We always call this piece the Way Too Early All-Star Selections, but we're a little later in the season, so let's call this the A Little Late But Still Early All-Star Selections.
As always, know your All-Star roster rules:
32 players per team (20 position players; 12 pitchers, three of whom must be relievers).
Every team must be represented. Good luck with that!
There must be a backup at every position. Which means the National League now has two DH positions to fill, which limits the roster flexibility it had in the past compared to the American League.
Of course, the actual All-Star roster exercise is complicated by the process: the two-round voting system in which the fans select the starters followed by the players voting on the first 17 reserves -- five starting pitchers, three relievers and the nine positional backups. The commissioner's office then fills out the remaining spots, but if the fans or players make some bad selections, some worthy All-Stars might be left at home in order to get all 30 teams represented.
(The starting players for each league will be revealed on July 8, with full rosters announced on the All-Star selection show on July 10.)
This is how I would fill out my 32-man teams ... and, don't forget, if the game goes extra innings, a home run contest will determine the winner.
