Now that All-Star Game voting has opened, the casual fan may be wondering how to make an informed vote.  We’ve compiled this season’s statistics in three key categories below.  The stats we focus on are WAR, WPA, RE24.

What metrics did we choose and why?

WAR: “The WAR value calculated for a player is claimed to be the number of additional wins his team has achieved above the number of expected team wins if that player was substituted by a replacement-level player: a player that may be added to the team for minimal cost and effort.” Source: Wikipedia

WPA: “Win probability added (WPA) is a sport statistic which attempts to measure a player’s contribution to a win by figuring the factor by which each specific play made by that player has altered the outcome of a game.” Source: Wikipedia

RE24: “is based on the concept of run expectancy, which provides the average number of expected runs per inning given the current number of outs and placement of baserunners.” Source: FanGraphs

Leaders are listed for each league and position, along with our pick (based on positional rankings across all three metrics).  Interestingly, the only consensus picks at this point are Brian McCann, Chris Davis, Manny Machado, Daniel Murphy, David Ortiz, and Bryce Harper.

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87th MLB All-Star Game presented by MasterCard®

Date: Tuesday, July 12
Game Time: TBA; Television coverage begins at 4:30 p.m. Pacific Time (7:30 p.m. Eastern Time)
Location: Petco Park
TV Network Coverage: Fox (US); Multiple International Networks
Radio: ESPN
Cost: Approx. $275 and up through resellers
Tickets: Sold out; available through resellers such as Vivid Seats, Stub Hub, Cheap Tickets, Ticket City, Prime Sport, Ticket Network, Seat Geek, and Tickets Now.

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Here is this week’s news and discussion relating to the 2016 MLB All-Star Game.

Weekend (4/30-5/1)

• Cause for concern: One player on every MLB team who needs to turn his season around (USA Today)
• MLB April All-Stars: Harper, Machado, Syndergaard lead month’s best (Sports Illustrated)
• MLB Takeaways – League News Round-Up (01 May) (Real Sport 101)
• Saturday Links: All-Star Game, Ellsbury, Prospects, DL (River Ave Blues)
• Twins’ Park Byung-ho Listed as MLB April All-Star (KBS World Radio)

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Now that baseball season is underway, talk of the All-Star Game has started up.  Here’s a recap of this week’s headlines:

4/24/16

• 2016 All-Star voting begins today (Royals Review)
• All-Star Game fan voting starts; Royals’ Ned Yost will manage AL team again (The Kansas City Star)
• MasterCard, MLB Expand Partnership (Media Post)
• MLB All-Star Game 2016: Ballot released, available online (Sporting News)
• MLB news and rumors for April 24: Brantley could be activated Monday (CBS Sports)
• Voting opens for MLB All-Star Game (KMBC)
• Yes, you can already cast votes for the 2016 MLB All-Star Game in San Diego (CBS Sports)
• You can now vote for the All-Star Game representatives (Today’s Knuckleball)

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In January of 2014, BleacherReport predicted that 7 up-and-coming players would make the All-Star Game within 3 years.  Those players were: Byron Buxton (OF), Oscar Taveras (OF), Xander Bogaerts (SS), Archie Bradley (RHP), Francisco Lindor (SS), Gregory Polanco (OF), and Austin Hedges (C).  Tragically, Oscar Taveras passed away in a car accident in October of 2014. While each of the other players has received recognition on some level, none have yet reached the level of MLB All-Star.  This year may be the year for one or more of these players, but the 2016 All-Star Game will mean the expiration of this prediction.

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A few days ago, CBS Chicago quoted MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred as saying, “It makes sense the Cubs get an opportunity ahead after the new renovations are complete.”  He went on to say, “This will provide the Cubs and Ricketts family a chance to showcase the unbelievable renovation they are in the midst of doing for Wrigley Field. Timing wise, we have the schedule of cities set through Washington ( in 2018). We will have an open and complete competition for the All-Star Game beyond that time.”

Naturally, the commissioner’s words have stirred speculation and hopes among Cubs fans for the opportunity to host the 2019 All-Star Game.  Sporting News also made note of the commissioner’s quotes although refrained from speculation.  Fox Sports went out on the limb a bit more to suggest that the Cubs are likely to host the game in the near future while hinting at the 2019 season.  Chicago Now has placed their guess on the year 2020, rather than 2019.  Our readers may remember that ASG News speculated that it was possible for Chicago to leapfrog L.A. because of their renovations, although for now our projection for 2019 continues to be Toronto, given that the National League will have hosted four years in a row, and it’s certainly possible that the Wrigley renovations might not be completely wrapped up in time.

While the location for the 2019 All-Star Game is still unknown, we know that the commissioner has his eye on Chicago.  The city certainly is due to host the game soon and the excitement around their renovations could help them cut to the front of the line.  Cubs fans have taken the commissioner’s latest statement as a good sign that they will have the opportunity to showcase a renovated Wrigley Field soon after the project is completed.