2013 FBLG Midseason All-Stars

We know you can't get enough of the FBLG Blog and we can't have it sitting dormant during the All-Star break. So we'll be rolling out some lists over the next four days with some midseason awards. First up, your midseason all-star team, made up of guys who have the highest point total at each position while active on the same FBLG team. Points scored for other FBLG teams or while on the bench do not apply.

We'll start today with the infield and relief pitcher. Tuesday, we'll break out the outfield and starting pitchers. Then on Wednesday and Thursday, we'll have some other fun lists.

First base: Allen Craig (Arbitration Losers), 278 points.

"Wrench" was a fifth-round pick and the fifth player selected at his position. Demonstrating the ability to stay healthy for the first time in his career as well as positional flexibility between first base and the corner outfield spots, Craig has hammered the ball in the middle of a powerful Cardinals lineup. His only downfall so far has been a lack of home runs, but it's hard to quibble with a guy on pace for 125 RBIs. He's also headed to his first all-star game.

Season stats: 90 g, 348 ABs, .333./.378./.494, 22 doubles, 2 triples, 10 homers, 74 RBIs, 50 runs, 2-2 steals, 140 OPS+.

Honorable mention: Paul Goldschmidt (Testosteraun Braun), Joey Votto (Manwaring a Muumuu).

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Second base: Brandon Phillips (Fresh Fish), 227 points.

Injuries (Aaron Hill, Chase Utley, Neil Walker, Jedd Gyorko) and general suckitude (Dan Uggla, Danny Espinosa, Rickie Weeks, Josh Rutledge) have crippled the 2013 second base crop. Injuries (too many to mention) and general suckitude have also crippled the defending champion Fresh Fish in the first half of the season, but Phillips has been the team's one constant. An opening-day injury to Ryan Ludwick (a teammate on both the Reds and the Fish) left Phillips, a third-round pick and first player drafted at his position, as the team's cleanup hitter, and he has taken advantage of the approximately 8 billion walks to Joey Votto to drive in a ton of runs for a Reds offense that has been Jekyll and Hyde through the first half.

Season stats: 87 g, 349 ABs, .266/.320/.413, 15 doubles, 12 homers, 74 RBIs, 46 runs, 1-3 steals, 97 OPS+.

Honorable mention: Daniel Murphy (Testosteraun Braun), Matt Carpenter (Pitch You Blockhead).

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Shortstop: Troy Tulowitzki (Misfits), 200 points.

Another position riddled with injuries, but Tulo's been one of the league's best hitters when he's been on the field. The second-round pick and first player chosen at his position would be at the top of the league in OPS if he had enough at-bats to qualify. When all the pieces of the Rockies offense have been healthy this year, they have mashed the ball enough to look like a contender, until you remember that they were counting on Roy Oswalt to hold down a spot in the rotation. Tulo's a big key to the Misfits' championship hopes - if he stays healthy, Reid's squad looks potent.

Season stats: 64 g, 232 ABs, .342/.400/.608, 16 doubles, 16 homers, 52 RBIs, 41 runs, 156 OPS+.

Honorable mention: Andrelton Simmons (Testosteraun Braun), Jean Segura (Going Going Gonzo).

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Third base: David Wright (Silver State Sagebrushers), 233 points.

It hasn't been a great year for the Sagebrushers or the Mets. The Mets do suddenly have a pretty bright future thanks to some exciting young pitching, and Wright has been one of the key cogs in keeping the offense at least decent this season. Wright was a second-round choice and the first third baseman selected this year and has lived up to his high expectations despite having laughable lineup protection from a menagerie of mediocre Mets. New York isn't going to the playoffs this year but the Sagebrushers will, and they'll rely heavily on Wright in their efforts to make a shocking run to a title.

Season stats: 90 g, 345 ABs, .304/.396/.507, 21 doubles, 5 triples, 13 homers, 44 RBIs, 50 runs, 15-17 steals, 154 OPS+.

Honorable mention: Michael Young (Misfits), Todd Frazier (Fresh Fish).

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Catcher: Buster Posey (Manwaring a Muumuu), 234 points.

Team Muumuu, FBLG's leaders at the break, has had some surprising contributions in the first half, but no one is surprised that Gerald Dempsey Posey keeps crushing the ball. A second-round choice and the first catcher taken, he's overcome a slow start for the second year in a row and is leading the league in OPS+ despite playing for a team with a fairly mediocre offense (fine, they're a mediocre team in general). Posey's numbers are virtually identical to last season's MVP campaign, but you wouldn't know it since ESPN is madly in love with another catcher whose name rhymes with Badier Folina. It matters not, as Muumuu hopes to continue riding Posey's bat into the playoffs... the FBLG playoffs, that is, because Buster's other team has no postseason in its immediate future.

Season stats: 90 g, 323 ABs, .325/.395/.536, 27 doubles, 1 triple, 13 homers, 56 RBIs, 38 runs, 1-1 steals, 167 OPS+.

Honorable mention: Yadier Molina (Lawyers, Guns & Money), Jonathan Lucroy (Arbitration Losers), Wilin Rosario (Going Going Gonzo).

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Relief pitcher: Jason Grilli (Going Going Gonzo), 179 points.

The first truly surprising name on this list, Grilli was a 16th-round selection and the ninth player taken at his position. In his first year of closing, at age 36, the greasy Pirate has been phenomenal for the contending Buccos. His WHIP and K/BB ratio are significantly better this year than ever before and he's only walked nine guys in 40 innings this season while only blowing one save. He also hasn't let any inherited runners score, which sounds really impressive until you realize he's only inherited two runners this season. Nonetheless, his surprising success has been a boon to the Pirates as they battle in the toughest division in the NL and to Gonzo as they try to stay with the FBLG pack.

Season stats: 43 g, 40.2 innings, 0-1, 29 saves, 1 blown save, 1.99 ERA, 26 hits,  9 walks, 63 Ks, 0.861 WHIP, 180 ERA+.

Honorable mention: Aroldis Chapman (Arbitration Losers), Craig Kimbrel (Lawyers, Guns & Money).