LA Angels have 2 potential All-Stars: Breaking down confusing new selection process

Major League Baseball is always looking for interesting ways to spice up the All-Star Game.  Two LA Angels Mike Trout and Tommy La Stella are finalist to be starters.

LA Angels Mike Trout and Tommy La Stella both are in a position to be a starter in the All-Star Game. In a new voting format if you are one of the top three vote getters (top nine for outfielders) at a position you are placed into a final vote-off.  Fans will have 28 hours starting on Wednesday, June 26th at 12 pm EDT and ending on Thursday at 4 pm EDT to vote on who they would like to be the starters in the July 9th All-Star Game.

If you do not finish first in the voting you are not guaranteed a spot in the All-Star Game.  The reserve players and pitchers selections will still be chosen by a players vote and the Commissioner’s Office.  Managers no longer have a say so in the reserve and pitcher selection.

Where this starter voting is also important is when there is an injury to a starter that is voted in by the fans. The second-place vote getter at the position automatically gets in to replace the given starter.

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If a player who is chosen as a reserve cannot participate the top 3 vote-getters at that position is used again until there is no one left on that list, then the Commissioner’s office will choose the replacement.  Another change is there is no final vote competition anymore.  The rule that every team must have a selection still holds true.

So are you thoroughly confused with this new process as I am?  Let me simplify it for you. If you want to see Tommy La Stella and Mike Trout start in the All-Star Game in just over two weeks vote for them. No other Angel will have a chance to start in the game.

However, players like Shohei Ohtani, David Fletcher, or possibly Ty Buttrey can be chosen by the players or the Commissioner’s Office as a reserve.  Ohtani probably has the best chance to be named to the team as a reserve at the DH spot, but it may be difficult as the other two DH’s would have to be selected first before he could get in unless he is voted in by the players.

It would be great for Tommy La Stella to get voted in as a starter with him having a career year hitting .301 with 15 homers and driving in 41 runs so far.  La Stella edged out Jose Altuve by 84,000 votes and D.J. LeMahieu by 400,000 votes. They will be in the running for the second base starting job.

Mike Trout will without a doubt be voted in as a starter in the outfield as he was the leading vote-getter in the AL.

So Angel fans Tommy La Stella needs your help.  Next Wednesday when the starter voting gets starter vote La Stella early and often.