All MLB Teams: Very Tough Decisions

As fans participate in the classic annual debates surrounding traditional Major League Baseball awards, they will once again have the opportunity to help select the All MLB Team.

The nominees for the 2021 MLB All Team have already been announced. Like the last two years, there will be an All MLB First and Second Team.

Fan voting will run until November 19 at 5 pm In the final election, fan opinion will count for 50% of the votes and the other 50% will be from a panel of experts. Winners will be announced on December 2 on the MLB Network.

Voters are asked to consider only what was done during the regular season when filling out their ballots. Each team will have one draft pick at each position (including designated hitter and three outfielders, regardless of the specific position of the patrollers), five starting pitchers and two relievers.

Fans will have an interesting job when they try to choose from a roster that includes 66 position players (seven catchers, 10 first basemen, nine second basemen, 10 shortstop, seven third basemen, five designated hitters, and 18 rangers) and 38 pitchers (22 starters and 16 relievers).

The Dodgers lead the way with 10 nominees, including at least one player at each position with the exception of second base. Those candidates are catcher Will Smith, first baseman Max Muncy, shortstops Trea Turner and Corey Seager, third baseman Justin Turner, ranger Mookie Betts (selected to First Team All MLB in 2020 and Second Team All MLB in 2019), starting pitchers Max Scherzer (First All MLB Team in 2019), Walker Buehler, Mexican Julio César Urías and reliever Kenley Jansen.

The White Sox top the AL ninth with nine nominees, including five pitchers. They have a trio of starters – Lance Lynn, Dylan Cease and Carlos Rodón – in battle, plus the dominant bullpen duo of Liam Hendriks (First Team All MLB in 2020 and Second Team All MLB in 2019) and Craig Kimbrel .

Some key injuries in 2021 certainly opened the doors for new picks.

Mike Trout, who was part of the All MLB First Team in 2019 and 2020, was barely able to play in 36 games this year due to a strained right calf. For his part, Jacob deGrom – who was also in the 2019 and 2020 First Team – seemed headed for his third pick before being sidelined with a right forearm problem. The only other player to be named to the First Team in each of the previous two seasons was DJ LeMahieu, who was not nominated now in 2021.

There will be very complicated selections. Can anyone beat the MVP finalists at first base (Vladimir Guerrero Jr.), second base (Marcus Semien), shortstop (Fernando Tatis Jr.) or designated hitter (Shohei Ohtani)?

Speaking of Ohtani, he has a chance of becoming the first player to be named to the All MLB Team in more than one position, as he is one of 22 nominees for 10 spots – five in the First Team and five in the Second Team – among the starting pitchers. Although Ohtani looks like the favorite among the BD in a group that also includes JD Martinez, Giancarlo Stanton, Yordan Alvarez and Nelson Cruz of the Dominican Republic, the competition between pitchers looks more uphill.

Along with the Cy Young Award finalists in the National League (Scherzer, Corbin Burnes, and Zack Wheeler) and the AL (Lynn, Gerrit Cole, and Robbie Ray), the pool of nominees also includes aces such as Buehler, Brandon Woodruff, and Kevin Gausman. , among other prominent candidates.

Once they figure that out, it still remains to decide how to navigate among the outfielders, where MVP finalists such as Bryce Harper and Juan José Soto are, as well as Betts, Nick Castellanos, Aaron Judge, Cedric Mullins and Teóscar Hernández.

All-Star selections focus only on what was done in the first half, while MVP and Cy Young awards recognize the best players in each league. But it is time for you to cast your votes and help select the best players for the entire campaign across the Big Top. Let the debates begin.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr., TOR
Max Muncy, LAD
Joey Votto, CIN
Matt Olson, OAK
Freddie Freeman, ATL
José Abreu, CWS
Paul Goldschmidt, STL
Yuli Gurriel, HOU
Pete Alonso, NYM
Ryan Mountcastle, BAL

Marcus Semien, TOR
Brandon Lowe, TB
Ozzie Albies, ATL
José Altuve, HOU
Jonathan India, CIN
Whit Merrifield, KC
Jake Cronenworth, SD
Jorge Polanco, MIN
Adam Frazier, SD

Rafael Devers, BOS
Austin Riley, ATL
José Ramírez, CLE
Manny Machado, SD
Nolan Arenado, STL
Justin Turner, LAD
Yoán Moncada, CWS

Fernando Tatis Jr., SD
Carlos Correa, HOU
Trea Turner, LAD
Xander Bogaerts, BOS
Bo Bichette, TOR
Brandon Crawford, SF
Tim Anderson, CWS
Corey Seager, LAD
Trevor Story, COL
Nicky Lopez, KC

Salvador Perez, KC
Will Smith, LAD
Buster Posey, SF
Mike Zunino, TB
JT Realmuto, PHI
Yasmani Grandal, CWS
Willson Contreras, CHC

Shohei Ohtani, LAA
JD Martinez, BOS
Giancarlo Stanton, NYY
Yordan Alvarez, HOU
Nelson Cruz, TB

Cedric Mullins, BAL
Bryce Harper, PHI
Juan Soto, WSH
Tyler O’Neill, STL
Nick Castellanos, CIN
Aaron Judge, NYY
Teóscar Hernández, TOR
Jesse Winker, CIN
Bryan Reynolds, PIT
Mitch Haniger, SEA
Kris Bryant, SF
Mookie Betts, LAD
Kyle Tucker, HOU
Randy Arozarena, TB
Adam Duvall, ATL
Kyle Schwarber, BOS
Enrique Hernandez, BOS
Adolis Garcia, TEX

Max Scherzer, LAD
Walker Buehler, LAD
Corbin Burnes, MIL
Gerrit Cole, NYY
Lance Lynn, CWS
Robbie Ray, TOR
Zack Wheeler, PHI
Shohei Ohtani, LAA
Julio César Urías, LAD
Kevin Gausman, SF
Dylan Cease, CWS
Carlos Rodón, CWS
Brandon Woodruff, MIL
Logan Webb, SF
Adam Wainwright, STL
Charlie Morton, ATL
Max Fried, ATL
Chris Bassitt, OAK
Jose Berríos, TOR
Freddy Peralta, MIL
Sandy Alcantara, MIA
Lance McCullers Jr., HOU

Josh Hader, MIL
Liam Hendriks, CWS
Kenley Jansen, LAD
Ryan Pressly, HOU
Mark Melancon, SD
Raisel Iglesias, LAA
Emmanuel Class, CLE
Giovanny Gallegos, STL
Craig Kimbrel, CWS
Jake McGee, SF
Devin Williams, MIL
Andrew Kittredge, TB
Garrett Whitlock, BOS
Jonathan Loáisiga, NYY
Jordan Romano, TOR
Aroldis Chapman, NYY