Selecting MLB's Mid-2014 Postseason All-Star Team

We have reached the midway point of the 2014 postseason, at least from a calendar standpoint, and it has already been an October to remember.

One side of this year's World Series matchup has been decided, with the Kansas City Royals sweeping the Baltimore Orioles in the American League Championship Series and continuing their unexpected run through the postseason.

The San Francisco Giants pulled within a game of punching their ticket as well Wednesday night, beating the St. Louis Cardinals to take a 3-1 series lead.

With the month halfway over, we have decided to name our mid-postseason All-Star team.

One player from each position (including DH), along with a starting pitcher and a closer, has been selected based on his overall performance this postseason. We also named a full All-Postseason rotation and bullpen in order to give the pitching side of things the attention it deserves.

Players from all 10 postseason teams were considered here, but guys who have played more games and advanced to their respective League Championship Series obviously had an advantage.

Catcher: Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants

Jason Miller/Getty Images

Postseason Stats

9 G, 13-for-39, 5 RBI, 4 R, 3 BB, 3 K

Overview

Few hitters were hotter than Buster Posey to close out the regular season. He hit .354/.403/.575 with 13 doubles, 12 home runs and 43 RBI after the All-Star break.

He has yet to tally an extra-base hit this October, but he has gone 4-for-9 with runners in scoring position and 3-for-8 with a pair of walks in late/close situations. That includes a big ALCS Game 4 where he was 2-for-3 with three RBI and a run scored, helping the Giants to a 3-1 series lead.

The only other backstop to receive serious consideration here was A.J. Ellis, who went 7-for-13 with a double and a home run in the National League Division Series while hitting out of the No. 8 spot in the Dodgers lineup.

First Baseman: Eric Hosmer, Kansas City Royals

Ed Zurga/Getty Images

Postseason Stats

8 G, 13-for-29, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 5 R, 7 BB, 8 K

Overview

After a terrific 2013 season, Eric Hosmer took a step backward during the regular season this year, hitting .270/.318/.398 with nine home runs and 58 RBI over 503 at-bats. He has come up big in his first postseason appearance, though, delivering one clutch hit after another.

After kicking things off with a key RBI triple in the Wild Card Game, he has continued to deliver, going 4-for-9 in late/close situations to help the Royals to an ALCS sweep.

Brandon Belt (10-for-32, 1 HR, 6 RBI) came through with the big blow in Game 2 of the National League Division Series for the Giants when he launched a game-winning home run in the 18th inning, and Matt Adams has a pair of huge home runs for the Cardinals.

Brandon Moss also deserves a mention for his performance in the Oakland A's Wild Card Game, as he went 2-for-5 with two home runs and five RBI in a losing effort.

Second Baseman: Kolten Wong, St. Louis Cardinals

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

Postseason Stats

7 G, 7-for-25, 3 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 4 R, 1 BB, 4 K

Overview

After an up-and-down rookie season saw him hit .249/.292/.388 with 12 home runs and 20 stolen bases, Kolten Wong has emerged as a star this postseason.

A goat last October when he was picked off of first base to end Game 4 of the World Series, Wong has been a hero for the Cardinals this time around. He hit the go-ahead two-run home run in the Cardinals' 3-1 victory in Game 3 of the NLDS and came through again with a walk-off blast in Game 2 of the NLCS.

The Cardinals currently trail the Giants 3-1 in their NLCS matchup, but Wong has been the best hitter on both sides, going 5-for-14 with two doubles, a triple, two home runs and four RBI.

Fellow rookie Joe Panik has also been terrific for the Giants, going 10-for-42 with three RBI and three runs scored.

Shortstop: Alcides Escobar, Kansas City Royals

Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Postseason Stats

8 G, 10-for-36, 2 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 5 R, 1 BB, 6 K

Overview

Already regarded as one of the better defensive shortstops in the league, Alcides Escobar took a step forward at the plate this season. He finished the year hitting .285/.317/.377 with 34 doubles and 31 stolen bases, and he moved into the leadoff spot in the lineup in the middle of September.

He homered in Game 1 of the ALCS and added an RBI double in Game 2; he has been a terrific table-setter atop the Royals' surprisingly productive lineup.

Erick Aybar (5-for-11, 1 2B) and Hanley Ramirez (6-for-14, 1 2B) were both eliminated in the division series but were productive in their brief playoff stints.

Third Baseman: Matt Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Postseason Stats

8 G, 10-for-33, 4 2B, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 6 R, 2 BB, 11 K

Overview

This was a tough call between Matt Carpenter and Mike Moustakas (7-for-25, 4 HR, 5 RBI, 6 R), as both guys have come through with some huge hits for their respective teams this postseason.

Moustakas had the game-winning home run in Game 1 of the American League Division Series, and he also went deep in Games 1 and 2 of the ALCS to help keep the momentum on the side of the Royals.

Not to be outdone, Carpenter had a sixth-inning home run and go-ahead three-run double off of Clayton Kershaw in Game 1 of the NLDS. He also hit a big game-tying home run in Game 2 of the series and got the Cards on the board with a solo shot in Game 3.

In the end, Carpenter got the nod over Moustakas, with Pablo Sandoval (12-for-39, 3 2B) and Anthony Rendon (7-for-19) also worth mentioning.

Left Fielder: Alex Gordon, Kansas City Royals

Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Postseason Stats

8 G, 6-for-27, 3 2B, 1 HR, 9 RBI, 3 R, 6 BB, 11 K

Overview

Alex Gordon might be the closest thing the Royals have to a superstar, at least among position players, and he turned in another terrific all-around season in 2014.

The 30-year-old hit .266/.351/.432 with 34 doubles and 19 home runs during the regular season and again ranked as the game's premier defensive left fielder. That all added up to a 6.6 WAR, good for seventh in the AL.

He is 3-for-10 with runners in scoring position this postseason, and he delivered the game-winning home run in Game 1 of the ALCS, capping off a 3-for-4, four-RBI day.

The Washington Nationals disappointed with their ALDS exit, but Bryce Harper turned in a big series, going 5-for-17 with a double and three home runs, and he deserves mention here.

Center Fielder: Lorenzo Cain, Kansas City Royals

Rob Carr/Getty Images

Postseason Stats

8 G, 12-for-34, 3 2B, 4 RBI, 9 R, 2 BB, 6 K

Overview

A number of players have used the postseason to make a name for themselves, with rookies Wong, Panik and Brandon Finnegan coming to mind immediately, but there is little question that the breakout star of this year's playoffs is Royals center fielder Lorenzo Cain.

Already regarded as an elite defensive center fielder, Cain took his offensive game to another level this season, hitting .301/.339/.412 and stealing 28 bases during the regular season.

He has come up with one defensive gem after another this postseason, but he has also been out of his mind at the plate in the ALCS, going 8-for-15 with two doubles to earn MVP honors.

"It's been going great right now," Cain told Pete Grathoff of The Kansas City Star. "Just that mentality of wanting to step up and be that guy to kind of lead our ballclub, I feel like I've done a great job of that, and I'm going to continue to do that. Hopefully, we can win it all."

Cardinals center fielder Jon Jay (12-for-25) has been terrific as well, but Cain gets the nod thanks to his stellar defense and big ALCS performance.

Right Fielder: Hunter Pence, San Francisco Giants

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Postseason Stats

9 G, 10-for-36, 3 2B, 3 RBI, 5 R, 4 BB, 6 K

Overview

While there were a number of left and center fielders worthy of mention, there is no clear standout performer among right fielders this postseason.

Randal Grichuk has hit a couple of big home runs for the Cardinals, while Nick Markakis (8-for-31, 1 2B, 1 HR) and Nori Aoki (7-for-27) have both been moderately productive in helping their teams reach the ALCS.

A case can be made for both of those guys being the selection here, but we'll go with Giants right fielder Hunter Pence.

He made a terrific catch to rob Jayson Werth in the NLDS, crashing into the wall at AT&T park, and he also came through with an RBI double to start the scoring in the team's win over the Cardinals in Game 3 of the NLCS.

Designated Hitter: Nelson Cruz, Baltimore Orioles

Rob Carr/Getty Images

Postseason Stats

7 G, 10-for-28, 1 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 5 R, 2 BB, 5 K

Overview

Nelson Cruz is no stranger to postseason success, dating back to his time with the Texas Rangers.

In 34 career playoff games heading into October, Cruz had a 1.018 OPS with nine doubles and 14 home runs. That included a phenomenal six-home run, 13-RBI performance in the 2011 ALCS that earned him MVP honors.

While the Orioles were swept in the ALCS, Cruz was at it again this postseason, with a pair of home runs and a team-high seven RBI.

Victor Martinez was 4-for-12 with two doubles and a home run on the losing side of the ALDS matchup against Cruz and the Orioles, capping off a phenomenal season that should see him finish near the top of the AL MVP voting.

Starting Pitcher: Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco Giants

Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images

Postseason Stats

3 GS, 2-1, 23.2 IP, 14 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 23 K

Overview

Clayton Kershaw and Chris Sale were generally considered to be the top two left-handed pitchers in baseball this season, and rightfully so, but Giants southpaw Madison Bumgarner belongs in that conversation as well.

The 25-year-old wrapped up the regular season at 18-10 with a 2.98 ERA and a career-high 219 strikeouts in 217.1 innings, making him an easy choice to take the ball for the team's Wild Card Game. He was nothing short of dominant in that game, allowing just four hits and striking out 10 in a complete-game shutout to advance the Giants to the NLDS.

He was rolling in his Game 3 start in the NLDS before making a throwing error in the seventh inning that wound up saddling him with the loss.

That did little to rattle him, though, as he was dominant once again in Game 1 of the NLCS. He allowed four hits and struck out seven in 7.2 scoreless innings, running his postseason away-game scoreless streak to a record 26.2 innings.

Complete All-Postseason Rotation

1. Madison Bumgarner, SF: (3 GS, 23.2 IP, 14 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 23 K)
2. Jordan Zimmermann, WAS: (1 GS, 8.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K)
3. John Lackey, STL: (2 GS, 13.0 IP, 10 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 11 K)
4. Zack Greinke, LAD: (1 GS, 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 K)
5. Doug Fister, WAS: (1 GS, 7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 K)

Closer: Greg Holland, Kansas City Royals

Rob Carr/Getty Images

Postseason Stats

8 G, 6-of-6 SV, 8.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 5 BB, 10 K 

Overview

Tough choice between Santiago Casilla and Greg Holland for top closer honors so far in this year's postseason.

Casilla has allowed just one hit in six appearances this postseason, going 10 straight games, including the regular season, without allowing a hit before a Game 4 single to Jon Jay. He's gone a perfect 4-of-4 on save chances to this point.

Holland has not been quite as untouchable, allowing three hits and one earned in his eight innings of work. However, he has nailed down each of his six save chances, including all four of the team's ALCS victories.

Yusmeiro Petit deserves a mention for his six innings of one-hit relief to earn the win in Game 2 of the NLDS, as that remains one of the more dominant performances of the postseason. He also picked up the win in Game 4 of the NLCS with three scoreless innings.

Kelvin Herrera and Wade Davis have continued to dominate setting up Holland, Andrew Miller has been lights out since joining the Orioles, and Pat Neshek remains the Cardinals' most reliable reliever.

Complete All-Postseason Bullpen

RHP Yusmeiro Petit, SF: (2 G, 2 W, 9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 11 K)
RHP Pat Neshek, STL: (7 G, 3 HLD, 6.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K)
RHP Kelvin Herrera, KC: (7 G, 2 HLD, 8.1 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 10 K)
RHP Wade Davis, KC: (8 G, 2 HLD, 9.1 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 10 K)
LHP Andrew Miller, BAL: (5 G, 2 HLD, 7.1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K)
RHP Santiago Casilla, SF: (6 G, 4/4 SV, 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K)
RHP Greg Holland, KC: (8 G, 6/6 SV, 8.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 5 BB, 10 K)

Unless otherwise noted, all stats are courtesy of Baseball-Reference and accurate through Wednesday, Oct. 15.