Preview/Prediction

The 2016 MLB All-Star Game is rapidly approaching, and this year's ballot closes Thursday, with the league announcing the full rosters next Tuesday.

Major League Baseball released a final voting update Monday afternoon, which is available courtesy of CBS Sports' Mike Axisa.

Democracy has fared well enough in the MLB All-Star Game balloting, where fans are set to send deserving starters to this year's Midsummer Classic.

As much as Kansas City Royals fans have tried to ruin the voting process, the American League starting squad is in great shape. While the National League leaderboard isn't perfect, one of the two major mistakes could correct itself before the polls close Thursday at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Yadier Molina has established a stellar reputation throughout his 13 years with the St. Louis Cardinals as one of the best defensive catchers in the game's history.

When it comes to his prowess behind the plate at blocking potential wild pitches, framing pitches over the outside or the inside corner and throwing out potential base stealers, Molina belongs in the same class as Johnny Bench and Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez.

The Chicago Cubs starting rotation enters Tuesday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals with a cumulative 2.34 ERA, which would be the lowest combined mark by any team's starters since 1919, per MLB Stat of the Day.

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Kenley Jansen enters the week needing just one more save to pass Eric Gagne for sole possession of first place on the franchise's all-time saves list, per MLB Stat of the Day.

Though only 28 years old and now in his seventh MLB season, Jansen is already set to hold a key record for one of MLB's most storied franchises.

Few pitchers in baseball have been better than Michael Fulmer (7-1, 2.52 ERA) of the Detroit Tigers (34-32) lately, as the rookie has been nearly unhittable over his past four starts en route to a personal five-game winning streak.

Fulmer will try to make it six in a row when he and the Tigers visit the defending World Series champion Kansas City Royals (35-31) in the second game of a four-game series Friday as -115 road betting favorites (bet $115 to win $100) at sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark.

MLB teams can't count on prospects flying in from the minor leagues to save the day. 

Last year's influx of talent spoiled baseball fans. Kris Bryant, Carlos Correa, Francisco Lindor and Noah Syndergaard wasted no time assimilating to the big leagues, instead offering All-Star production from Day 1. Welcoming such an exceptional crop of future stars isn't the norm.

Seven weeks. That's how much time each of baseball's 30 franchises have to figure out whether they're contenders or pretenders, buyers or sellers, before baseball's Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline arrives.

Normally, we'd still be trying to figure out which team belongs in which category as well. But aside from one club—the Miami Marlins—we've got a pretty good idea as to who should be buying and who should be selling.

Between the fans, the players and the managers, quite a few minds will go into selecting the rosters for this year's MLB All-Star Game.

Let's guess their intentions, shall we?

At some point in nearly everyone's childhood, they decide they want to follow in a family member's footsteps. For some, it's their mother or father. For others, it’s a brother or sister. And while many ultimately choose another path, some stick with it and follow through on that initial decision.

That includes the relatives of professional athletes, who do so knowing they won't be viewed the same way their peers are; they're entering a playing field tilted in everyone else's favor.