Some teams have reached the halfway point of the MLB season. Others will do it in the coming week. That means the All-Star Game isn’t that far away. While it might not be the marquee event it used to be, nearly every MLB player desires a spot in the game on July 16 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, home of the World Series champion Texas Rangers.Some starting spots are easy to pick and others are more difficult to forecast. There will be deserving selections and some snubs that will anger fan bases.Here's our ballot for the National League:C: William Contreras, BrewersA cinch to start in this spot since the first month of the season, Contreras is miles ahead of his closest competition in early voting and exhibiting a clutch gene expected of MVP candidates.1B: Bryce Harper, PhilliesThe leading vote-getting to date in the NL, Harper is fully restored from Tommy John surgery and acclimated to first base. He’s on pace for his most productive season since 2021.2B: Ketel Marte, DiamondbacksSan Diego’s Luis Arraez leads the voting by less than 4,300 votes but Marte is enjoying a solid encore to his 25-homer 2023, on pace to threaten his career high in the homer department with 15.3B: Alec Bohm, PhilliesHe’s a cinch to start the game with a lead of nearly 750,000 votes over Manny Machado. And Bohm has already knocked in 60 runs while leading MLB with a whopping 26 doubles. Even more impressively, he’s racked up all those RBI while belting just seven homers.SS: Elly De La Cruz, RedsThe Phillies’ Trea Turner is your likely starter with Mookie Betts on the shelf. But if this game is about giving the fans what they want, why not De La Cruz, with his MLB-high 37 steals and penchant for highlight-video defense?OF: Jurickson Profar, Padres; Fernando Tatis Jr., Padres; Teoscar Hernandez, DodgersMaybe the best story of the season’s first half has been Profar realizing his vast potential at age 31, ranking second in MLB in hitting and on a pace to threaten 100 RBI. He leads NL outfielders in voting.Tatis has played all but one game despite a quad injury that he said has hampered his style of play. But he’s batting .279 and recently hit in 17 straight games while continuing to play Gold Glove-level defense in right.Hernandez is on pace for a career high in homers, giving the Dodgers the punch they’ve needed to weather some struggles at the bottom of their order. He could threaten his previous career high of 116 RBI as he’s knocked in 54.DH: Shohei Ohtani, DodgersYou can make a hell of a case for him and the Braves’ Marcell Ozuna, who’s carried an offense that’s yet to produce at the level it did last year. But Ohtani is MLB’s leading hitter at .322 and is on pace to enjoy the first 30-30 season of a decorated career.
Related Posts
A 2010 World Cup qualifier between Georgia and the Republic of Ireland will take place at a neutral venue due to the unrest in the former Soviet state, world football governing body FIFA said Tuesday.
The match had been scheduled to take place in the Georgian capital Tbilisi on September 6.
FIFA reached this decision after closely monitoring the situation in Georgia and taking note that UEFA also decided to ask Georgian clubs involved in UEFA competitions to play their matches in neutral countries.
The Georgian Football Federation has until 26 August 2008 to nominate a neutral venue to host the qualifying match against the Republic of Ireland which will take place on the scheduled date of 6 September 2008, FIFA added.
The Georgian Football Federation…
Portuguese giants Benfica are close to agreeing a deal for Serbian winger Andrija Zivkovic, .
The Eagles have long been hot on the trail of the talented youngster and they appear to have finally reached an agreement with his representatives.
A Bola claims that the midfielder will receive a hefty signing-on fee, believed to be between €4m and €5m as he will join on a free transfer.
Zivkovic was dropped from the senior squad at Partizan Belgrade after rejecting a new contract offer and he last played a competitive match for his club back in December 2015, but he made two appearances for the Serbia national team in May and June.
The left-footed player, who usually operates on the right wing, played a key role as the Serbia won the Under-20 World Cup in …
After three years of frustration, the arrival of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan has made Manchester United instant contenders to win the Premier League.
United s post-Alex Ferguson era has largely been a story of lacklustre results despite big spending, although there are indications that could be set to change in 2016-17 under Jose Mourinho.
The appointment of a proven winner to replace Louis van Gaal as manager was the first sign a United revival was in the works. Now, two top talents have been brought in to significantly improve the tools at his disposal.
With Ibrahimovic a free transfer following the end of his Paris Saint-Germain contract and Mkhitaryan costing a fee reported to be £26.3million from Borussia Dortmund, United have added two pla…
Borussia Dortmund general manager Michael Zorc has confirmed the club s interest in Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko, .
Dzeko, 27, joined Manchester City for £27 million from Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg in January 2011.
The Bosnia and Herzegovina international has netted 28 goals in 70 Premier League matches, 36 starts, since arriving at the Etihad Stadium.
The likes of Sergio Aguero, Mario Balotelli (now at AC Milan) and Carlos Tevez have all kept Dzeko out of Roberto Mancini s starting XI for much of his time in Manchester.
As suggested by Mancini, Dzeko s lack of starts could spur on a summer move, with Dortmund viewed as the favourites for his signature.
Dortmund general manager Michael Zorc has conceded that the two-time Bu…
Everton manager David Moyes is relishing the midfield battle between Italy and Spain in Sunday s Euro 2012 final.
Andrea Pirlo has been widely tipped to claim the player of the tournament prize following a string of dominant displays for italy and Moyes believes he has been key to his national team s revival.
The 49-year-old boss also highlighted the talents of Spain midfielder Xavi as central to one of the best teams in history, with the 32-year-old again instrumental for his country in Poland and Ukraine.
Pirlo, at 33, is an example of Italy s tradition for getting great performances from older players, Moyes wrote in his column for The Times.
You think of Paolo Maldini, Dino Zoff and Fabio Cannavaro, and how they kept going. Pirlo will be Italy s ke…
Defending champions Portugal have been eliminated from the Euros. Having barely navigated their way through an extremely difficult group, their journey ended on Sunday with Belgium getting the better of them in the round of 16. The only goal of the game came from a tricky shot executed nicely by Borussia Dortmund winger Thorgan Hazard.
Just the one goal, but it was enough
Looking ahead at this match, it seemed likely that if the deadlock is broken early enough, the remaining part would be extremely interesting with both sides boasting notable attacking quality. However, the one goal, though scored in the 42nd minute, was all in terms of hitting the back of the net. You wouldn t have expected a team led by a five-time Ballon d Or winner, a joint-record holder in the number of i…
Jordi Alba felt Barcelona produced their best performance of 2020 in their 2-1 LaLiga victory over Real Sociedad.
The Catalans fell behind to a Willian Jose goal at Camp Nou on Tuesday after dominating the opening 25 minutes without managing a shot on target.
However, they responded well, Alba blasting home a fine equaliser before setting up Frenkie de Jong to make it 2-1 before half-time.
La Real improved after the break, restricting Barca to just 38.6 per cent possession after the hosts had enjoyed two-thirds of the ball in the first half, but Marc-Andre ter Stegen s only save of note came late on when he blocked an effort from Alexander Isak.
Barca, who have beaten Sociedad 23 times in a row in home league games, are now six points off the top of the t…
Maintaining an unbeaten start as Costa Rica coach is not a priority for Paulo Wanchope ahead of Tuesday s friendly with Panama at Estadio Rommel Fernandez Gutierrez.
Former international striker Wanchope oversaw a six-game unbeaten spell following the World Cup having been placed in interim charge following the departure of Jorge Luis Pinto.
Wanchope then marked his first game in permanent charge with a goalless draw against Paraguay in San Jose on Friday and will continue his preparations for the CONCACAF Gold Cup in Panama City.
Costa Rica are well placed to begin their bid for a first Gold Cup success but Wanchope who could be without striker Marco Urena (Achilles) urged the need for continued improvement.
I would want us to score three or four goals …
Juventus general manager Giuseppe Marotta has confirmed Mauricio Isla is close to completing a move to Premier League club QPR.
The Chile international has been with the Italian champions for the last two seasons having moved from Serie A rivals Udinese in June 2012.
However, the versatile full-back has struggled to feature regularly at the Juventus Stadium, and caught the eye of potential suitors with his performances at the World Cup in Brazil.
With QPR eager to further strengthen ahead of their return to the top flight, Marotta confirmed a deal had been agreed between the two clubs.
Tomorrow, Isla will have his medical in England, as a deal has been reached with QPR, the Juve director confirmed on Saturday.
In June, the 26-year-old spoke o…
Danish footballer Thomas Gravesen has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 32.
I have spent some extraordinary years abroad, I have played and lived in four countries, said the midfielder. But I m 33 in March, so before age and health force my hand I have opted to take the decision to stop myself.
During his career, which lasted 13 years, Gravesen played for Vejle Boldklub, Hamburger SV, Everton, Real Madrid and Celtic before returning to Everton in 2008.
…