Have you ever wondered what an MLB All-Pro team would look like? Here’s your chance.
Major League Baseball and the NHL have one thing in common. Neither sports have an All-Pro award. The NFL and NBA are heavy on that award, and it even helps some guys get into the Hall of Fame. Change is possibly coming though as Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan was able to poll various figures in the league to put together baseball’s first ever All-MLB teams.
A wide variety of figures around the league including players, general managers, writers and broadcasters were all surveyed by Yahoo Sports, and there was only one unanimous decision. That would be Indians’ pitcher Corey Kluber.
The goal was to create the equivalent of what the NBA and NFL do, and find the best players at each position. Pitchers weren’t based on order in the rotation, and relievers weren’t based on what specific situations they were used. Just the 15 best starters, and 15 best relievers.
The New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians both led baseball with six players making the teams. The Dodgers, Nationals and Diamondbacks each had five players. Every National League team had at least one player make a team, but six American League teams failed to have a player make any team.
The White Sox, Tigers and A’s all traded players that would go on to make one of the teams. Ballots were casted for 115 players, and the widest variation came from catcher that had eight different players nominated, and utilityman that had 12 players nominated.
Notable names on the First team are Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez, Cardinals left fielder Tommy Pham and Angels center fielder Mike Trout.
Second team included Giants catcher Buster Posey, Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton, Rockies center fielder Charlie Blackmon and Yankees relief pitcher Chad Green.
Finally, the Third team included Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman (who missed a lot of time with a broken wrist), Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons and two ties. One at right field between the Red Sox Mookie Betts and the Diamondbacks J.D. Martinez. The second at starting pitcher between the Dodgers Alex Wood and the Phillies Aaron Nola.
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The idea of an All-MLB team is a fantastic idea seeing as the All-Star game only rewards half of a season, and if you don’t win MVP well then you’re out of luck. This rewards those guys who had a fantastic season, and gives them the recognition they deserve.
What do you think of the list, and who do you think got snubbed?