2017 MLB All-Star Rosters: Biggest Snubs and Surprises

The 2017 MLB All-Star Game rosters are officially in, which means it's time for the squabbling to begin.

Oh, sure, some spots are occupied by players with unassailable credentials. Inevitably, however, there are a handful of snubs and surprises worth noting in the starting lineups, benches and pitching staffs.

What follows isn't an exhaustive list—your mileage will vary based on perspective and team affiliation—but it's a fine starting point for #ASG teeth-gnashing and discussion.

Surprise: Corey Dickerson Gets the Starting AL Nod at DH

Stephen Brashear/Getty Images

The Tampa Bay Rays are an easy-to-ignore franchise. They're a frequent small-market success story, but they've never won a World Series and have toiled under the ignominious label of Florida's other team.

Corey Dickerson, meanwhile, was an eighth-round pick in 2010 by the Colorado Rockies who had teased flashes but never consistently delivered in parts of four MLB seasons.

Now, Dickerson is an All-Star starter at designated hitter thanks to a robust .321 average and .925 OPS. 

In the final tally, Dickerson beat out much more decorated and recognizable names, including the Seattle Mariners' Nelson Cruz.

You can't ignore that.

Snub: J.T. Realmuto, C, Miami Marlins

B51/MarkABrown/Getty Images

The San Francisco Giants' Buster Posey will be the starting catcher for the National League, with the St. Louis Cardinals' Yadier Molina as his backup.

On optics and reputation, that's nearly unassailable.

However, while Posey deserves the starting gig, there's a case to be made for Miami Marlins backstop J.T. Realmuto to make the team over Molina.

Realmuto has the edge on Molina in average (.289 to .273), OPS (.797 to .727) and fWAR (1.7 to 1.0). 

Yes, Molina has the storied track record and sterling Cards resume. With the game being played at Marlins Park, though, it would have been nice to see Realmuto get the call.

Surprise: Jose Ramirez Gets the Starting AL Nod at 3B

Duane Burleson/Getty Images

The Cleveland Indians haven't run away with the American League Central after winning the AL pennant in 2016.

Third baseman Jose Ramirez, meanwhile, has established himself as a bona fide stud at the hot corner.

Ramirez leads all players at his position in either league with a .325 average and .963 OPS. Given his relatively low name recognition, however, it was possible a shinier player enduring a much worse season (like, say, the Baltimore Orioles' Manny Machado) could snatch his place.

Instead, the 24-year-old Dominican overcame Minnesota Twins slugger Miguel Sano (who made the team as a reserve) to earn a start.

"It's something I'm super happy about," Ramirez said, per Zack Meisel of Cleveland.com. "Because it's been a personal goal of mine and I reached it. It feels really good, because a lot of people want to be here, where I am right now."

Snub: Chris Archer, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays

Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

All-Star pitching staffs and benches are notoriously tough to select. You've got to account for the players' vote, managers' selections and the need for every club to have a representative.

That said, it's tougher to defend Chris Archer's snub.

The Tampa Bay Rays right-hander ranks fourth among all hurlers with 3.0 fWAR. His 3.92 ERA doesn't leap off the stat sheet, but his 3.07 FIP—a stat that accounts for factors beyond a pitcher's control—suggests some bad luck.

More than anything, Archer is a lively, compelling personality. 

As MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred put it in April, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times: "From our perspective, Chris Archer may be the sort of ideal major league player—he's articulate, he's inquisitive, he's community-minded and he loves the game. You just can't ask for a better package than that."

Maybe send him to South Beach, then?

Surprise: Nolan Arenado Gets the Starting NL Nod at 3B

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

Nolan Arenado had already overtaken the Chicago Cubs' Kris Bryant for the vote lead at third base in the NL before the final results were announced. So this isn't necessarily a bombshell.

Still, the Colorado Rockies third baseman toils in relative anonymity despite his offensive and defensive prowess. 

"Nolan's one of the best players in the game," Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez said during the 2016 All-Star festivities, per USA Today's Ted Berg. "I feel like he doesn't get enough attention because of where we play—not a lot of people watch the Rockies everyday, but this guy is special."

Arenado also didn't crack MLB.com's list of the top 20 jerseys sold, an inauspicious indicator in a contest that's mostly about popularity.

Bryant, for what it's worth, was No. 1 on that jersey list. 

The Cubs are wobbling after winning a long-awaited title in 2016, though. The Rockies have lost nine of their last 10, but they're a scrappy factor in the National League West.

Whether that or his deserving stats buoyed Arenado, Rocks fans and the baseball world will take it.

Snub: Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, Arizona Diamondbacks

Norm Hall/Getty Images

It's a banner year for first basemen, especially in the NL.

The Washington Nationals' Ryan Zimmerman, who got the Senior Circuit starting nod, is enjoying a phenomenal comeback season. The Cincinnati Reds' Joey Votto is also deserving after getting a reserve slot.

The Diamondbacks' Paul Goldschmidt, however, needs to be in the starting lineup.

We'll lean on fWAR, which has Goldschmidt leading all first basemen with a mark of 3.9. Plus, his 19 home runs and 13 stolen bases give him a shot at a 30-30 season, an anomaly at his position.

Again, we're not taking anything away from Zimmerman. But if Goldschmidt—who slipped in as a reserve—isn't picked as the NL's designated hitter by manager Joe Maddon, the Cubs skipper will have some serious 'splaining to do.

All statistics current as of Sunday and courtesy of MLB.com and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.