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The 2013 MLB All-Star Game starting lineup revealing is set for 6:30 ET on Saturday. Some of the races are very close until the end, including the battle between Carlos Gonzalez, Justin Upton and Bryce Harper for two National League outfield spots. Gonzalez and Upton are two similar talents, and here we’re going to take a look at what makes them tick.

Batting

At the plate, both of these players instill some serious fear in opposing pitchers. Though he started off the season on a torrid pace, Upton has fallen off considerably since then, as Yankeesource explained the ugly truth:

Still, he remains an imposing figure in the batter’s box, and he has an impressive 48 walks to his credit.

When he was drafted first overall in the 2005 MLB draft, Upton was touted as a five-tool player. But at age 25, it seems that he is only scratching the surface of his potential. Through 81 games, he is batting only .248 with 38 RBI.

Gonzalez, on the other hand, has been a consistent performer at the plate throughout his tenure with the Rockies. For many years now, his critics have been sure to point out that Coors Field has been friendly to his statistics. However, this year is different.

Surprisingly enough, Gonzalez has hit .312 with 13 home runs on the road to his .280 and 11 homers at home. ESPN Stats & Info points out how impressive he has been this year:

Fielding

Though it’s often overlooked outside of the SportsCenter “Top 10 Plays,” fielding is a big part of baseball. Neither of these two players is a stranger to the highlight reel, though.

Statistically, Upton has made four errors this year and carries a DWAR of -1.0. Obviously, that doesn’t speak too highly of his defensive abilities, but he has some serious range and athleticism.

Here, Upton robs Pedro Alvarez of what could have been a home run:

And here, he makes a phenomenal diving catch to save multiple runs:

Gonzalez might not have the sheer athleticism of Upton, but he has some serious speed and two Gold Gloves to his name. So, despite what seems to be an advantage for Upton, Gonzalez only has three errors and a DWAR of 0.5.

Below, you can see him make a veteran’s play, in which he perfectly tracks the baseball to its landing point and makes a great leaping catch. It may not look as tough as Upton’s catches above, but it showcases his experience and instincts.

Baserunning

Both of these players are very quick on their feet, but that doesn’t necessarily translate to stolen bases. Upton may very well be the faster of the two, but he only has six steals on seven attempts. Gonzalez, however, has 15 steals and has only been caught once. 

These kind of little things are what separates a great player from a good player, and in the end that could be why Gonzalez edges out Upton on his way to another All-Star appearance.

Going in to the final week of voting, both had starting spots. But it is clear that “CarGo” is the more deserving of the two.

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I’ve recently taken a look at some starting pitchers and relievers who could be available by midseason, assuming their team is out of contention or just has a lot of depth and is looking to upgrade in another area.

The names mentioned weren’t huge names, mostly because teams we assume will be bad typically don’t have deep pitching staffs. When it comes to position players, though, there are several names that will not only be fun to talk about as the rumor mill gets going, but that could also make a lot of sense for teams to move before August 1.

Hunter Pence, Hanley Ramirez and Shane Victorino were three of the biggest names changing teams in July 2012. Here are the top six players most likely to be available this July.

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Before a hamstring injury shortened his 2012 season, Colorado Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez was putting up MVP-caliber numbers.

The 27-year-old finished among the National League’s top 10 batters in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging and OPS this year. Had he not been limited to 132 games, perhaps Gonzalez’s home run and RBI numbers would have ranked him among the top in the league as well. 

Gonzalez is the type of player a roster can be built around. He’s the sort of young superstar a rebuilding team like the Rockies should covet, knowing that he could be a cornerstone talent for years to come. 

But should a team far from contention think about trading a budding star like Gonzalez in hopes of getting a load of developing prospects in return? That’s how ESPN’s Jim Bowden sees it. 

In his latest column for ESPN.com, Bowden lists five moves that could be made by playoff contenders. One of them is the Rockies trading Gonzalez to the St. Louis Cardinals for pitchers Shelby Miller and Trevor Rosenthal and outfielder Jon Jay. 

That would be a curious move for the Cardinals, leaving them without a true center fielder. Gonzalez has played 200 games at that position, however, so maybe the added offense he would bring to the lineup would compensate for defensive shortcomings. 

But there are plenty of other MLB teams with whom Gonzalez might be a better fit. Here are five clubs that should check in with the Rockies to see if their left fielder is available. 

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In an article written by the New York Post’s Joel Sherman, the trade market is starting to formulate with a couple of big names.

While the early litmus test says the likes of Ryan Dempster, Matt Garza, Zack Greinke, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels all could be changing teams mid-season, one that should intrigue the Los Angeles Dodgers is none other than Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez.

This is purely speculation on my part, but the addition of a player like CarGo would be an impressive statement on behalf of the new ownership group.

Gonzalez is on a cash-poor team in Colorado on the threshold of hitting the expensive years of his contract.

Next season his contract bumps up to $7.5 million before jumping in to double-digit millions in 2014.

Big money for a team like Colorado.

Small potatoes for the Dodgers. Not a need at all but small potatoes.

As Sherman says,

You would have to worry if he is a Coors monster, since his home OPS this year is 1.174 compared to .847 on the road and 1.075 to .787 since joining the Rockies in 2009. Also, there are questions about his motor — if he plays hard all the time.

The fact of the matter is, Gonzalez is a young stud that would likely be an All-Star caliber player regardless of where he plays.

For the fans, the outfield would be comprised of fantasy baseball caliber All-Stars.

Realistically speaking, this is a move that the Dodgers will not pursue. The money would certainly be wiser spent on a Cole Hamels in the summer time to deepen the pitching staff.

As constituted, the team payroll for 2012 is only at $97.3 million. If the Dodgers wanted to dream big… they certainly have the wiggle room.

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The A’s came back from a four-run first inning and played long ball en route to an 8-5 victory over the Colorado Rockies.

The longest and largest of the four home runs the A’s hit was by Brandon Moss, who hit a third-deck shot estimated at 461 feet in the third inning to give the A’s the lead for good. Moss would hit two home runs, and both Brandon Inge and Cliff Pennington also went deep. Seth Smith hit a pair of doubles and drove in two RBI on the night, as well.

While Bartolo Colon was not his best, he did settle down after the first inning to keep the Rockies off the board until Todd Helton’s solo homer in the fifth inning. By that time, the A’s were up 7-4. Colon’s line on the night was five runs allowed on nine hits, three walks and four strikeouts in five innings pitched. But it was enough to notch his sixth win of the year.

The key—along with the offensive outburst—was Oakland’s bullpen. Sean Doolittle and Grant Balfour struck out four and allowed only a single hit and one walk combined in three innings. Then the A’s turned to Ryan Cook to close the game. After a leadoff walk and a single to former A’s utility man Marco Scutaro, Cook responded by striking out Carlos Gonzalez and Michael Cuddyer, and inducing a game-ending force out from Todd Helton for his first save.

Good: Brandon Moss and Brandon Inge (tie)

Both were big during the six-run rally to take the lead in the third. Moss’ first home run was a tape-measure shot with the kind of power the A’s have been looking to add at first base. Inge provided insurance with a long home run of his own and also had an RBI double and a huge defensive play to save two runs in the sixth inning.

Neither will hit .300 in a season, but they are both legitimate power threats when their swings are on. Inge also provides above-average defense at a spot that had been a wasteland before his arrival

Bad: Coco Crisp

Another 0-for-4 at the plate. Collin Cowgill should be playing right now. The A’s need every capable hitter they can get, and it seems clearer with each passing day that Crisp is just not going to turn it around with some burst. It is better to just cut losses now.

With the win, the A’s move to 27-35 and look to build on this performance, sending Tom Milone on the bump against former A’s starter Josh Outman. First pitch is scheduled for 8:40 p.m. ET.

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In 2011 four players hit 30 home runs and stole 30 bases. 

• Matt Kemp (39/40)
• Ryan Braun (33/33)
• Jacoby Ellsbury (32/39)
• Ian Kinsler (32/30)

Considering Ryan Braun will play at most 112 games this season, I don’t see him being a repeat offender. The speed will always be there for Ellsbury, but only 20 home runs in 1,688 plate appearances prior to 2011. I don’t buy another 30 home run season for Ellsbury. 

These are the guys you need on your fantasy roster in 2012 to capture the elusive HR and SB categories. 

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If you had told me at the beginning of the season that the Rockies were going to be in third place in the NL West with a record of 40-42, 6.5 games behind the first place Giants, I would have called you crazy.

The Rockies have a lineup that can strike fear into any pitcher in the league, and they have a rotation that rivals any (save for the Phillies).

But after watching the Rockies fail to score many runs and the starting rotation struggle to find continuity, much less wins, it is painfully clear that Rockies fans should count their blessings that winning the NL West is still within reach.

The question, though, is what went wrong? Wasn’t this team supposed to be the team Rockies fans were waiting for to follow up the 2007 World Series team?

Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez both signed long-term, big-money contracts this offseason only to show up this year and fail to even come close to meeting expectations. Granted, it is only the first half and both players had breakout second halves last year, but it still begs the question: was that money well spent?

“Tulo” and “CarGo,” as they are known locally, have put up fairly average numbers so far. Tulo is hitting .271 with 16 HR, 55 RBI and a .341 OBP while CarGo boasts a mild, but improving .291 BA with 12 HR, 41 RBI, and a .358 OBP.

After hearing about these signings, these aren’t the numbers fans were hoping to see. Tulowitzki is a player that should be hitting over .300 year-in, year-out. Gonzalez is talented enough that he should be hitting near .350 with more than just 12 homers.

The fans have every reason to be displeased with this team. Thank goodness for a strong supporting cast.

Todd Helton is quietly proving that he is one of the best first-baseman in the league this year by hitting .318 and playing the best defense of any first-baseman. At age 37 and in the twilight of his career, those are simply outstanding numbers.

Along with Helton, Seth Smith is one of the MLB‘s most consistent hitters. He is one of only 5 players to hit over .300 every month of the season so far. This is a list that includes the likes of Adrian Gonzalez and Jose Reyes.

It seems that Smith and Helton are the only ones on the team who can find that needed timely hit with runners in scoring position.

Against the Indians on June 21, Smith hit two home runs in the 6th and 9th innings to give the Rockies a win. Locally, Smith has been known as “Mr. Late-Night” due to his heroics in the late innings of games since he came up to the club from Triple-A Colorado Springs in 2007.

In addition to Smith and Helton, Ty Wigginton (lately) has been a huge help in the lineup. After starting the year by failing to meet expectations, Wigginton has finally found his stroke and is hitting balls out of the park with relative ease. His batting average is climbing and he is beginning to gain the trust of fans.

The pitching staff has had more than its fair share of ups and downs this year. The first, and probably most important storyline from the rotation is the struggles of ace Ubaldo Jimenez. He started the year by going 0-7 while lacking control of his fastball, a pitch he lives and dies by.

Lately it seems that he has finally figured out his control problems, but he still lacks velocity on his fastball. Last year, Jimenez boasted a upper 90’s and sometimes 100 mph fastball. This year, his fastball is ranging from 94 to 96, and sometimes hits 97 mph. Most pitchers would love to have this problem, but for Jimenez, that velocity is key.

Because of Jimenez’s struggles, Jorge De La Rosa was thrust into the spotlight as the Rockies’ best pitcher, until he tore a tendon in his pitching elbow and needed Tommy John surgery. It seemed that nothing could go the Rockies’ way this year in the rotation until Jhoulys Chacin stepped up and became the new ace.

Chacin has shown that he is ready to be a big time pitcher in the MLB. His stuff is nasty and can easily fool any hitter. This pitcher is showing the fans that the Rockies’ future is very bright, with a rotation that will boast Jimenez, De La Rosa, Chacin, Juan Nicasio and Jason Hammel.

But this year, with De La Rosa out and Jimenez still searching for his form from the first half of the 2010 season, Chacin, Nicasio and Hammel haven’t shown that they can pick up the slack effectively.

Chacin has great stuff, but he is still very young and is learning how to be a really effective pitcher in the MLB.

Nicasio has brilliant stuff, but he has a lot to learn before becoming a stud starter.

Hammel needs to find consistency and to beg the offense for run support. There are games when his head simply isn’t in the game, as evidenced by his body language during some games. There are also games when he pitches brilliantly, but the offense can’t get anything going, so he takes the loss after surrendering only a few runs.

If this pitching staff could get 100% healthy while playing to its potential and the offense plays to expectations, this team would easily rival the Red Sox or the Phillies for the best team in baseball characterization.

After 2007, the front office of the Rockies promised fans that it would do anything it could to become a perennial contender. So far, the front office has done its job. Now its the players’ turn to prove that the Rockies are for real.

But if this first half is any indication of what is to come, Rockies fans better hold on tight, because it will be a quick, fast ride right back to the cellar in the NL West.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Before the season started, the Colorado Rockies made some national shock waves when they signed their two young stars, shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and outfielder Carlos Gonzalez, to mega, multi-year contract extensions.

Tulo signed a nine-year extension worth $163 million while CarGo signed a seven-year extension worth $80 million. 

The responses were mixed. Some in the national media thought it was too early and the money was too much.

It made sense to me. After all, Tulo’s old deal would’ve ended after the 2014 season.

Both deals add up to a grand total of $243 million in the books for just two players. That’s an average of $29.5 million a year until 2018. Their current payroll is roughly $88 million, less than 3/4 to pay for the other players.

This just shows the importance of the performance of these two players and how financially difficult it would be to add another player of their caliber without leaving some holes.

This year, first baseman Todd Helton is being paid $20 million, so despite the collective effort of their pitching staff, the Colorado Rockies’ playoff hopes rest in the bats of Helton, Tulowitzki and Gonzalez.

Right now, Helton is doing his part, hitting .300 with seven home runs and 24 RBI, but he is the only player on the team hitting .300 so far. Tulo has 11 home runs, but he is hitting a mediocre .252 with CarGo hitting .259 with eight home runs. 

For fans, It’s good to know that there is no shortage of power from this decade’s version of the Blake Street Bombers, but no team wins with just one .300 hitter and with their contracts possibly crippling the Rockies’ chances to add some legit help before the trade deadline.

CarGo and Tulo must pick it up or the Rockies will continue to sink below .500 this season.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

View From the Rockpile: Musings From a Mile High Along the Journey to Rocktober

There’s no bigger stage for a middle-market club than the sparkling new sandlot just a skip, hop and a seven-train jump from Broadway.  Do it here, and media, critics and fans will take notice. 

America, meet the 2011 Colorado Rockies.

The Rockies entered this season demanding better from themselves away from the friendly confines of Coors Field.  Road warriors, they need not be; but 31-50 on the road (as they were in 2010), they cannot be, not if they aim to make their NL West championship dreams come true.

After taking three of four from the Pirates in PNC Park, the Rockies looked to continue to exorcise their road demons at Citi Field against a struggling New York Mets squad. 

Yet, having lost eight straight series in the Big Apple and 22 out of their last 27 in old New York, New York, the Rockies still had their work cut out for them.

Consider those dragons tamed, at least for the moment.  With the Herculean efforts of team leader Troy Tulowitzki, the Rockies fought their way through wind, rain, daily deficits and a doubleheader to an amazin’ four-game series sweep against the Mets.

Just how did the Rockies manage to turn the Mets into the Mess?  Take a look inside to find out…

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Everybody has their list.

They get a ton of attention and for this group, unwarranted. They’re overrated.

Which stats are the best indicators of being overrated?

OPS? WAR? Should an eye test be taken?

Potential sometimes cannot be judged on stats.

Let’s take a look at the 10 most overrated players in baseball.

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