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Mariners All Star Voting Update
May 30, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano (right) celebrates with teammate right fielder Nelson Cruz (23) after Cano hit a two-run home run in the third inning against the Cleveland Indians at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports
Major League Baseball released their second voting update on Monday to give fans an idea of who is getting votes and who is not. There are some pretty interesting snubs so far in 2015. The entire results can be found here.
The All Star game has always been a popularity contest, and it always will be as long as fans decide which position players get the call. The most passionate fan bases vote the most times, which leads to more players from those clubs being selected. As many would have expected, the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers have multiple players currently in the running. However, the Kansas City Royals’ fan base is as fervent as anybody, and they have voted the vast majority of their team All Stars thus far.
Seattle sent 4 players (Felix Hernandez, Robinson Cano, Kyle Seager and Fernando Rodney) to Minnesota last season to represent the Mariners at the mid-summer classic. The M’s inked Nelson Cruz this offseason to a big time free agent deal after he was named an All Star last season with the Baltimore Orioles. However, the Mariners’ fans have fallen asleep on the job this spring, as Cruz is the only Mariner anywhere close to making the All Star team in 2015.
It is important to note that fans only get the right to vote for position players. Every team needs at least 1 representative, and MLB fills out the pitching staff to meet this requirement.
Today, I will go through each position and break down the voting results. I will also discuss where the Mariners’ players rank right now. We will start behind the plate where Salvador Perez of the Kansas City Royals currently leads the American League votes.
Next: Catcher
May 28, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Mike Zunino (3) is greeted by third base coach Rich Donnelly (26) after hitting a solo home run against the Cleveland Indians during the third inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Catcher
There have been no real changes in the top 5 catchers this week. Salvador Perez retains the top spot, followed by Stephen Vogt, Russell Martin, Brian McCann and Caleb Joseph.
Salvador Perez currently leads the American League with 2,681,063 ballots cast. Perez is hitting .281 with 6 home runs and 25 RBI’s this season with the defending AL champion Royals.
Stephen Vogt nearly doubled his tally from last week, as he now has 1,401,747 votes. Vogt is having a marvellous season for the Oakland A’s, hitting .322 with 11 home runs and 38 RBI’s.
Apr 17, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin (55) throws out Atlanta Braves third baseman Alberto Callaspo (not pictured) in the second inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Russell Martin has extended his lead over Brian McCann, but still trails Vogt by a wide margin. Martin has 607,610 votes this week. The 32-year-old backstop is hitting .277 with 7 home runs and 24 RBI’s in his debut season with Toronto.
Brian McCann has accumulated 529,364 votes to this point, which is good for 4th place amongst catchers. The Yankees’ backstop is hitting .247 with 8 home runs and 33 RBI’s.
Caleb Joseph remains in the top 5 this week, but he is just barely in the running. Fans have clicked Joseph’s name 309,609 times. The Nashville, TN product is hitting .256 with 4 home runs and 18 RBI’s this season with the Orioles.
It was another rough week for Mike Zunino, and not surprisingly, he is not in the top 5 vote getters for the second consecutive week. Zunino is hitting just .183 with 7 home runs and 15 RBI’s this season for Seattle. His chances of making his first All Star appearance this summer are slim to none.
Next: First Base
May 30, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners first baseman Logan Morrison (20) slides into first base for the first out of the ninth inning on Cleveland Indians first baseman Brandon Moss (44) at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports
First Base
There has been a bit of a shakeup in the top 5 vote getters amongst first basemen this week. Miguel Cabrera and Eric Hosmer remain the top 2, but Prince Fielder has gone from unranked to 3rd on the list. Mark Teixeira is 4th, and Albert Pujols is 5th.
Miguel Cabrera is the best pure hitter in baseball, and is more than deserving of his 2,123,752 votes. Miggy is hitting .333 with 11 home runs and 33 RBI’s in 2015 with the Detroit Tigers.
Eric Hosmer is inching closer to Cabrera, but currently sits 2nd in voting with 2,053,237 ballots counted. Hosmer is hitting .302 with 7 home runs and 31 RBI’s with the Royals this season.
May 24, 2015; Bronx, NY, USA; Texas Rangers designated hitter Prince Fielder (84) bats against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports
Prince Fielder has climbed to the 3rd position after receiving 580,739 votes. Fielder is currently the leading hitter in the AL with a .359 batting average. The big man has hit 10 home runs and 38 RBI’s this season. The fact that Hosmer is 1.5 million votes ahead of Prince is criminal.
After last night’s game with the Yankees, Mariners’ fans are very aware of the abilities Mark Teixeira possesses. Fans have voted 525,935 times for Tex. The 35-year-old is hitting .241 with 15 home runs and a league leading 39 runs batted in.
Albert Pujols is a perennial All Star, but with just 351,945 votes, it looks like he will not be representing the Angels in Cincinnati this July. Pujols is hitting .254 with 13 home runs and 26 RBI’s.
Logan Morrison has been snubbed again this week. Despite the fact that he is riding a 9-game hitting streak, fans have overlooked his performance this season. LoMo is hitting .240 with 6 home runs and 14 RBI’s this season. Those numbers are pedestrian, but he is hitting .272 with 5 home runs and 10 RBI’s since May 1.
Next: Second Base
May 30, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano (22) throws to first for the out on Cleveland Indians third baseman Mike Aviles (4) in the seventh inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports
Second Base
For the second week in a row, Robinson Cano is not in the top 5 vote getters at second base. Jose Altuve once again leads the pack, followed by Omar Infante and Ian Kinsler. Jason Kipnis has catapulted himself from unranked to number 4 within the span of 1 week. Dustin Pedroia rounds out the top 5.
Jose Altuve is the reigning batting champ, and he has accumulated 2,020,143 votes thus far. Altuve is hitting .297 with 5 home runs, 26 RBI’s and a league leading 15 stolen bases this season for the Houston Astros.
Omar Infante is benefitting from the rabid Royals’ fan base, as he sports mediocre numbers, but sits 2nd in voting with 1,442,990 ballots cast. Infante is hitting just .231 with 0 home runs, 17 RBI’s and 0 stolen bases.
May 14, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis (22) reacts after hitting a double in the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Ian Kinsler retains the number 3 spot with 537,849 votes. Kinsler is having a solid season with the Detroit Tigers, hitting .271 with 1 home run, 22 RBI’s and 6 stolen bases.
Jason Kipnis should be much higher on this list, but his 504,909 votes rank him 4th in the AL among second basemen. Kipnis is hitting .340 with 5 home runs, 25 RBI’s and 5 stolen bases.
Dustin Pedroia is a regular at All Star Games, but with only 503,821 votes, it looks like he will be watching the mid-summer classic on tv with the rest of us. Pedroia is hitting .289 with 7 home runs, 21 RBI’s and 1 stolen base this season with the Red Sox.
Robby Cano has made 6 All Star appearances, and 5 in a row, but he is looking like a long shot to be in Cincinnati this July. Cano is off to the worst start in his career, hitting .246 with 2 home runs and 16 RBI’s this season for the M’s.
Next: Third Base
May 28, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager (15) fields a grounder against the Cleveland Indians during the first inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Third Base
There have been no changes in the voting results at the hot corner this week. Mike Moustakas leads the way, followed by Josh Donaldson, Pablo Sandoval, Manny Machado and Adrian Beltre.
The Royals’ fans are unstoppable, Mike Moustakas leads all other third basemen with 2,385,024 votes. Moustakas is having a nice season, hitting .320 with 5 home runs and 20 RBI’s for Kansas City.
May 27, 2015; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado (13) throws the ball to first base in the third inning against the Houston Astros at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
Josh Donaldson deserves to the starting third baseman in the AL this year, however he has tallied just 1,496,065 votes. Donaldson is hitting .312 with 15 home runs and a league leading 39 RBI’s in 2015.
Pablo Sandoval is a very popular player, and his 483,807 votes are proof of that. Sandoval is hitting .251 with 5 home runs and 17 RBI’s this season with the BoSox.
Manny Machado is one of the premier young players in the game, and he sits 4th in voting at 419,979. Machado is hitting .327 with 8 home runs and 22 RBI’s in 2015.
Former Mariner Adrian Beltre has accumulated 412,404 votes, good for 5th in the AL. Beltre has just been placed on the disabled list, but prior to getting hurt Beltre was hitting .257 with 6 home runs and 18 RBI’s.
It is a travesty that Kyle Seager is not in the top 5 in voting. In my opinion, Seags, Machado and Donaldson are the top 3 third basemen in the AL, and each deserves to be in Cincinnati this summer. Seager is hitting .277 with 9 home runs and 29 RBI’s this season.
Next: Shortstop
May 30, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners shortstop Brad Miller (5) yells after scoring a run in the seventh inning against the Cleveland Indians at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports
Shortstop
Not much has changed in the top 5 shortstops this week, but there has been 1 slight alteration. Alcides Escobar is the leader once again, followed by Jose Iglesias, Marcus Semien and Jed Lowrie, but Xander Bogaerts has overtaken Jose Reyes for the 5th spot.
Alcides Escobar is leading the pack with 2,269,046 votes. Escobar is having a sub par season, hitting .276 with 2 home runs, 17 RBI’s and 3 stolen bases for the Kansas City Royals.
May 13, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers shortstop Jose Iglesias (1) throws to first base against the Minnesota Twins at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Jose Iglesias is in 2nd place among shortstops, but sits nearly 1,000,000 votes behind Escobar. Iglesias has accumulated 1,277,558 votes thus far in 2015. The Tigers’ shortstop is hitting .338 with 1 home run, 7 RBI’s and 7 stolen bases.
Marcus Semien has had a great debut season with the A’s, but the fans have only voted 630,167 times for the talented 24-year-old. Semien is hitting .283 with 6 home runs, 16 RBI’s and 7 stolen bases.
Jed Lowrie retains the 4 spot on the list after receiving 511,714 votes. Lowrie is hitting .300 with 4 home runs, 10 RBI’s and 1 stolen base for the first place Houston Astros.
Fans have voted 327,682 times for Xander Bogaerts this year. The 22-year-old is hitting .274 with 2 home runs, 17 RBI’s and 1 stolen base this season for the Red Sox.
Brad Miller is back to being the M’s everyday shortstop, but he has failed to crack the top 5 in voting again this week. Miller is currently mired in a cold spell, and his season numbers have suffered because of it. The 25-year-old is hitting .226 with 5 home runs, 14 RBI’s and 4 stolen bases. If he can raise his average in the coming weeks, he might be able to generate some momentum in voting.
Next: Left Field
May 28, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners left fielder Dustin Ackley (13) walks back to the dugout after striking out during the ninth inning of a 5-3 loss to the Cleveland Indians at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Left Field
The top 5 left fielders are exactly the same as a week ago. Alex Gordon is in front, followed by Yoenis Cespedes, Michael Brantley, Hanley Ramirez and Brett Gardner.
Alex Gordon would be the starting left fielder in the All Star Game if the voting ended today. Gordon’s 1,917,834 lead all other left fielders in the AL, and is the 3rd highest tally amongst outfielders. He is hitting .273 with 6 home runs and 25 RBI’s this season for the Royals.
Yoenis Cespedes is 2nd with 1,024,346 votes. Cespedes is hitting .283 with 7 home runs and 28 RBI’s in his first season in Detroit.
May 5, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Cleveland Indians center fielder Michael Brantley (23) homers against the Kansas City Royals during the first inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
Michael Brantley has tallied 906,788 votes so far this year. Brantley is hitting .302 with 4 home runs and 27 RBI’s this season with the Tribe.
Hanley Ramirez remains in 4th place this week with 644,212 votes. Ramirez is hitting .261 with 12 home runs and 27 RBI’s in his debut season with the Red Sox.
Brett Gardner is a quality outfielder for the New York Yankees, but he has received just 458,849 votes this season. Gardner is hitting .273 with 4 home runs, 21 RBI’s and 12 stolen bases in 2015.
It is understandable why Dustin Ackley has not accumulated many votes this season. Ackley is hitting just .185 with 4 home runs and 10 RBI’s this season for the M’s. I think it is fair to say that it will be an uphill battle for Ackley to make the All Star team in 2015.
Next: Center Field
May 30, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners center fielder Austin Jackson (right) reacts to getting tagged out at second base by Cleveland Indians shortstop Jose Ramirez (11) in the first inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports
Center Field
There has been a bit of a change in the top center field vote getters. Lorenzo Cain is still the leader, followed by Mike Trout, Adam Jones and Jacoby Ellsbury. However, that is where the list ends. MLB.com only releases the top 15 outfielders, and this week only 4 center fielders appeared on the list.
The Royals’ Fans deserve some respect at this point. Lorenzo Cain is beating the best player on the planet in All Star votes. Cain has tallied 2,506,859 votes this season. The 29-year-old is hitting .297 with 3 home runs, 20 RBI’s and 9 stolen bases.
Jun 1, 2015; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout (27) rounds the bases after hitting a three-run home run in the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
There is no doubt that Mike Trout deserves to be the AL’s starting center fielder, but the fans are letting him down. Trouty has registered 2,371,435 votes. The 23-year-old is hitting .294 with 13 home runs, 30 RBI’s and 8 stolen bases for the Halos.
Former Mariner Adam Jones sits 3rd in voting at 1,514,836. Jones is hitting .299 with 6 home runs, 26 RBI’s and 3 stolen bases with the Baltimore Orioles.
Jacoby Ellsbury is 4th in center field balloting with 888,192 votes. Ellsbury is hitting .324 with 1 home run, 6 RBI’s and 14 stolen bases for the Yankees.
Austin Jackson has made minimal impact on the Mariners’ offense since his return to the starting lineup last week. Jackson is not a top vote getter, and understandably so. AJ is hitting .244 with 2 home runs, 6 RBI’s and 6 stolen bases.
Next: Right Field
May 29, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners designated hitter Seth Smith (7) is greeted in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run against the Cleveland Indians during the sixth inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Right Field
There is a slight change at the bottom of the right field rankings this week. Alex Rios is still in 1st, followed by Jose Bautista, Josh Reddick and Carlos Beltran, but Torii Hunter has overtaken J.D. Martinez for 5th on the list.
It is laughable that Alex Rios is the voting leader in right field. Rios has 1,249,073 votes despite playing just 8 games this season for the Royals. The 34-year-old is hitting .281 with 1 home run and 8 RBI’s.
Jose Bautista is having a down season, but he has still accumulated 792,897 votes. Bautista is hitting .242 with 7 home runs and 30 RBI’s this season for the Blue Jays.
Apr 16, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Twins right fielder Torii Hunter (48) before the game against the Kansas City Royals at Target Field. The Minnesota Twins beat the Kansas City Royals 8-5. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Josh Reddick sits 3rd in balloting with 650,756 votes. Reddick is having a great season in the East Bay, hitting .302 with 7 home runs and 31 RBI’s.
Carlos Beltran is 4th with 471,929 votes. It is amazing Beltran has garnered any All Star votes after hitting just .242 with 4 home runs and 21 RBI’s for the Yanks.
It is great to see Torii Hunter’s name on the list. Hunter has led the Twins to the best record in the AL Central, and currently has 386,847 votes. The 39-year-old is hitting .279 with 7 home runs and 32 RBI’s. Fingers crossed we get to see one final All Star appearance for Hunter this summer.
Seth Smith‘s performance in 2015 has been greatly appreciated by M’s fans, but the rest of the league is not paying him much attention. Smith did not make the top 5 again this week. Smitty is hitting .262 with 5 home runs and 14 RBI’s this season for Seattle.
Next: Designated Hitter
May 28, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners designated hitter Nelson Cruz (23) laughs in the dugout before a game against the Cleveland Indians at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Designated Hitter
The designated hitter standings are identical to those of a week ago. Nelson Cruz retains the top spot, followed by Kendrys Morales, Alex Rodriguez, David Ortiz and Victor Martinez.
Mariners’ fans rejoice! We finally have one of our guys ranked in the top 5. Nelson Cruz has been remarkable in his first season in the Emerald City, and the rest of the league has taken notice. Cruz leads all other DH’s with 2,108,584 votes. He deserves every one of them after hitting .333 with 18 home runs and 38 RBI’s this season for Seattle.
May 22, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals base runner Kendrys Morales (25) rounds second base after a single by batter Alex Gordon (not pictured) against the St. Louis Cardinals during the fifth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
Former Mariner Kendrys Morales is in 2nd place after receiving 1,827,730 votes. Morales is hitting .304 with 6 home runs and 37 RBI’s this season for the Royals.
Alex Rodriguez is 1st in votes for the most hated player in professional sports, and currently sits 3rd in voting for the All Star game with 563,288. A-Rod is hitting .282 with 11 home runs and 27 RBI’s this season for the Yankees.
Perennial All Star, David Ortiz is 4th with 507,712 votes. Ortiz has struggled this season, hitting .224 with 6 home runs and 18 RBI’s.
Victor Martinez has accumulated 391,538 votes, good for 5th in voting. V-Mart has battled injuries all season, and is hitting .216 with 1 home run and 15 RBI’s.
Next: Conclusion
May 8, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager (15) makes a catch on the warning track during the third inning against the Oakland Athletics at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports
Conclusion
All of us have failed our Mariners. Whether it is because of the discouraging start or pure laziness, only 1 Mariner is in the top 5 in voting at his position. Northwest sports fans know that the rest of the country overlooks us, but we can still band together and get our guys into the mid-summer classic.
Use the Kansas City Royals’ fans as motivation. Small market teams can register big vote numbers. All it takes is dedication. Seattle fans have proven time and again their dedication to their teams, but the Mariners need more support.
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There is still plenty of time to vote for your favorite Mariners. The All Star Game is not until July 14, and the voting does not close until a week or so before first pitch. This link will take you to the voting screen. Don’t worry about voting for undeserving M’s, the Royals’ fans have no shame in this regard and neither should we.
It is up to us to do our job to give Robinson Cano, Kyle Seager and Nelson Cruz a chance to represent our M’s in Cincinnati this July. Let’s get Voting!
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