A couple weeks ago I published my picks for the 2021 MLB All-Star Game with our IBWAA vote. The final roster has been released by the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America, so let’s see who made it (versus who I picked).
American League
Starters
C – Salvador Perez (my pick: Mike Zunino)
1B – Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. (my pick: Vladdy Jr.)
2B – Marcus Semien (my pick: Semien)
3B – Rafael Devers (my pick: Yoan Moncada)
SS – Xander Bogaerts (my pick: Tim Anderson)
OF – Adolis Garcia, Aaron Judge, Cedric Mullins
(my picks: Mike Trout, Mitch Haniger, Aaron Judge)
DH – Shohei Ohtani (my pick: J.D. Martinez)
Bench
Yasmani Grandal, Sean Murphy, Matt Olson, Jared Walsh, Jose Altuve, Yoan Moncada, Jose Ramirez, Carlos Correa, Byron Buxton, Mike Trout, J.D. Martinez
My At-Large Picks: Shohei Ohtani, Matt Olson, Salvador Perez
(Misses: Mike Zunino, Tim Anderson, Mitch Hanniger)
Pitchers
Starters
Gerrit Cole, Chris Bassitt, Shane Bieber, Kyle Gibson, Tyler Glasnow, Lance Lynn, Sean Manaea, John Means, Carlos Rodon
My Picks: Shane Bieber, Tyler Glasnow, Gerrit Cole, Lance Lynn, John Means, Casey Mize
Relievers
Matt Barnes, Aroldis Chapman, Liam Hendriks
My Picks: Matt Barnes, Aroldis Chapman
(Misses: Casey Mize)
National League
Starters
C – Buster Posey (my pick: J.T. Realmuto)
1B – Max Muncy (my pick: Max Muncy)
2B – Adam Frazier (my pick: Adam Frazier)
3B – Kris Bryant (my pick: Alex Bohm)
SS – Fernando Tatis, Jr. (my pick: Javier Baez)
OF – Ronald Acuna Jr, Nick Castellanos, Jesse Winkler
(my picks: Ronald Acuna, Jr, Juan Soto, Nick Castellanos
Bench
Willson Contreras, J.T. Realmuto, Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albies, Jake Cronenworth, Nolan Arenado, Austin Riley, Brandon Crawford, Trea Turner, Mookie Betts, Bryan Reynolds, Juan Soto
My At-Large Picks: Bryce Harper, Fernando Tatis, Jr, Buster Posey, Pete Alonso
(Misses: Alec Bohm, Javier Baez, Bryce Harper, Pete Alonso)
Pitchers
Starters
Jacob deGrom, Corbin Burnes, Yu Darvish, Kevin Gausman, Freddy Peralta, Trevor Rogers, Max Scherzer, Zack Wheeler, Brandon Woodruff
My Picks: Jacob deGrom, Trevor Bauer (that vote didn’t age well), Max Sherzer, Zack Wheeler, Corbin Burnes, Kevin Gausman
Relievers
Josh Hader, Craig Kimbrel, Mark Melancon
My Picks: Mark Melancon, Alex Reyes
(Misses: Trevor Bauer)
The Alec Bohm & Bryce Harper votes were truly homer votes. But I’m genuinely surprised that Javy Baez missed the cut, especially with the expanded rosters. On the AL side, the outfield and right field in particular is so stocked (as it is in the NL), that Mitch Haniger not getting in doesn’t surprise me. For the Mariners, it’s 6 to 5 and pick’em on who wears those gaudaciously awful ASG jerseys. So, who you got? What’s your ballot look like? Drop your ASG picks in the comments.
