Picking the All-MLB Team at the 2015 Season's Quarter Pole

With just a quarter of the 2015 MLB regular season left to go, let's take a look at B/R's All-MLB team at this point of the campaign. 

Over the coming slides, we'll identify the very best of the best at each position. 

In some cases, like with Bryce Harper, Buster Posey and Josh Donaldson, the decision was clear-cut. Those players have been the top guys at their respective positions for all of 2015 and deserve recognition for their achievements. 

But there were some choices that weren't so easy to make. Max Scherzer or Zack Greinke? Brett Gardner or Yoenis Cespedes? Can selecting Carlos Correa at shortstop be justified? 

Using stats and their impact on their respective teams, we'll sift through the information available and make an educated choice. Make sure to let your voice be heard in the comments section below. Do you agree with these selections? If not, who do you think deserves to be added instead? 

Catcher: Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Buster Posey has been the best catcher in baseball, and it's not even close.

2015 Stats: .332/.391/.505, 16 HR, 75 RBI, 57 R, 2 SB, 154 wRC+, 5.2 WAR

With another standout season under his belt, Buster Posey is the obvious choice at catcher. 

Offensively, Posey has no equal in 2015. He leads all major league backstops in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, wRC+, RBI and WAR.  

But Posey's impact has extended far past his offensive accomplishments this season. The 28-year-old ranks second among catchers in defensive runs saved, first in caught-stealing percentage and second in extra strikes gained for his pitchers. 

According to Rob Arthur of FiveThirtyEight.com, that combination of pitch framing and run production makes Posey an underrated National League MVP candidate:

"

Once you factor in framing, Posey becomes a legitimate contender for the MVP. At 4.3 FanGraphs WAR, plus at least 1 win for his defensive skills, Posey is not far from Trout and Harper (6.3 and 6.0 WAR, respectively). Although his careful framing technique may go unnoticed by some, when you take it into account, Posey could be the best player in baseball right now.

 

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Honorable Mentions

Russell Martin, Toronto Blue Jays; Brian McCann, New York Yankees; Stephen Vogt, Oakland A's; Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals

First Base: Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks

Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Paul Goldschmidt is arguably the best player in baseball, but he doesn't get the love he deserves.

2015 Stats: .337/.450/.577, 22 HR, 79 RBI, 70 R, 19 SB, 173 wRC+, 5.3 WAR 

2015 has been the year of the first baseman, as players like Joey Votto, Anthony Rizzo, Mark Teixeira, Adrian Gonzalez, Brandon Belt, Albert Pujols and Chris Davis have all had outstanding seasons. 

But it's Paul Goldschmidt of the Arizona Diamondbacks who belongs at the top of the list. 

Goldschmidt leads all major league first basemen in batting average, on-base percentage, wRC+ and WAR. Among all hitters, he's first in batting average, second in OBP and fifth in slugging and RBI.

Goldschmidt has even swiped 19 bases. He's also taken your grandmother to the beauty parlor, walked your dog and painted your back porch.

In all seriousness, an argument can be made that Goldschmidt is the best right-handed hitter in baseball.

Despite his elite production, the 27-year-old still doesn't get the credit he deserves. But Goldschmidt's humble attitude and drive to continue to remain at the top of his game will turn him into one of baseball's biggest stars as the Diamondbacks improve.

"I know I've had success, but this is a game of what have you done for me lately," Goldschmidt told Mike Gavin of Newsday. "If you think you've got it figured out, baseball is a pretty humbling game. It will knock you down really quickly. My attitude is, if you're not getting better, somebody else is."

Honorable Mentions

Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds; Anthony Rizzo, Chicago Cubs; Mark Teixeira, New York Yankees; Adrian Gonzalez, Los Angeles Dodgers

Second Base: Jason Kipnis, Cleveland Indians

Associated Press/Associated Press

Jason Kipnis has bounced back from a horrible 2014 to become one of the game's top second basemen.

2015 Stats: .326/.401/.477, 6 HR, 39 RBI, 66 R, 11 SB, 146 wRC+, 5.0 WAR 

The Cleveland Indians haven't lived up to expectations in 2015, but the team can still claim baseball's top second baseman in Jason Kipnis. 

Kipnis endured the worst season of his career in 2014, but he has bounced back in an impressive way this season. The 28-year-old is enjoying a career-best batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, wRC+ and WAR. 

A big reason for Kipnis' success is his polished plate discipline. He has cut his strikeout percentage from a career 18.2 percent mark to 14.7 percent while maintaining a double-digit walk rate. 

Kipnis has attributed his turnaround to a pre-pitch adjustment with his hands, which has allowed him to hit the ball with authority to all parts of the field. As he told Joe Lemire of USA Today: 

"

The difference for me is that I've got my hands in a different position. It took a long time for me in years past for me to get into my load position, so I'm kind of trying to start them there. It's allowing me to let the ball travel a little farther, see the ball a little bit longer and let the pitch tell me what it's going to do rather than trying to anticipate it.

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Kipnis has been sidelined with right shoulder inflammation since early August, which could eventually open the door for Joe Panik or Brian Dozier to take over this spot. But for now, there's nobody more deserving than Cleveland's second baseman. 

Honorable Mentions

Joe Panik, San Francisco Giants; Brian Dozier, Minnesota Twins; Logan Forsythe, Tampa Bay Rays; DJ LeMahieu, Colorado Rockies

Shortstop: Brandon Crawford, San Francisco Giants

Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports

Brandon Crawford's breakout season has given the Giants an important offensive boost.

2015 Stats: .266/.326/.493, 19 HR, 71 RBI, 55 R, 4 SB, 131 wRC+, 3.7 WAR

Choosing a shortstop wasn't an easy task, as both Brandon Crawford and Carlos Correa deserve mention for vastly different reasons. But at this point in the season, Crawford's impact over the entire year just edged out Correa's two-month dominance. 

The 28-year-old has always been a slick defender. His 17 defensive runs saved in 2015 are tied for first among major league shortstops.

But Crawford's breakout season has come from significant leaps at the dish. After hitting 10 homers last season, Crawford has gone deep 19 times in 2015 and has already set career highs in runs and RBI. He's still proven to be strikeout-prone, but he avoids soft contact when he puts the ball in play. 

By season's end, Correa could very well end up passing Crawford on this list. Come on: The Houston Astros rookie has already hit 14 homers and has a near-3.0 WAR in just 54 games.

But if that happens, it won't be an indictment of Crawford. He's become an incredibly valuable piece for the San Francisco Giants, and he belongs in the discussion of baseball's premier shortstops. 

Honorable Mentions

Carlos Correa, Houston Astros; Jhonny Peralta, St. Louis Cardinals; Xander Bogaerts, Boston Red Sox; Troy Tulowitzki, Toronto Blue Jays

Third Base: Josh Donaldson, Toronto Blue Jays

Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Josh Donaldson has fit right in with the Blue Jays.

2015 Stats: .297/.365/.578, 31 HR, 83 RBI, 82 R, 4 SB, 158 wRC+, 6.2 WAR

When the Oakland A's traded Josh Donaldson to the Toronto Blue Jays last winter, it sent shockwaves through the baseball world. Needless to say, the All-Star third baseman was as surprised as the rest of the baseball world.

"I wouldn't say I was hurt because I understand that baseball is a business. But I was shocked,'' Donaldson told Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News. "If there was any kind of hurt, it was because I was going to be leaving a bunch of my teammates that I played with in the past."

But while Donaldson wasn't sure what to make of the deal at the time, he couldn't have landed in a better spot than Toronto. 

Among major league hitters, Donaldson ranks in the top six in homers, runs, RBI, slugging percentage and wRC+. He leads baseball in RBI and runs, using a stacked Toronto lineup to his advantage.

Manny Machado has lived up to his immense potential this season, but there's really no other choice but Donaldson here. He's become one of the most feared hitters in baseball and is a key cog in the best offense in the game. 

Honorable Mentions

Manny Machado, Baltimore Orioles; Justin Turner, Los Angeles Dodgers; Matt Duffy, San Francisco Giants; Todd Frazier, Cincinnati Reds

Left Field: Brett Gardner, New York Yankees

Associated Press

Brett Gardner's ability to get on base in front of the rest of the Yankees lineup has resulted in plenty of runs.

2015 Stats: .285/.368/.446, 11 HR, 49 RBI, 73 R, 15 SB, 127 wRC+, 2.7 WAR

Yes, Yoenis Cespedes could easily get the nod here. Nobody would argue against his 18 homers, 66 RBI and near-.500 slugging percentage this season. 

But in terms of importance and consistency, Brett Gardner has been baseball's top left fielder this season. 

The New York Yankees outfielder has been a steadying force in one of the game's top lineups. Gardner has gotten on base at a high clip, which has resulted in the team lead in runs scored. In fact, Gardner is tied for fifth in baseball in runs and has given the heart of the Yankees lineup plenty of RBI opportunities. 

More importantly, Gardner's pigpen, lunch-pail playing style is a breath of fresh air for a Yankees fanbase accustomed to inflated payrolls and the egos that go with it.

Tanya Bondurant of SB Nation's Pinstripe Alley perfectly summed up Gardner's work ethic recently: 

"

Perhaps the most endearing thing about Gardner is that he leaves everything on the field seemingly every time he goes out there to play. He works counts at the plate, uses his speed to advance himself on the bases, and basically serves as a defensive vacuum cleaner in the outfield. He seems to be ready and willing to do whatever it takes to help the team all the time.

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Again, Cespedes is deserving of a mention, as are Michael Brantley, Alex Gordon (who was the front-runner before suffering a groin injury in early July) and Starling Marte. But Gardner's presence atop the New York lineup is a big reason why the Yankees are in first place in the AL East, and that's why he's the best choice here.  

Honorable Mentions

Yoenis Cespedes, New York Mets; Michael Brantley, Cleveland Indians; Alex Gordon, Kansas City Royals; Starling Marte, Pittsburgh Pirates

Center Field: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Mike Trout has done nothing to lose his status as the best player in baseball in 2015.

2015 Stats: .302/.394/.608, 33 HR, 69 RBI, 78 R, 10 SB, 178 wRC+, 6.4 WAR

Another list, another Mike Trout inclusion. Being reminded of Trout's excellence might become redundant, but the best player in baseball has lived up to that billing in 2015. 

After launching 36 homers a season ago, Trout is on pace this season to go deep 40 or more times for the first time in his career. Once again, the 24-year-old is flirting with a .400 on-base percentage and has a slugging percentage over .600. 

Trout dropped hints that his offensive game was transforming last season with a surge in power, and that's continued to be the case in 2015. He may be running less, but he leads baseball in homers, ranks second in slugging percentage and third in isolated power and wRC+. He can still swipe a bag when he needs to, but Trout is seemingly focused on hitting the baseball as hard and far as he can.  

And yeah, he's only 24. As Ted Berg of For The Win put it, Trout has done nothing to indicate his career trajectory won't place him among the all-time greats one day:

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Back in 2013, we could dream on the possibility of Trout emerging as the greatest player ever. Two years later, he has done nothing to show he isn’t that. Watch Mike Trout play baseball—or keep watching Mike Trout play baseball—because there’s a real good chance that someday you’re going to want to tell your grandkids about watching Mike Trout playing baseball.

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Andrew McCutchen is great, Lorenzo Cain and A.J. Pollock are proving to be more than flashes in the pan and Joc Pederson has enjoyed a fabulous rookie season.

But this is Mike Trout we're talking about: the best player in the game and the best center fielder of 2015. 

Honorable Mentions

Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates; Lorenzo Cain, Kansas City Royals; A.J. Pollock, Arizona Diamondbacks; Joc Pederson, Los Angeles Dodgers

Right Field: Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Bryce Harper is in the midst of one of baseball's best-ever seasons.

2015 Stats: .335/.463/.656, 29 HR, 69 RBI, 76 R, 4 SB, 204 wRC+, 7.0 WAR

After a disappointing, injury-riddled 2014 season, the baseball world is finally seeing just how good Bryce Harper can be. 

There hasn't been a better hitter this season than Harper—plain and simple. The 22-year-old leads baseball in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, wRC+ and WAR, and he is second in batting average. Opposing pitchers are beginning to take notice, too, as Harper's 18.6 percent walk rate is the highest in the game. 

That fear from major league pitching has been well-earned. When Harper does make contact, it's hit hard more than 40 percent of the time, which ranks fifth in MLB. He's also lowered his soft-contact percentage from 17.9 to 12.3 percent, and his home run-to-fly ball ratio has also nearly doubled from last season. 

Harper is in the midst of an all-time season that will go down in history as one of the best ever, as B/R's own Danny Knobler points out:

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"By one significant measure, Harper is already having a season to match with the greats," Knobler wrote. "If you go by OPS+, a stat that attempts to equalize OPS (on-base plus slugging) by conditions of the era and the ballparks he plays in, Harper's 2015 season has been one that is basically reserved for Hall of Famers."

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He may still irk veterans and opposing fanbases, but Harper is finally backing up his brash persona with the appropriate production. Harper has not only been the best right fielder in the game in 2015, but he's been MLB's best player as well. 

Honorable Mentions

J.D. Martinez, Detroit Tigers; Josh Reddick, Oakland A's; Carlos Gonzalez, Colorado Rockies; Jason Heyward, St. Louis Cardinals

Designated Hitter: Nelson Cruz, Seattle Mariners

Associated Press

Nelson Cruz has continued to bash homers to all fields this season.

2015 Stats: .325/.391/.607, 33 HR, 69 RBI, 62 R, 3 SB, 179 wRC+, 4.2 WAR

Before the season, the Seattle Mariners were a dark-horse World Series contender, and it was due in large part to the acquisition of Nelson Cruz.

Seattle's preseason aspirations haven't panned out, but Cruz has fortified the middle of the Mariners lineup with elite offensive production. Among major league hitters, Cruz is tied for first in homers, second in wRC+, third in slugging percentage, fourth in isolated power, seventh in average and 10th in on-base percentage. 

Cruz has continued develop as a power hitter with pop to all fields. A quick glance at his spray chart from this season shows the slugger can hit the ball with authority to all fields, as 10 of his 33 homers have gone out to either center or right field. 

“Of course, there’s nothing cooler than seeing him launch one into the night,” Mark Trumbo told Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times. “He’s got power to all fields. It’s not like you can say we are going to pitch him away, because he can jut as easily go to right-center as he can to left.”

Cruz's lack of defensive ability obviously diminishes his overall value, but there aren't many more potent power bats in MLB. Alex Rodriguez has enjoyed a fantastic comeback season, but Cruz has set the pace for designated hitters in 2015.

Honorable Mentions

Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees; Jose Abreu, Chicago White Sox; Kendrys Morales, Kansas City Royals; Edwin Encarnacion, Toronto Blue Jays

Right-Handed Starter: Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals

Associated Press

Max Scherzer has dominated in his first season in Washington.

2015 Stats: 11-8, 2.44 ERA, 2.53 FIP, 162 IP, 10.61 K/9, 1.28 BB/9, 5.0 WAR

Whoa. How can a guy with a 1.71 ERA not be the choice here? That's a fine point—Zack Greinke is definitely deserving after a stellar 2015 campaign thus far.

But so is Max Scherzer, who has arguably been better than Greinke this season, despite a higher ERA. 

For one, Scherzer's 30.3 percent strikeout rate is significantly higher than Greinke's 23.5 mark. Not only has Scherzer missed more bats, but he's also walked fewer hitters. The reason for Greinke's lower ERA? An unfathomable 84.8 percent strand rate. Greinke's been better than Scherzer with runners on base, but that's really it. Those peripheral stats have led to Scherzer ranking third among major league pitchers in WAR. 

Scherzer has continued to evolve as a pitcher throughout his career. In 2010, he threw only three types of pitches the entire season. In 2015, he's thrown four pitches over 200 times, which has allowed him to save his top velocity for when he needs it most. 

Greinke has been great and was deserving of a start in the 2015 All-Star Game. But ERA isn't everything and can mislead the average fan. Looking at entire resumes, Scherzer has been the most dominant right-handed pitcher in baseball this year, and it's not really as close as it seems.

Honorable Mentions

Zack Greinke, Los Angeles Dodgers; Chris Archer, Tampa Bay Rays; Corey Kluber, Cleveland Indians; Jacob deGrom, New York Mets

Left-Handed Starter: Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Clayton Kershaw's slow start to the season is a distant memory.

2015 Stats: 9-6, 2.51 ERA, 2.24 FIP, 154 IP, 11.51 K/9, 1.75 BB/9, 5.1 WAR

What happened to those first-half concerns regarding Clayton Kershaw? Wait, you mean to say that the best pitcher in baseball actually overcame his struggles and pitched like the ace he really is?

Kershaw alleviated any worries of a decline in production with a torrid stretch in July that included a 37-inning scoreless streak. In 33 innings last month, the southpaw allowed one earned run. Just one. He struck out 45 batters, including three consecutive starts of 13, 14 and 11 K's.

In the process of his dominating performances, Kershaw accomplished something only one other man in the history of the game has ever done. 

"Here’s the crazy part: No pitcher before Kershaw has thrown back-to-back scoreless starts with no walks and at least 10 strikeouts since Cy Young did it in 1905," wrote Ted Berg of For The Win. "The Cy Young, of the eponymous pitching award. And Kershaw did it three times in a row."

So as we sit here in August, Kershaw is first in FIP and pitching WAR, second in K/9, 11th in ERA and 15th in ground-ball rate. He hasn't been as dominant as he was in 2014, but he's striking out more hitters and generating more ground-ball contact than he did a year ago. 

Dallas Keuchel and David Price have been excellent, and Chris Sale has struck out everything in sight, but Kershaw is still the premier left-hander in the game. 

Honorable Mentions

Dallas Keuchel, Houston Astros; David Price, Toronto Blue Jays; Chris Sale, Chicago White Sox; Jon Lester, Chicago Cubs

Relief Pitcher: Dellin Betances, New York Yankees

Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Dellin Betances consistently shuts down opponents for the New York Yankees.

2015 Stats: 6-2, 51 G, 1.26 ERA, 1.79 FIP, 57.1 IP, 14.28 K/9, 3.92 BB/9, 2.3 WAR

There are plenty of dominant relievers in MLB this season, but no late-inning option has pitched better more often than Dellin Betances. 

The New York Yankees setup man leads major league relievers in WAR and is second in innings pitched. Betances has allowed just eight earned runs this season, striking out 41 percent of the batters he's faced. 

When closer Andrew Miller missed time earlier this season, Betances slid right into the ninth-inning duties and saved seven ballgames. His versatility and durability give the Yankees and manager Joe Girardi a huge strategic advantage closing out games. Girardi told ESPN.com's Andrew Marchand the following:

"

It's been so important to us since he has emerged the last two years. He is able to give you multiple outs. He is very durable. He can shut down an inning. When you have a guy who has the ability to strike people out like that, you can really shut down an inning. You don't have to rely on a double play or a number of other things. He just means a ton to our team.

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Trevor Rosenthal and Drew Storen have locked down the final innings for their respective teams, Wade Davis has allowed three earned runs all season and Aroldis Chapman has struck out everything in sight, but no reliever is more important to his team than Betances. 

Honorable Mentions

Aroldis Chapman, Cincinnati Reds; Wade Davis, Kansas City Royals; Trevor Rosenthal, St. Louis Cardinals; Drew Storen, Washington Nationals

Advanced stats courtesy of FanGraphs and accurate as of Aug. 10.