It’s fun to vote for MLB all stars

Have you voted?
Before you stop reading, thinking that a column about politics doesn’t belong on the sports page, rest assured, there will be no mention of Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, Mike Pence, John Gregg, Ted Champ or Chuck Huffman after this paragraph.
Voting in May and November elections is important. Casting a ballot for the Major League Baseball All-Star game is not quite as weighty. But it’s fun.
I have yet to look at an MLB ballot. I have not voted. I have not paid attention to who the leading vote-getters are. In the next 700 words or so, I will be making my picks with you in real time.
Let’s vote.

First base
American League: It really comes down to two candidates, Kansas City’s Eric Hosmer and Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera. Either one would be a solid pick. I’m taking Hosmer because he’s hitting 23 points higher and also offers the threat of the stolen base.
National League: There are more viable candidates here, including Anthony Rizzo of the Chicago Cubs. But he’s not my pick. Paul Goldschmidt of Arizona gets the nod for being strong across the board this season.

Second base
AL: Jose Altuve of Houston, no question. There are others who are playing well, but Altuve leads the position in batting average (.344) and stolen bases (18) while also offering the threat of power (10 home runs).
NL: If I’m going to play the batting average card with Altuve, I may as well use it here too. Washington’s Daniel Murphy is leading all of baseball with a .367 mark, nearly 50 points higher than anyone else at his position in the National League.

Shortstop
AL: I know before even looking that I’m going to pick Francisco Lindor. He plays for my Cleveland Indians and is deserving of a spot. This pick comes with apologies to Xander Bogaerts of the Red Sox, who should be the leading vote-getter.
NL: Corey Seager is only 22, but he’s ready. He’s hitting .284 with 15 home runs and 36 RBIs. An argument could be made for Jonathan Villar, Zach Cozart or Trevor Story, but I’m happy with the Dodgers’ youngster.

Third base
AL: This is a strong position, but Baltimore’s Manny Machado stands out. He’s second among the options in both batting average and home runs, and is among a group of eight players with 36 or more RBIs. Also, how is this kid still only 23 years old?
NL: Like Altuve, this is no question. Nolan Arenado of the Colorado Rockies is the easy choice. His 19 home runs are tied for second in the league behind Mark Trumbo. His 53 RBIs rank third. He’s an all-star.

Catcher
AL: Not only Is Kansas City’s Salvador Perez the best hitting catcher in the American League, he’s also one of the best defensive catchers. He’s thrown out 57 percent of those who have attempted stolen bases against him, having allowed just 13 in 50 games.
NL: This is between Wilson Ramos of Washington and Jonathan Lucroy of Milwaukee. Their hitting stats are close. Defensively, it’s hard to know what to think. Lucroy has thrown out many more runners, but that might just be because so few attempt to steal against Ramos. I’m taking Ramos, but this one could go either way.

Designated hitter
AL: Big Papi, Boston. David Ortiz is hitting .340 with 16 home runs and 55 RBIs. Is he sure he wants to retire?

Outfield
AL: This is always the most difficult position because, even though you can select three, there are so many players to choose from. I usually try to reward a speed guy and a power guy among my choices. Power is easy. That’s Trumbo and his league-leading 20 home runs. My speed guy will be Boston’s Mookie Betts, who earns the nod over Ian Desmond for his defensive work. The last spot goes to Mike Trout, because how could I keep the Los Angeles Angels superstar off the squad?
NL: Following my above formula, speed goes to Sterling Marte of Pittsburgh. He’s second in all of baseball with 19 stolen bases while hitting .332. The power spot is more difficult. I eventually decided I’d make Cincinnati fans happy by choosing either Jay Bruce or Adam Duvall, but not both. Bruce is my pick thanks to better batting average and on-base numbers. The last spot is wide open. Despite his attitude, I’m putting Bryce Harper of the Nationals on the team.

The voting doesn’t include pitchers, so that’s my squad.
None of this matters nearly as much as what we’ll do at the polls in November, but if you’re a baseball fan, it does make for a fun half hour.
So go to mlb.com and vote. Vote for the best players, vote for your favorites, vote based on whatever criteria you want.
Just vote.