Major League Baseball announced the rosters for the 2016 All-Star Game today and there were two Colorado Rockies among them on the National League side. Nolan Arenado was named to his second Midsummer Classic and Carlos Gonzalez will make his third appearance in the game that decides home-field advantage in the World Series for some reason.
Arenado was edged by Kris Bryant of the Chicago Cubs for the starting spot at third base, which will certainly be the source of ire for Rockies fans everywhere. The Cubs had five players named to the starting lineup, including former Rockies Dexter Fowler. They could have six if Jake Arrieta starts on the mound.
Arenado has played in 81 of the Rockies 82 games so far in 2016. In those games, he has posted a slash line of .290/.364/.574 and is second in the National League with 22 home runs. His defense reflects his resume that already includes three Gold Gloves all holding an open spot for the fourth that will be joining them at season’s end.
In the first full season since the departure of Troy Tulowitzki, Arenado has emerged as the leader of Rockies — as confirmed to BSN Denver by Mark Reynolds — at the ripe age of 25.
Carlos Gonzalez has played in 79 of the Rockies 82 games so far in 2016 and is having a career year in his age-30 season. Posting a slash line of .317/.366/.561 with 18 home runs, Gonzalez has already matched his WAR total (2.4) from 2015, a season in which he blasted 40 home runs.
On the most recent BSN Rockies Podcast, we discussed CarGo’s resurgence and how closely related it is to his health. Jake Shapiro goes through the numbers showing that Gonzalez may, in fact, be having his best season ever.
Trevor Story — whose historic start to the 2016 season put him in the national spotlight at the very beginning of his career — is eligible to be voted in on the final fan vote.
DJ LeMahieu despite, the credentials that Shapiro laid out earlier today, was not named to the All-Star Game and can’t even get in on the final vote. For shame.
The National League roster is:
Starters:
Buster Posey, C (SFG)
Anthony Rizzo, 1B (CHC)
Ben Zobrist, 2B (CHC)
Addison Russel, SS (CHC)
Kris Bryant, 3B (CHC)
Bryce Harper, OF (WAS)
Yoenis Cespedes, OF (NYM)
Dexter Fowler, OF (CHC)
Bench:
Adam Duvall, OF (CIN)
Corey Seager, SS (LAD)
Jonathan Lucroy, C (MIL)
Wil Myers, 1B (SDG)
Matt Carpenter, 3B (STL)
Paul Goldschmidt, 1B (ARI)
Nolan Arenado, 3B (COL)
Daniel Murphy, 2B (WAS)
Wilson Ramos, C (WAS)
Carlos Gonzalez, OF (COL)
Odubel Herrera, OF (PHI)
Marcell Ozuna, OF (MIA)
Starting Pitchers:
Clayton Kershaw (LAD)
Jake Arrieta (CHC)
Noah Syndergaard (NYM)
Stephen Strasburg (WAS)
Madison Bumgarner (SFG)
