Pirates fans just got proof that MLB’s All-Star voting system is a joke

The MLB All-Star Game has always been a popularity contest, at least when it comes to voting in the starting lineup for each league. This year, however, that issue has been dialed all the way up to 11.

Somehow, despite a .500 record, the Toronto Blue Jays are the best represented team in the American League, including Ernie Clement(?) as the top vote-getter in the entire Junior Circuit. Meanwhile, every single position (besides shortstop) in the National League is currently topped by a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies or Atlanta Braves.

Naturally, that means that every other team in the NL is currently out of luck when it comes to getting their players through the fan vote. But it's fair to say that no one has been more unlucky with the process with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Brandon Lowe, Bryan Reynolds have strong cases to make that MLB All-Star vote is utterly corrupt

It's clear to anyone who has watched the Pirates this year that at least a few hitters and pitchers on the roster deserve to be All-Stars, but it's hard to outdo the fanaticism you'll find in L.A., Philly, or Atlanta. So, all we can do is gripe about it here.

First things first, it's a darn shame that Spencer Horwitz is competing at such a loaded position, because he's been a revelation at first base this year. His 138 wRC+ ranks fourth among qualified NL players at the position, as does his OPS (.851). Alas, he ranks seventh in the current voting ladder with no realistic chance of surpassing Freddie Freeman, Matt Olson, or Bryce Harper.

The same story rings true for Brandon Lowe, who is inexplicably 500,000 votes behind Ozzie Albies on the second base leaderboard despite owning the highest OPS (.834) and fourth-highest fWAR (2.5) at the position. It's a joke that he's not a lock to be a finalist at the keystone.

It's also plainly wrong that Bryan Reynolds (2.4 fWAR, fifth-most among NL outfielders) isn't anywhere to be found in this latest update. Small-market bias strikes again, I suppose.

The silver lining to all of this is that only the nine hitters in the starting lineup are chosen by fan vote. The 23 other players (11 hitters and 12 pitchers) are all picked by players themselves and the Commissioner's Office, which is the route the Buccos will have to go in order to send their guys to the Midsummer Classic.

All of the aforementioned hitters belong on the final roster, as do Paul Skenes (2.86 ERA) and Braxton Ashcraft (2.5 fWAR, fifth-most among NL starters). While the Pirates, who are meandering around .500 themselves, won't put five players in the All-Star Game, it's important to remember that they shouldn't be defined by the horrendously corrupt fan vote.

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