

The spotlight of voting was focused around the Kansas City Royals. Apparently, Kansas City is full of people that stay true to their hometown team. Fans took the voting by storm using their 35 possible votes for only Royals players. At their highest point in the voting there were seven Kansas City Royals starters, which was heavily criticized. Other fans across the country were dreading the possibility of having the starting lineup consisting of one team. So it became Royals versus The World in all star voting. Ultimately the Royals ended up with four starting players: Salvador Perez, Lorenzo Cain, Alcides Escobar and Alex Gordon.

There were a few records broken this season in the voting for the 2015 all stars. Toronto Blue Jays third baseman, Josh Donaldson received the most votes for any player ever with 14,090,188. Donaldson ended up beating out Josh Hamilton’s 11,073,744 votes in 2012. Also, Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals collected the most National League votes ever with 13,864,950 votes.

Voted starters Giancarlo Stanton and Miguel Cabrera will miss the All-Star Game due to recent injuries forcing them on the DL. Stanton will be replaced by Pittsburgh Pirates’ Andrew McCutcheon. Cabrera was replaced by Mark Teixeira, but Albert Pujols will be starting at first base for the American League.

National League and American League starters