Here are our picks for All-First Half MLB teams in every division – CBSSports.com
The doldrums between the All-Star Game and the onset of the second half of This, Our Baseball are presently too much with us. So to pass the baseball-less time, this Thought Leader and Opinion-Shaper is going to pronounce from high atop Mt. Internet first-half All-Star teams for each of baseball’s six divisions.
The criterion for making it is simply overall value in 2016 thus far. How this player has fared in prior seasons does not matter, and how this player figures to perform going forward does not matter.
For position players, it’s batting, fielding and baserunning. For pitchers, it’s a mix of run prevention and dominance at the peripheral level. Playing time, as measured by plate appearances or innings pitched, also of course matters.
As always, the comments section is reserved solely for warm-hearted compliments regarding not only the content in question, but also the author’s sky-scraping intelligence and intimidating jawline. Tally ho …
AL East
C Brian McCann , New York Yankees
In addition to being a skilled defensive backstop, McCann has an .809 OPS and 14 homers.
1B Edwin Encarnacion , Toronto Blue Jays
He’s a primary DH, but we’re giving him first-base detail. He has played in 89 games and put up an OPS+ of 136. He’s also slugging about 100 points higher with men on base relative to his numbers with the bases empty.
2B Jonathan Schoop , Baltimore Orioles
The defense is better than expected, and Schoop has impressive power, especially by the standards of middle infielders. At the break, he’s slugging .509 and on pace for 26 homers and 43 doubles.
3B Josh Donaldson , Blue Jays
The reigning AL MVP has been even better this season. At the break, he’s batting .304/.418/.598 and he has already topped 200 total bases for the season.
SS Manny Machado , Orioles
The return of J.J. Hardy has pushed Machado back to third base, but he has logged a narrow majority of his 2016 defensive innings at short. Along the way, he has raked: .318/.375/.569 with 19 homers and 29 doubles.
OF Mookie Betts , Boston Red Sox
Betts has a shed full of tools, and they’ve all been on display in 2016. He has a 124 OPS+, 15 steals in 16 attempts and a plus glove. He also leads the majors in plate appearances and total bases.
OF Jackie Bradley Jr., Red Sox
He’s an everyday center fielder who’s batting .296/.378/.548.
OF Michael Saunders , Blue Jays
Saunders is on his way to a career year. He has been healthy, and he’s batting .298/.372/.551.
DH David Ortiz , Red Sox
If this holds up, Ortiz will make a run at 100 extra-base hits and perhaps author the greatest final season in MLB history.
SP Steven Wright , Red Sox
The veteran knuckleballer indeed put up a deeply impressive first half: 114 innings, AL-leading 2.68 ERA, just seven homers allowed.
RP Zach Britton , Orioles
He has allowed three earned runs in 38 appearances, and he’s a perfect 27 for 27 in save opportunities.
AL Central
C Salvador Perez , Kansas City Royals
We know about the durability and defensive reputation, and this season Perez is slugging .500.
1B Miguel Cabrera , Detroit Tigers
Even in decline, Miggy remains productive. In 88 games, he has tallied 18 homers and put up an OPS+ of 134.
2B Ian Kinsler , Tigers
Yes, he’s 34, but he’s a regular second baseman who’s hitting .289/.348/.489 with nine steals.
3B Todd Frazier , Chicago White Sox
Obviously, the batting average and OBP leave much to be desired at the moment, but Frazier’s a plus defensive third baseman who’s on pace for 46 homers.
SS Francisco Lindor , Cleveland Indians
Lindor has probably been the most valuable defensive player at any position in 2016. As a bonus, he has an OPS+ of 111 at the plate.
OF Rajai Davis , Indians
He has batted a respectable .265/.327/.433 while leading the AL in steals (24 against just three times caught) and providing plus fielding at all three outfield positions.
OF Adam Eaton , White Sox
The best defensive corner outfielder in the AL right now? Eaton has taken remarkably well to right field and has saved a lot of runs with the glove this season. He also boasts a .355 OBP and leads the majors in triples.
OF Lorenzo Cain , Royals
As is the case with other two AL Central fly-catchers, it’s fielding value that drives this choice. When Cain hits, he’s an MVP candidate. When he’s just average with the bat, he’s “merely” very good in terms of overall value.
DH Victor Martinez , Tigers
After 86 games, the 37-year-old V-Mart is batting .305/.353/.514.
SP Danny Salazar , Indians
The Cy Young frontrunner in the AL? Quite possibly. The 26-year-old leads the AL with an ERA+ of 171 and he ranks sixth in strikeouts.
RP Kelvin Herrera , Royals
With Wade Davis sidelined, Herrera’s now closing games for KC. But he has been doing the job all year: a 1.77 ERA and 7.43 K/BB ratio in 40 2/3 innings.
AL West
C Stephen Vogt , Oakland Athletics
In a down year for AL catchers, Vogt’s OPS+ of 105 and 527 1/3 innings behind the plate stand out.
1B C.J. Cron , Los Angeles Angels
Not a strong crop of first basemen in the AL West, but Cron takes it thanks to his .808 OPS.
2B Jose Altuve , Houston Astros
Thanks to a season of broad-based value, Altuve may be the leading AL MVP candidate at the break. He mans a premium position, he rakes and he runs the bases exceptionally well.
3B Kyle Seager , Seattle Mariners
He’s a sound defender who’s batting .287/.365/.537 while playing his home games in run-suppressing Safeco Field.
SS Carlos Correa , Astros
He had a bit of a slow start to 2016, but the 21-year-old is now batting .260/.354/.459.
OF Mike Trout , Angels
Yep, he’s still the best player in baseball. The center fielder heads into the second half with a 169 OPS+ and 15 steals in 16 attempts.
OF Ian Desmond , Texas Rangers
Free-agent bargain of the winter? For $8 million the Rangers have gotten a 131 OPS+, 15 stolen bases and an incredibly smooth transition to the outfield.
OF George Springer , Astros
The five-tooling Springer is adding value with the glove, batting .262/.359/.473 and thus far staying healthy.
DH Nelson Cruz , Mariners
Cruz just keeps hitting since moving on from the Rangers, contrary to what so many of us expected. Right now, he finds himself on pace for 42 bombs.
SP Cole Hamels , Rangers
The changeup artist has pitched to a 3.21 ERA (143 ERA+) across 18 starts.
RP Will Harris , Astros
The All-Star Harris has allowed just seven runs and five unintentional walks in 39 innings.
NL East
C Wilson Ramos , Washington Nationals
He’s pinning down the most premium of positions, and he has an OPS north of .900.
1B Freddie Freeman , Atlanta Braves
The further he gets from those back problems, the more he hits. Right now, Freeman owns a line of .286/.373/.518.
2B Daniel Murphy , Nationals
The swing changes he made last year with the New York Mets have indeed stuck, as Murphy on the season is batting a robust .348/.387/.598.
3B Anthony Rendon , Nationals
The hitting has been just OK, but Rendon adds a lot of value in the field and on the bases.
SS Danny Espinosa , Nationals
Suffice it to say, he’s not currently in danger of losing his job to Trea Turner . He’s running an OPS of almost .800.
OF Marcell Ozuna , Miami Marlins
The regular Miami center fielder (and All-Star) is batting .307/.360/.533.
OF Yoenis Cespedes , Mets
Cespedes is still crushing the ball as a Met. He has a line of .302/.372/.583 with 21 spanks at the break.
OF Christian Yelich , Marlins
The 24-year-old has played in 83 games, and he has batted .317/.398/.475 over that span.
SP Jose Fernandez , Marlins
Tough call in a division that also houses the likes of Noah Syndergaard , Julio Teheran and Stephen Strasburg , but Fernandez gets the nod. He has an ERA+ of 159, and he has struck out 36.6 percent of opposing hitters, which is a pretty incredible figure for a starter.
RP Fernando Rodney , Marlins
Most of Rodney’s 2016 value was achieved on the San Diego Padres ‘ watch, but the body of work lands him this honor. He has allowed five runs all season.
NL Central
C Jonathan Lucroy , Milwaukee Brewers
Lucroy’s still a frontline defender behind the plate and this season he has rebounded in the batter’s box: .304/.361/.491 with 11 homers and 16 doubles.
1B Anthony Rizzo , Chicago Cubs
Rizzo has emerged as one of the best pure hitters in all of baseball. This season, he leads the NL in OPS and OPS+.
2B Matt Carpenter , St. Louis Cardinals
Tough call, as Ben Zobrist certainly has a case. Carpenter of course has also spent time at third this season, but we’ll consider him a second baseman for these purposes. It’s the bat that wins out, as Carpenter’s presently hitting .298/.420/.568 with almost as many walks as strikeouts. That .420 OBP leads the NL.
3B Kris Bryant , Cubs
Here’s an MVP candidate in the NL. The Cubs sophomore is batting .286/.384/.578 (154 OPS+) while seeing action at six different positions.
SS Aledmys Diaz , Cardinals
As it turns out, he’s much more than a stop-gap. The Cards’ rookie shortstop and All-Star has an OPS+ of 141 with 13 home runs in 81 games.
OF Starling Marte , Pittsburgh Pirates
Defense, baserunning, fielding: Marte’s doing it all this season. He has an OPS of more than .800, and he’s on pace for 55 stolen bases.
OF Gregory Polanco , Pirates
Polanco’s hitting .287/.362/.500 while adding value with the glove in right field.
OF Stephen Piscotty , Cardinals
Piscotty has looked quite sound defensively while batting .295/.370/.480 in 82 games.
SP Jake Arrieta , Cubs
Arrieta has been trending downward lately, of course, but overall he has had a high-value 2016: 114 1/3 innings, 151 ERA+, 121 strikeouts.
RP Seung Hwan Oh , Cardinals
The “rookie” 33-year-old has a 1.59 ERA and 59 strikeouts against 11 unintentional walks, and he’s on pace to work more than 80 innings.
NL West
C Buster Posey , San Francisco Giants
He’s still a top-shelf defensive catcher, he still hits and he still carries a notable load behind the plate.
1B Paul Goldschmidt , Arizona Diamondbacks
Tough call, as Brandon Belt and Wil Myers are also in the discussion. However, it’s Goldy’s blend of hitting, defense and baserunning that earns him the nod.
2B Jean Segura , Diamondbacks
He has taken well to the new position, he runs the bases well and he has an OPS+ of 108.
3B Nolan Arenado , Colorado Rockies
He may be the best defensive third baseman in baseball and he’s running an OPS+ of 124 with 23 homers.
SS Corey Seager , Los Angeles Dodgers
What an astounding rookie season he’s having. He has played in 90 games, and he has 17 homers and an OPS+ of 136. Seager could wind up in the NL MVP discussion.
OF Carlos Gonzalez , Rockies
Another strong year for a healthy CarGo. He has looked better defensively, and his OPS+ of 123, which is park-adjusted, shows he’s more than just a product of Coors Field.
OF Melvin Upton Jr., Padres
Upton put together a solid first season in San Diego and he has followed it up with another quality campaign: good fielding in center, 20 stolen bases and a 105 OPS+.
OF Charlie Blackmon , Rockies
The well-rounded Blackmon has a 112 OPS+, 10 steals and 627 1/3 innings in center field.
SP Clayton Kershaw , Dodgers
If the season ended today, Kershaw would win the NL Cy Young Award and the MVP. What’s more wonderfully absurd, his 220 ERA+ or his 16.11 K/BB ratio?
RP Kenley Jansen , Dodgers
Is Jansen’s cutter the single best pitch in baseball today? Maybe so. He has allowed five runs in 40 games.
And that’s a wrap. Objections? Of course not!
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