The MLB all-star voting process has come into question after the most recent voting update featured Kansas City Royals in eight of nine possible starting positions.
While the Royals do have deserving candidates such as catcher Salvador Perez, third baseman Mike Moustakas, and centre fielder Lorenzo Cain, the idea of replacement-level second baseman Omar Infante starting the all-star game has made a mockery of the process.
So, we decided to make an all-star ballot of our own.
Instead of just selecting all Royals, here are the players who actually deserve to start the all-star game for the American League:
Catcher
Vote leader: Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals
Who it should be: Russell Martin, Toronto Blue Jays 
Our rationale: Oakland’s Stephen Vogt was strongly considered due to his production at the plate, but when you account for Martin’s arm, his pitch framing metrics and his offensive output, he has the leg up over the Athletics catcher.
First Base
Vote leader: Eric Hosmer, Kansas City Royals
Who it should be: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers 
Our rationale: Albert Pujols of the Los Angeles Angels is making a late push, but the selection of Cabrera was a no-brainer. The Tigers slugger leads all qualified AL first basemen in total bases, OPS, and wins above replacement (WAR), per FanGraphs.
Second Base
Vote leader: Omar Infante, Kansas City Royals
Who it should be: Jason Kipnis, Cleveland Indians 
Our rationale: Infante’s inclusion has caused many to question the effectiveness of fan voting. Instead, the Indians second baseman is the far more deserving choice. While Boston’s Dustin Pedroia and Houston’s Jose Altuve had good cases, Kipnis leads all qualified AL second basemen in hits, walks, triples, batting average, on-base percentage, and WAR.
Shortstop
Vote leader: Alcides Escobar, Kansas City Royals
Who it should be: Xander Bogaerts, Boston Red Sox 
Our rationale: The Red Sox haven’t had much go right this season, but the play of their young shortstop has been a silver lining. The 22-year-old has been an all-around contributor this season and just got the edge over Detroit’s Jose Iglesias.
Third Base
Vote leader: Mike Moustakas, Kansas City Royals
Who it should be: Josh Donaldson, Toronto Blue Jays
Our rationale: Don Cherry has a point. Donaldson was an obvious pick, since he leads all third basemen in runs, home runs, WAR, OPS and wRC+ while holding his own on defence. In our view, Donaldson is currently the leading candidate for the AL MVP award.
Outfielder
Vote leader: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
Who it should be: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels 
Our rationale: Hey, even the Royals fans acknowledged that Trout is worthy of a starting spot. He leads all outfielders in more advanced metrics such as WAR and OPS and traditional numbers including runs and home runs (he’s tied with Nelson Cruz). The Angels outfielder is a elite defender as well, making him an obvious choice.
Outfielder
Vote leader: Lorenzo Cain, Kansas City Royals
Who it should be: Lorenzo Cain, Kansas City Royals 
Our rationale: What do you know? The Royals fans actually got one right. Detroit’s Yoenis Cespedes had the strongest case outside of Trout when it came to pure offensive production but defence played a large factor in our selections, which is primarily why we awarded Cain with a starting spot. Some would prefer more offence here, but when you factor in rest of the power throughout the roster, we’ll be just fine with an elite-level defender.
Outfielder
Vote leader: Alex Gordon, Kansas City Royals
Who it should be: Adam Jones, Baltimore Orioles 
Our rationale: This was the toughest selection of all. There were plenty of legitimate candidates including Cespedes, Jose Bautista, Josh Reddick, and George Springer, but Jones’ all-around production stood out. The Orioles centre fielder is the best defender among the candidates listed above and yet still ranks in the top-10 among AL outfielders in total bases, home runs, WAR, and OPS.
Designated Hitter
Vote leader: Kendrys Morales, Kansas City Royals
Who it should be: Nelson Cruz, Seattle Mariners
Our rationale: For sheer amusement, Alex Rodriguez garnered some consideration but he ultimately didn’t win out. Instead, Seattle’s Nelson Cruz was the home run pick (pun intended). Cruz technically plays outfield for Seattle, but he’s listed on the ballot as a designated hitter. The veteran slugger has been an absolute monster since joining the Mariners as a free agent, batting .311 with 18 home runs, and a .938 OPS entering play Wednesday.
