I thought it would be interesting to put together a lineup of the best players by position, from both the NL and the AL, since we are about a month into the 2017 MLB season. So, without further ado here’s a look at my National League all-star lineup by position from the first month.
Pitcher – Clayton Kershaw – Los Angeles Dodgers
This was a very tough choice, probably the toughest call of any position on the list. Kershaw is tied for the NL lead in both wins and strikeouts. He has four wins and 39 strikeouts. He’s posted a 4-1 record and continues to be one of the best pitchers in the league. His 2.29 ERA through 35.1 innings so far this season ranks tenth in the NL.
Catcher – Buster Posey – San Francisco Giants
This one probably doesn’t come as a surprise, but as usual Posey is putting up excellent numbers both defensively and offensively for the Giants. Posey has one of the most impressive batting lines at the position posting a .357/.446/.893 in 56 plate appearances. His .446 OBP is second in the NL to only Manny Pína of the Brewers who has 13 less at bats. Posey’s .571 stolen base percentage is tied for second in the NL among catchers with at least ten games behind the plate this season.
First Base – Eric Thames – Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers rookie has taken the league by storm, smashing 11 home runs in 73 at bats to lead the league. His .904 slugging percentage leads the entire MLB among players with at least 23 plate appearances. Thames’ line of .370/.489/1.393 is absolutely ridiculous, especially considering he is a rookie and this is his first time facing MLB pitchers. It will be interesting to see how Thames fares for the rest of the season, obviously he has been extremely entertaining thus far.
Second Base – Daniel Murphy – Washington Nationals
Murphy has been outstanding for Washington so far this season. He’s been solid both at the plate and defensively. Murphy’s five home runs lead NL second baseman. His .974 OPS is second in the NL among players with at least 19 plate appearances. He has committed just two fielding errors so far and boasts an impressive .978 fielding percentage.
Third Base – Nolan Arenado – Colorado Rockies
Arenado has been a nightmare for opposing pitchers this year. His seven home runs are tied for the lead in the MLB at the position and his 16 RBIs are good enough for fourth in the NL. His .314/.368/1.031 is more than solid. Hopefully he can continue to terrorize pitchers at this rate for the remainder of the season.
Shortstop – Corey Seager – Los Angeles Dodgers
Seager has emerged as one of the best shortstops in the league both offensively and defensively. In 189 innings this year at short Seager has committed just two errors and earned a solid .977 fielding percentage. At the plate Seager has been an absolute monster. His 17 RBIs are tied for the lead in the MLB among shortstops and he is first in the NL at the position with five dingers on the year.
Left Field – Marcell Ozuna – Miami Marlins
Ozuna is a guy who has a ton of power, but is not limited to strictly home runs like a lot of other power hitters at the position. His six home runs are tied for second in the NL at the position, while his 21 RBIs are fourth in the entire MLB and higher than anyone else in the league in left. One downside to Ozuna is his 24 strikeouts rank second in the NL at the position, but his production is undoubtedly enough to outweigh that stat.
Center Field – Charlie Blackmon – Colorado Rockies
In my opinion Blackmon has been the one of, if not the best, center fielders in baseball. Blackmon’s seven home runs lead the league at the position and his 23 RBIs are eight more than the runner up (Miami’s Christian Yelich.) Blackmon’s .304/.356/1.009 batting line is insane, especially when you consider that he is tied for the lead at the position in plate appearances with 92. His 1.009 OPS is best in the NL among fellow center fielders. Blackmon is solid in the field as well with a .978 fielding percentage.
Right Field – Bryce Harper – Washington Nationals
This is probably the most obvious choice of the entire list. Harper has been on an absolute tear this season and is obviously one of the best players in the entire league. His .418 batting average is highest in the league among players with at least 44 plate appearances. He has the most impressive line, not only on this list, but in the league, and it’s not even close. Harper sits with a cool .418/.535/1.358 in 79 at bats. His eight homers also lead the league at the position.
Relief Pitcher/Closer – Greg Holland – Colorado Rockies
Another tough call, but I had to go with Holland considering he is 9/9 in save attempts and his nine saves lead the MLB. Holland has appeared in 10 relief innings for the Rockies this year and sits with a 1.80 ERA. He has struck out 11 and opposing batters do not fare well against him averaging just .176.
It was tough putting this list together and there may have been some guys equally deserving of making it, but I definitely think this is a good looking squad. Keep an eye out for my AL roster coming out soon!
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