MLB All-Star Voting 2015: Predicting Biggest Snubs for Summer Showcase

Fans have once again made a mess of the MLB All-Star Game voting.

Even after MLB cancelled 60-65 million votes, the Kansas City Royals continue to dominate the American League ballot. This wouldn't matter for any other exhibition game, but this event actually means something. 

The winner of the Midsummer Classic gets home-field advantage for the World Series. Ironically enough, Kansas City fans stuffing the ballots are hurting their team's chances of landing that edge if it returns to the championship. Having actual All-Stars fight for that privilege sure would help.

With the voting window set to close July 2, seven Royals are still entrenched in the AL's starting lineup. After looking at the latest voting update, courtesy of MLB Communications on June 22, let's look at three deserving starters who will have to settle for backup duty.

AL All-Star Voting

NL All-Star Voting

Starting Snubs

Jason Kipnis, 2B, Cleveland Indians

Jason Miller/Getty Images

Anyone who actually thinks Omar Infante deserves to represent an All-Star roster in a game that stupidly counts should be ashamed. If not for his credible glove, his .237/.243/.320 slash line and 49 weighted runs created plus (wRC+) would make him a below-replacement option. Instead, he has a wins above replacement (WAR) of 0.0. 

But hey, maybe he'll hit his first homer of the year at the Midsummer Classic. Or maybe he'll up his walk tally above three. Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times is among many not amused by Infante potentially starting the All-Star Game when he probably shouldn't even play every day for Kansas City:

There's still hope some justice prevails and he loses the starting nod to Jose Altuve. Hitting .292/.333/.406 with 21 stolen bases, his inclusion at least wouldn't be an embarrassment to baseball and democracy.

He's still not the right choice. Anyone with eyes and a basic understanding of numbers knows that honor easily goes to Jason Kipnis, who's batting .344/.420/.505 for the Cleveland Indians.

Far and away the best second baseman this year, he has also been the American League's best player. As of Sunday, his 4.5 WAR ranks second among all MLB position players, trailing only Bryce Harper.

Rank	Player	WAR*
1	Bryce Harper	4.9
2	Jason Kipnis	4.5
3	Paul Goldschmidt	4.3
4	Todd Frazier	4.3
5	Mike Trout	4.1
6	Josh Donaldson	4.1

Kipnis will have no trouble earning a reserve role, but that will make it tougher for the second-best option, Brian Dozier of the Minnesota Twins, to sneak onto the bench. 

Russell Martin, C, Toronto Blue Jays

Jim Rogash/Getty Images

Unlike Infante, Salvador Perez is an above-average player. Along with his .271 batting average and 12 homers, his renowned defensive reputation may have led the 25-year-old to his third straight All-Star appearance without the fans' help.

Like Infante, he's pitifully impatient, generating a .281 on-base percentage with only four walks. Russell Martin, meanwhile, has a .354 on-base percentage despite a similar .268 average. He has one less homer but a notably higher slugging percentage.

Player	AVG	OBP	SLG	HR	wRC+	WAR
Martin	.268	.354	.491	11	133	3.0
Perez	.271	.281	.459	12	101	1.2

Martin also gains a heavy edge in pitch-framing. According to Baseball Prospectus, Martin has saved his pitchers 39.8 extra strike calls with his framing. Perez, on the other hand, has cost the Royals 13.3 strikes. 

His mastery behind the plate sets the Toronto Blue Jays' offseason addition far above Perez and other closer candidates. Stephen Vogt has wielded a superior bat for the Oakland Athletics, brandishing a .300/.393/.532 slash line. Brian McCann doesn't trail tremendously behind with a dozen dingers and .482 slugging percentage.

Martin has the offensive and defensive merits to get respect from the coaches deciding the bench spots, but Perez's inclusion will leave Vogt and/or McCann—probably just McCann—out of the loop.

Todd Frazier, 3B, Cincinnati Reds

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Any National League complaints are more reasonable "the guy winning is really good, but this guy is a tad better" grievances. Todd Frazier remains in striking distance behind NL Central rival Matt Carpenter, a really good baseball player in his own right.

Yet Missouri has again ruined it for everyone by keeping Frazier out of the starting lineup. Rather than regression following a breakout year, he's getting even better. Only Giancarlo Stanton (27) has crushed more than his 25 homers, and his .618 slugging percentage ranks third behind Harper and Paul Goldschmidt.

Last week's update saw the Cincinnati Reds stud leapfrog rookie sensation Kris Bryant in the voting. The 29-year-old expressed optimism in continuing his late surge, per the Cincinnati Enquirer's C. Trent Rosecrans.

"I saw it a couple of days ago and I was two-and-a-half million off and now to be close to a million away, we're getting there," Frazier said. "We've just got to keep on going. Hopefully in these next 10 days, we can get two million. I know we can do it."

He's still a good deal behind Carpenter, and the St. Louis Cardinals are all prominently perched atop the ballot. On the bright side, Frazier's versatility makes him a nice asset for the NL's bench.

Note: All advanced stats courtesy of FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.