MLB All Star Ballot: Blue Jays vs The Leaders

Tuesday, Major League Baseball announced the current vote totals for this year’s All Star game to be played in Cincinnati on July 14. And, right now, there are 5 Blue Jays who are fighting for top spot at their position on the MLB All Star ballot. In case you are unaware, fans can vote for the representative for each position. The top vote getter at each position becomes the starter for the All Star game. So, while to some, this may seem like a glorified popularity contest, there is some importance placed on this process. Remember, the winning team secures home field advantage during the World Series for its respective team. High stakes, indeed.

You can vote for your favorite Toronto Blue Jays player HERE. You can vote up to 35 times! Get clicking!

As well, certain players may have bonuses tied to an All Star appearance. But, if you set aside all of that, the All Star game is about the game’s stars showcasing their talents. And, while the players are voted in, the best players should play in the Mid-Summer Classic. Right now, the standings are full of Kansas City Royals at or near the top of each position. There are 5 Blue Jays, though that have eyes on supplanting them. With an eye to having the best players represent their teams, I thought it would be interesting to look at each position the Blue Jays are contending in and compare the ballot leader to our Toronto Blue Jays.*

For example, at shortstop, Alcides Escobar (Royals) leads the pack with nearly 1.2M votes. Jose Reyes is in 5th with just 217K votes. At catcher, Russell Martin sits in 3rd with 395K votes while Salvador Perez, who leads all players, has almost 1.5M. While the leaders at each position may be the current popular pick (with a while to go), are they the better player? Or, more specifically, are they better than the Blue Jays’ player on that list?

Some of the comparisons will help explain the standings, others may help convince you to cast your vote. Let’s go!

*All stats up to date heading into play Tuesday night.

Next: Can the Rookie Get Voted In?