MLB All-Star Rosters 2015: Biggest Oversights in American and National Leagues

The national pastime—arguing over All-Star voting—is underway once again.

The reserves and pitchers for the 2015 All-Star Game were revealed Monday, the results of which you can view below, courtesy of MLB Communications:

As is the case every year, fans and writers are debating the merits of the more questionable additions to the respective teams while bemoaning the absences of some of the more worthy stars.

To the credit of the fans, players and managers, neither the American League nor the National League roster is littered with issues. However, a few players have a strong argument for why they should be going to Cincinnati, Ohio, in one week's time.

American League

Brian Dozier, 2B, Minnesota Twins

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

This is more on the fans than Kansas City Royals manager Ned Yost or the American League players. The AL only has one reserve second baseman, who is deservedly Jason Kipnis. The problem is that Brian Dozier got completely crowded out of the team.

Let's look at the numbers between Dozier and Jose Altuve, who was voted in as a starter:

	AVG	OBP	SLG	HR	RBI	SB	ISO	wRC+	wOBA	WAR
Dozier	.260	.331	.511	16	40	7	.251	132	.361	2.8
Altuve	.301	.344	.418	7	35	24	.118	109	.327	2.2

Altuve getting into the All-Star Game isn't an indefensible crime. He is having a very good year—this isn't Omar Infante topping the ballots. It just so happens that Dozier is having a better year.

The Minnesota Twins star is included in the American League's Final Vote, but Grantland's Rany Jazayerli made light of why that battle might already be lost:

Corey Kluber, SP, Cleveland Indians

Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

I'm always a fan of blind comparisons, so here's a look at four different American League starting pitchers:

	ERA	K/9	BB/9	TAv	FIP	xFIP	WAR
Pitcher A	2.87	12.28	1.92	.219	2.09	2.28	3.7
Pitcher B	2.03	7.38	2.24	.192	2.92	2.77	2.9
Pitcher C	2.18	10.97	2.18	.207	2.46	2.49	3.4
Pitcher D	3.64	10.69	1.82	.237	2.45	2.56	3.5

Pitchers A, B and C are Chris Sale, Dallas Keuchel and Chris Archer, and they're all going to the All-Star Game. Pitcher D is Corey Kluber, and he is not.

Rather than arguing against Sale, Keuchel or Archer's inclusion, this is more arguing why Kluber should be in, especially ahead of either Kelvin Herrera or Darren O'Day. His normalized numbers are on par with among the best in the AL.

Kluber's All-Star candidacy was essentially doomed by factors outside his own control.

His defense has been terrible—opponents are hitting .341 on balls in play, which is the fifth-highest average in the majors among qualified starting pitchers. In addition, his offense is giving him 2.47 runs a game, lowest in the majors among pitchers with at least 80 innings, per ESPN.com.

Perhaps most infuriating about Herrera getting in over Kluber is Yost's justification for why Herrera is going to Cincinnati.

"The one thing he had that a lot of others didn't was he pitched in Game 7 of the World Series last year," he said, per Blair Kerkhoff of the Kansas City Star. "That was kind of a deciding factor for me."

Sure. Why not?

National League

Clayton Kershaw, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers

Harry How/Getty Images

Who else had Clayton Kershaw as one of the National League starting pitchers on the outside looking in?

Baseball Prospectus' Sam Miller wonders if it's even worth getting worked up about:

"

Torn between knowing Kershaw will ultimately make the ASG as a replacement and wanting to feel some emotion, any emotion at all.

— Sam Miller (@SamMillerBP) July 6, 2015"

Since he's one of the Final Vote candidates, Kershaw earning a ticket to Cincinnati is essentially a lock. Not only does he have one of the biggest markets behind him, but he has also been the best pitcher in baseball for the last four years, which will get the non-Dodgers fans on his side.

Much like with Kluber, Kershaw is likely getting punished for his poor win-loss record. Some might see a 5-6 record and feel that's not All-Star-worthy. Never mind the fact Kershaw is second in wins above replacement and fielding independent pitching among NL starting pitchers.

Making the case for Kershaw isn't a reputation thing. He shouldn't be 2015 All-Star because he has three Cy Young Awards in the past four seasons. He should be a 2015 All-Star because only Max Scherzer is having a better year on the mound in the National League.

Justin Turner, 3B, Los Angeles Dodgers

Harry How/Getty Images

If you didn't know any better, you'd think Bruce Bochy had some sort of vendetta against his NL West rivals. Obviously, that's not the case, and it's merely a coincidence two Los Angeles Dodgers rank among the biggest snubs.

In one tweet, Hardball Talk's D.J. Short managed to argue why Justin Turner should be in the All-Star Game and whom he'd essentially replace in the team:

Nolan Arenado is already on the NL roster, so it's not like D.J. LeMahieu needs to be the token Colorado Rockies player. While LeMahieu is a great defender, he offers little value at the plate. Even playing in hitter-friendly Coors Field hasn't resulted in any sort of marked improvement offensively for him.

A .298 average is good enough, but LeMahieu is slugging .387 with four home runs and 34 runs batted in.

Turner, meanwhile, is batting .312 with 11 homers and 37 RBIs in 94 fewer plate appearances. In addition, Turner's defensive versatility could've helped the NL in the same way Brock Holt's will benefit the American League.

Note: Stats are courtesy of FanGraphs, with exception of Baseball Prospectus' True Average (TAv), unless otherwise noted.