The 2015 MLB All-Star Game is set to descend upon Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati, Ohio, on July 14, and this year's star-studded rosters shouldn't disappoint.
And the biggest question this year revolves around the National League's ability to snap the American League's two-year winning streak. After shutting out the AL 8-0 in 2012, the NL has been downed in consecutive years by superior squads from the land of designated hitters.
So with starters and reserves officially announced, it's time to examine which players could be the biggest difference-makers at this year's Midsummer Classic.
National League Roster
Let's kick things off with the NL starters, who were conveniently announced in graphic format by Baseball Tonight:
Two key names to watch among that nine-man outfit will be Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper and Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt.
Each player has been absolutely cleaning up at the plate this season, with Harper (25) and Goldschmidt (20) ranking second and fifth, respectively, in the NL in home runs.
"Being able to play with some of the best in baseball at the All-Star Game and having a good time with everybody is definitely going to be exciting," Harper said, according to the Washington Post's James Wagner. "I'm very happy and blessed to be a part of it. I thank all our fans and fans across the country that voted for me."
Harper and Goldschmidt are also on torrid paces as it pertains to consistency at the plate.
Arizona's first baseman ranks tops in the NL with a batting average of .348, while Harper is hot on his tail at .344.
If the NL can ride those hot bats to an early lead, it could have a shot at bucking some recent trends.
And when it comes to reserves and pitchers, the NL certainly isn't short on quality talent, according to Baseball Tonight:
As is the case on both sides, all eyes will be on the game's promising youngsters.
In this case, it's all about Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant and Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Joc Pederson.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times' Gordon Wittenmyer, Bryant "became the first Cub rookie selected to an All-Star team since catcher Geovany Soto and outfielder Kosuke Fukudome in 2008."
While Bryant has been steadier at the plate, batting a superior .278 to Pederson's .233, the Los Angeles lefty has already bashed 20 homers—eight more than Bryant.
With an influx of up-and-coming franchise building blocks starting to solidify their places among the league's elite, this year's Midsummer Classic could be packed with fireworks.
American League Roster
Once again, Baseball Tonight provides a look at this year's starters:
Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout is the obvious headliner here individually, but from team-specific standpoints, the Kansas City Royals dominate the AL side.
All told, the Royals have four starters in this year's exhibition, including catcher Salvador Perez, shortstop Alcides Escobar, outfielder Lorenzo Cain and outfielder Alex Gordon.
According to ESPN.com, "the Royals have more starters this season than in the previous 25 years combined."
Talk about a changing of the guard.
As Bleacher Report's Scott Miller explained, this is the first time in 16 years that a New York Yankees player won't make an All-Star start, and it's just the second time that's happened since 1992.
The Yankees did sneak a player onto the reserve side and the pitching staff, though, according to Baseball Tonight:
And while the AL fields a stellar crop of backups, fans will be attuned to the production of Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson, who set an All-Star voting record after fans punched his name on the ballot more than 14 million times.
"It's a big honor to represent this team, for how many good players we have," Donaldson said, according to MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm. "It's an honor to be ticketed by the fans, and really just something that hasn't really been done before. I honestly could never tell you I would ever expect this; it's kind of mind-blowing a little bit."
National League Final Vote
Every player in this year's NL Final Vote field has insanely qualified credentials, but one player, in particular, sticks out above the rest.
Baseball Tonight provided a comprehensive rundown of the five finalists:
Among that crop, Cincinnati Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto represents the most compelling option.
"The hometown Red—the All-Star Game is in Cincinnati this year—has a 2.84 ERA (136 ERA+) with a career-low 0.92 WHIP and a 100/20 K/BB in 104.2 innings," CBS Sports' Mike Axisa wrote. "Cueto's record (5-5) doesn't reflect how well he's actually pitched."
The Reds have underwhelmed to this point in the season, but it would be fitting if fans allowed Cueto to validate this career year with an appearance in front of the Cincinnati faithful.
American League Final Vote
And lastly, we have the AL Final Vote candidates, courtesy of Baseball Tonight:
Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts could be the front-runner here, as he's been one of the most impressive players at the position all season long. To date, the 22-year-old is batting .302 with 89 hits, 122 total bases and 37 RBI.
Bogaerts' eligibility is also interesting because teammate and utility-man extraordinaire Brock Holt was named to the AL All-Star team as a reserve.
Should Holt slot in at second base, there could be a chance for the Red Sox young duo to flash their double-play prowess on one of the game's biggest stages.
Just another layer of intrigue for a game with fascinating-storylines galore.
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