The 2018 MLB Star Alignments: Ranking the Biggest Surprises and Surprises | Bleacher's report

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Max Muncy was stolen. Julie Jacobson / Associated Press

The teams of the Major League Baseball 2018 star team are very excited. Of course, the only thing to do now is to quietly take it all.

I'm kidding. Now is the time to raise your eyebrows and clench your fists.

We are going to run through the biggest surprises and snobs (four of each) for teams that the American League and the National League have lined up for July 17 at the Nationals Park. The surprises range from surprises in the starting range to unexpected reserves.

Counting them, starting with the biggest surprises

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Jeff Roberson / Associated Press

This is not the biggest surprise that Nick Markakis had cut for the starting line of the National League. He was one of the main voters among the field players in every vote update

And yet, the specific circumstances of his selection are worth a double take.

On the one hand, the 34-year-old Atlanta Braves is now a new record holder. According to MLB Stat of the Day the 1,928 games he played before his first selection of stars are the best of all players. Since he had a few seasons of All-Star caliber, it's amazing that it took him so long.

However, it was not a vote of pity. The fans behind him en mbade, finally giving him more votes on him than all the starters in NL except Freddie Freeman. When you look at his .322 / .389 / .490 slash line, it's hard to blame them.

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Jim McIsaac / Getty Images

Still in the pleasant surprise department is a guy from the other The end of Markakis' age: Gleyber Torres

The 21-year-old Yankees from New York has been added to the reserves of the American League despite several disadvantages. The most important is that he is on the list of people with disabilities with hip tension. He also played only 63 games and came in Sunday in fourth place among AL's second base players in wins over the replacement.

However, it is difficult to make much noise about its inclusion

. and beat 15 home runs when he was healthy, and he also played a clever defense. It's a world of difference for the Yankees, who are 45-18 in the matches in which Torres participated.

Moreover, it's never bad for young baseball stars to be on the biggest stage of the sport. 8



David Zalubowski / Associated Press

And now, for a not-so-pleasant surprise: Charlie Blackmon has entered LN's lineup as a reserve outfielder.

It was hard to complain about both Star nodding in 2014 and 2017. This is especially true of the latter, since he had a year of MVP caliber with a average of 1,000 OPS and 37 home races.

This year has been a different story. Blackmon's OPS is down to .82, which is nothing special for a Colorado Rockies hitter. By defensive races saved, he was also the worst defender of the MLB. Put these things together, and his WAR is actually under water at -1.1.

According to Rockies' Twitter account Blackmon's peers are responsible for voting. If it is not because of his reputation, it may be because of his beard. Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Getty Images



According to update published July 2, the National League had to Buster Posey to the receiver and Ozzie Albies to second base

C & # 39; was the replica of the fans of Chicago Cubs to fill the box of Willson Contreras and Javier Baez.

Making the cut for the starting lineup of the LN is not the biggest win in the Cubs' history. But if nothing else, it is well deserved. Contreras pocketed a bat more powerful than Posey, surpbading it in OPS at .838 to .780. Similarly, Baez at Albies beat .893 at .831.

Baez has other talents worthy of the All-Star Game, too. He is an extraordinary defender and an unusual creative slider.

So unless you're calling yourself Buster Posey, Ozzie Albies or JT Realmuto (that's the best catcher in baseball right now), nobody has a reason to complain here [19659032] 5 of 8



Adam Hunger / Associated Press

Jeremy Jeffress, a right-handed Milwaukee Brewers who has failed to be part of the LN's star team despite He led all the LN lifters with a 1.05 MPM

It just was not stolen as badly as Adam Ottavino

giving up five points during his last five outings. But he continues to make an excellent 1.79 MPM that is impressive by Colorado standards. This points to its peripherals. In 40.1 innings, he retired 63 batters and allowed only 21 hits and 16 walks.

In total, Ottavino was eliminated by the Baseball Reference WAR on Sunday and was eliminated by the WARGraphs Fan. So he has every right to complain.

"I'm not surprised," said Ottavino, Nick Groke of The Athletic. "It's because I'm in the Rockies, that the pitchers deserve no credit for the Rockies."

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Although Manny Machado and Francisco Lindor did The cut, they are only two of the many AL shorts that have played as All-Stars in 2018.

Among those who have not done so, Andrelton Simmons has the most reasons to feel cheated.

The veteran Los Angeles Angels has not yet made a team of stars at least one point: he was arguably the best MLB defensive stop-court player for seven years. So, it's happening in 2018, while he's leading the AL shorts in saved defensive races.

What's different for Simmons this year is that he's preparing a bat of impact for a change. He hits .311 / .372 / .440 with nine more moves (24) than strikes on hold (15).

On the bright side, Simmons' All-Star hopes are not disappointed yet. Fans of smooth field shorts and good luck can still get it there by the final vote.

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Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Getty Images

Jesus Aguilar is yet another Brewer who was robbed Sunday, but even he does not fit the Max Muncy size hole in the lineup of the National League.

The 27-year-old did not seem to be anything other than the depth of the organization in 2018. But once the Los Angeles Dodgers began to rack up wounds, the door opened for him to play.

At the rate he's going, Muncy may never be able to get through that door. Starting on Sunday, his 1,027 OPS led all national leagues with at least 200 appearances of dish. He also needed only 196 at-bats to cash in 20 home runs.

For starters, Muncy was a versatile defenseman who spent time on first, third, second and left. The NL lineup would have benefited from having on Charlie Blackmon in more ways than one.

But as with Andrelton Simmons, there is a good side. Whoever wants justice for Muncy is free to choose him in the final vote.

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Mike Carlson / Getty Images

There are some good starting pitchers on the American League list, but none of them

Only Blake Snell does it, but he it's not a part of it.

Beyond his 2.09 MPM, the Tampa Bay Rays left-hander also has 132 strikeouts in 116 innings in his first 19 starts. This is all the more impressive as he faced opponents with a higher average OPS than any other pitcher who scored at least 75 innings.

Unlike Andrelton Simmons and Max Muncy, Snell can not get to Washington, DC the final vote. He is not among the five finalists of the American League

So what Chris Archer said: : "It's a joke, something like that can not arrive."

Statistics published with the kind permission of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Prospectus.