MLB All-Stars: The Best Player at Each Position to Never Make an All-Star Team

By now, the MLB All-Star Game rosters have been pored over and critiqued and, like every season, there have been some notable snubs.

With only so many spots available, it is inevitable that there will be at least a few deserving players left off the All-Star Game rosters each season, and the debate over who should have made it may be the most fun part of the rosters being announced.

However, for some players, they went their entire careers without making an All-Star team, despite being among the best at their position at the time, and posting more than deserving numbers.

So here is a look at the best player at each position who has never been named to the All-Star team. Take note that most players are from within the last 30 years or so, as the addition of more teams has meant less roster flexibility and more snubs in recent history.

Catcher: Bengie Molina

Career Stats (13 Seasons)

.274/.307/.411, 1,317 Hits, 144 HR, 711 RBI, 457 R

Best Season (2008) 

.292/.322/.445, 155 Hits, 16 HR, 95 RBI, 46 R

Career Summary

The first of the infamous Molina brothers to make it to the big leagues, Bengie was easily in the top tier of offensive catchers during the 2000s, and he was a fine defender as well.

He tallied double digit home runs eight different times, while driving in at least 60 runs in six seasons and he did that while winning a pair of Gold Gloves as a member of the Angels.

Best Chance to Make the All-Star Team

Surprisingly enough, the best chance Molina ever had of making the All-Star team was probably his first full season in the big leagues, as he had a .307 BA, 11 HR, 42 RBI line at the break during the 2000 season.

However, the starter was long-time All-Star Ivan Rodriguez (.366 BA, 26 HR, 80 RBI)—rightfully so as he had a monster first half. After that, the only backup on the AL squad was Jorge Posada (.309 BA, 14 HR, 41 RBI) who won out on name recognition with strikingly similar numbers to Molina.

First Base: Eric Karros

Career Stats (14 Seasons)

.268/.325/.454, 1,724 Hits, 284 HR, 1,027 RBI, 797 R 

Best Season (1999)

.304/.362/.550, 176 Hits, 34 HR, 112 RBI, 74 R

Career Summary

Karros broke into the big leagues full-time with the Dodgers in 1992, taking home the NL Rookie of the Year Award in what was the first of five straight seasons a Dodgers player would win the award.

He was a consistent power threat in the middle of the Los Angeles order for 11 seasons, hitting over 20 home runs eight times, and driving in over 100 runs on five separate occasions.

Best Chance to Make the All-Star Team

His best chance to make the team came in 2000, when he was hitting .265 BA, 25 HR, 70 RBI at the break. However, he was passed over for Mark McGwire (.303 BA, 30 HR, 69 RBI), Todd Helton (.383 BA, 21 HR, 70 RBI) and Andres Galarraga (.294 BA, 20 HR, 62).

Then, when McGwire bowed out with an injury, Bobby Cox chose shortstop Edgar Renteria (.273 BA, 10 HR, 38 RBI) to replace him. Needless to say, Dodgers fans were not happy and Karros went on to finish his career without ever playing in the Midsummer Classic.

Second Base: Jim Gantner

Career Stats (17 Seasons)

.274/.319/.351, 1,696 Hits, 47 HR, 568 RBI, 726 R, 137 SB

Best Season (1983)

.282/.329/.401, 170 Hits, 11 HR, 74 RBI, 85 R, 5 SB

Career Summary

While guys like Robin Yount and Paul Molitor got the attention in Milwaukee, Gantner was a staple of the Brewers infield for his entire 17-year career, and he put up solid offensive numbers at a position where that was rare.

He hit over .270 10 different times, while driving in at least 40 runs in seven seasons. That may not seem like much but, for a solid defensive second baseman during the 1980s, hitting in the bottom of the lineup, that was not too shabby.

Best Chance to Make the All-Star Team

Gantner enjoyed a career year offensively in 1983 and at the break he was well on his way to those career-best numbers with a line of .271 BA, 7 HR, 38 RBI. That was not enough to earn him a place on the AL roster though.

Manny Trillo (.270 BA, 0 HR, 19 RBI) got the starting nod for the American League, and Lou Whitaker (.310 BA, 5 HR, 31 RBI) was the lone backup at second base, as Gantner missed the cut in what would certainly qualify as a snub.

Shortstop: Orlando Cabrera

Career Stats (15 Seasons)

.273/.319/.393, 2,020 Hits, 122 HR, 837 RBI, 979 R, 213 SB

Best Season (2003)

.297/.347/.460, 186 Hits, 17 HR, 80 RBI, 95 R, 24 SB

Career Summary

Cabrera has been unappreciated for much of his career, as he spent his first eight seasons toiling in relative obscurity in Montreal, all the while producing top-flight offensive numbers and playing Gold Glove defense.

He finally gained some recognition when he was traded to the Red Sox midway through the 2004 season, and he helped the team go on to the World Series title that season. With over 2,000 career hits, and consistently solid power and run production numbers, it is hard to believe he has never been an All-Star.

Best Chance to Make the All-Star Team

Cabrera had the best season of his career in 2003, and it was thanks in large part to a phenomenal first half in which he hit .300 BA, 15 HR, 51 RBI, 11 SB, yet somehow he was over looked for the All-Star Game.

Instead, Edgar Renteria (.331 BA, 9 HR, 60 RBI, 23 SB) was voted in as the starter, while Rafael Furcal (.282 BA, 13 HR, 38 RBI, 14 SB) was the only backup shortstop on the squad.

Renteria certainly deserved the start, but with four other Braves on the roster there is no reason Cabrera should not have gotten the nod over Furcal.

Third Baseman: Eric Chavez

Career Stats (14 Seasons)

.267/.343/.478, 1,286 Hits, 230 HR, 793 RBI, 735 R

Best Season (2001)

.288/.338/.540, 159 Hits, 32 HR, 114 RBI, 91 R

Career Summary

Chavez may very well have gone down as one of the best third basemen of all time had he managed to stay healthy, as he hit .273 BA, 199 HR, 660 RBI from 2000-2006 and he was still only 28 years old at that point, with six straight Gold Gloves to boot.

However, since then he has played in a total of 171 games, hitting .237 BA, 18 HR, 77 RBI. Nonetheless, during that six-year stretch he was in the argument for top third baseman in baseball, and certainly deserved All-Star recognition.

Best Chance to Make the All-Star Game

Chavez put together some very good first halves during his career, entering the break with at least 10 HR and 40 RBI seven different times. However, his best first half came in 2002 when he hit .271 BA, 20 HR, 58 RBI, yet that still was not enough.

Making the AL roster instead was starter Shea Hillenbrand (.298 BA, 13 HR, 51 RBI), and reserves Robin Ventura (.263 BA, 19 HR, 62 RBI) and Tony Batista (.269 BA, 19 HR, 53 RBI). Surely, when you add in his superior defense, Chavez deserved a spot over someone here.

Left Field: Kirk Gibson

Career Stats (17 Seasons)

.268/.352/.463, 1,553 Hits, 255 HR, 870 RBI, 985 R, 284 SB

Best Season (1985)

.287/.362/.518, 167 Hits, 29 HR, 97 RBI, 96 R, 30 SB

Career Summary

Gibson began his career with the Tigers back in 1979, but he did not become an everyday player until the 1984 season. He was a true power-speed threat, recording five straight 20/20 seasons from 1984-1988.

While his best statistical season came in 1985, he is best known for his 1988 season when he led the Dodgers to the World Series in his first season with the team, winning the NL MVP and hitting one of the most memorable home runs in baseball history in Game 1of the World Series.

Best Chance to Make the All-Star Team

Gibson had the best first half of his career in 1985, when he hit .296 BA, 18 HR, 61 RBI, 12 SB, but that was not enough to earn a spot on the AL roster.

He was passed over for Rickey Henderson (.357 BA, 11 HR, 37 RBI, 41 SB), Dave Winfield (.297 BA, 12 HR, 53 RBI) and Jim Rice (.274 BA, 17 HR, 56 RBI) for starting spots, while the reserve spots went to Harold Baines (.296 BA, 8 HR, 50 RBI), Phil Bradley (.310 BA, 13 HR, 45 RBI, 10 SB), Tom Brunansky (.265 BA, 19 HR, 56 RBI) and Gary Ward (.282 BA, 5 HR, 40 RBI, 14 SB).

In all fairness, however, Bradley (Mariners), Brunansky (Twins) and Ward (Rangers) were their team's only representatives, while five of Gibson's teammates made the AL roster.

Center Field: Garry Maddox

Career Stats (15 Seasons)

.285/.320/.413, 1,802 Hits, 117 HR, 754 RBI, 777 R, 248 SB

Best Season (1976)

.330/.377/.456, 175 Hits, 6 HR, 68 RBI, 75 R, 29 SB

Career Summary

Maddox may be best remembered for the role he played on the Philadelphia Phillies 1980 World Series winning team, but he had a terrific career well beyond that one season.

With double digit home runs in six seasons, 20 or more steals in eight seasons and eight Gold Glove awards, he could do a little bit of everything. Throw in the fact that his nickname "Secretary of Defense," is among the coolest of all time, and he is more than All-Star worthy.

Best Chance to Make the All-Star Team

During the 1976 season, the Cincinnati Reds dominated the All-Star roster as seven of their eight position players were named to the team. That did not leave many spaces for players from other teams and because of that Maddox was snubbed during the best first half of his career.

With a stat line of .321 BA, 5 HR, 40 RBI, 13 SB he was certainly All-Star worthy, but instead he was overlooked for George Foster (.327 BA, 17 HR, 72 RBI), Dave Kingman (.234 BA, 30 HR, 69 RBI) and Greg Luzinski (.307 BA, 12 HR, 57 RBI) in the starting lineup.

The backups were Cesar Cedeno (.297 BA, 14 HR, 48 RBI, 28 SB), Ken Griffey (.340 BA, 4 HR, 50 RBI, 22 SB), Bake McBride (.345 BA, 3 HR, 18 RBI), Al Oliver (.360 BA, 12 HR, 49 RBI).

Right Field: Tim Salmon

Career Stats (14 Seasons)

.282/.385/.498, 1,674 Hits, 299 HR, 1016 RBI, 986 R

Best Season (1995)

.330/.429/.594, 177 Hits, 34 HR, 105 RBI, 111 R

Career Summary

After a 23-game stint with the Angels in 1992, Salmon took over as the full-time right fielder in 1993 and went on to win the AL Rookie of the Year when he hit .283 BA, 31 HR, 95 RBI.

He would go on to a terrific career, topping the 30-home-run plateau five times, and driving in over 80 runs seven different times. A case can be made that he is the best player in Angels history, but he was never good enough to represent the team come July.

Best Chance to Make the All-Star Team

Take your pick from a handful of good first halves that Salmon put together. There were at least four seasons he was more than deserving; 1993 (.282 BA, 17 HR, 58 RBI), 1994 (.291 BA, 19 HR, 63 RBI), 1996 (.293 BA, 22 HR, 58 RBI) and 1997 (.282 BA, 15 HR, 60 RBI).

However, he had to compete with guys like Ken Griffey Jr., Kirby Puckett, Manny Ramirez, Juan Gonzalez, Kenny Lofton, Albert Belle, Paul O'Neill and Bernie Williams for spots as well as his own teammates Jim Edmonds, Garret Anderson and Darin Erstad. In the end, it just was not in the cards for Salmon.

Starting Pitcher: Dennis Leonard

Career Stats (12 Seasons)

144 Wins, 106 Losses, 3.70 ERA, 107 ERA+, 1.262 WHIP, 1,323 Ks

Best Season (1977)

20 Wins, 12 Losses, 3.04 ERA, 134 ERA+, 1.110 WHIP, 244 Ks

Career Summary

The 1970s were a Golden Age of pitching, with future Hall of Famers like Tom Seaver, Jim Palmer, Nolan Ryan, Steve Carlton, Fergie Jenkins and Gaylord Perry dominating hitters league-wide. With that many big-name pitchers, there was bound to be a few good hurlers who didn't get the recognition they deserved, and Leonard was one of those guys.

From 1975-1980, Leonard won 107 games, including 20 or more three times, and he led the American League in wins with 20 in 1977. His career was a relatively short one, as he pitched just nine full seasons, but he was one of the most underrated pitchers of his era.

Best Chance to Make the All-Star Team

Leonard had nine wins at the All-Star break three separate times during his career, and had a career record of 67-62 in the first half during his career.

The best first half of his 12-year career came in 1976 when he went 9-3 with a 2.88 ERA, but he was passed over for Mark Fidrych (9-2, 1.78 ERA), Catfish Hunter (10-8, 3.34 ERA), Frank Tanana (10-6, 2.91 ERA), Luis Tiant (10-6, 2.92 ERA) and Bill Travers (10-6, 1.91 ERA). 

Certainly no one on that list deserved to be excluded, but Leonard was right there with them as one of the AL's top pitchers in the first half.

Relief Pitcher: Mike Adams

Career Stats (7 Seasons)

263 Games, 11 Wins, 9 Losses, 2.16 ERA, 287 Ks, 278.2 IP

Best Season (2010)

70 Games, 4 Wins, 1 Loss, 1.76 ERA, 73 Ks, 66.2 IP

Career Summary

Adams had an inauspicious start to his career, pitching three seasons with the Brewers before missing all of 2007 with knee problems and a shoulder surgery. He then went from the Brewers to the Mets to the Indians to the Padres in the span of three months.

He then emerged as a reliable reliever in 2008 with the Padres, with a 2.58 ERA in 54 appearances. It only got better from there as he had a 0.73 ERA in 37 outings the next season, and he had another great season last year.

Best Chance to Make the All-Star Team

Adams has been terrific since the start of the 2008 season, and it has been a trend of late to nominate middle relievers and setup men to the All-Star game. So, with a 1.32 ERA in 41 innings of relief so far in 2011, it seemed as though Adams would be on his way to Arizona.

However, he was passed over for Tyler Clippard (1.79 ERA, 50.1 IP) and Jonny Venters (1.46 ERA, 55.1 IP) as setup men, and it is hard to argue against the season's that they are having.