Buster Posey leads National League in All-Star voting

Last year, the All-Star voting was hilarious. To us. It was hilarious to us and no one else because the Giants were disproportionately represented. Freddy Sanchez was in another continent for an experimental body transplant, yet he was still competing for the starting second-base job for the National League. Brandon Crawford was hitting like a shortstop who couldn't hit, and he was close to winning the shortstop job. It was hilarious. To us.

This year? Relatively normal. The early returns from MLB.com:

CATCHER
1. Buster Posey, Giants: 1,275,956
2. Yadier Molina, Cardinals: 938,911
3. John Buck, Mets: 523,843
4. Jonathan Lucroy, Brewers: 313,574
5. Brian McCann, Braves: 285,600

FIRST BASE
1. Joey Votto, Reds: 1,044,742
2. Brandon Belt, Giants: 513,371
3. Paul Goldschmidt, Diamondbacks: 473,513
4. Adrian Gonzalez, Dodgers: 464,845
5. Freddie Freeman, Braves: 438,868

SECOND BASE
1. Brandon Phillips, Reds: 1,019,240
2. Marco Scutaro, Giants: 801,754
3. Chase Utley, Phillies: 524,219
4. Matt Carpenter, Cardinals: 439,239
5. Dan Uggla, Braves: 384,462

SHORTSTOP
1. Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies: 1,025,844
2. Brandon Crawford, Giants: 668,140
3. Jean Segura, Brewers: 554,403
4. Andrelton Simmons, Braves: 372,844
5. Pete Kozma, Cardinals: 311,852

THIRD BASE
1. Pablo Sandoval, Giants: 1,094,475
2. David Wright, Mets: 967,299
3. Chris Johnson, Braves: 386,811
4. David Freese, Cardinals: 375,428
5. Todd Frazier, Reds: 343,201

OUTFIELD
1. Justin Upton, Braves: 1,184,249
2. Bryce Harper, Nationals: 1,182,532
3. Ryan Braun, Brewers: 945,665
4. Carlos Beltran, Cardinals: 847,924
5. Shin-Soo Choo, Reds: 743,755
6. Hunter Pence, Giants: 624,972
7. Andrew McCutchen, Pirates: 576,201
8. Angel Pagan, Giants: 572,400
9. Matt Holliday, Cardinals: 491,629
10. Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies: 482,719
11. Gregor Blanco, Giants: 475,662
12. Carlos Gomez, Brewers: 472,272
13. B.J. Upton, Braves: 420,104
14. Matt Kemp, Dodgers: 389,372
15. Jay Bruce, Reds: 374,852

That isn't to say they aren't still disproportionately represented. Does it warm anyone else's heart to see Gregor Blanco over Matt Kemp? Just checking. But they aren't disproportionately represented in the same obnoxious and offensive way as last year. Paul Goldschmidt shouldn't be above Brandon Belt, of course, but Buster Posey with more votes than anyone else in the NL makes sense because people are patriotic. Crawford is second again, but this time he actually deserves to be. Hunter Pence is hanging around, which is where he should be.

Sandoval's aches and current slump makes it hard to justify his spot, but he's a recognizable face having a pretty good year. Which is to say, the type of player who usually hangs around the top spot in these things.

I'd trade his top spot for Scutaro overtaking Phillips, though. Marco Scutaro is a treasure, and he should get at least one All-Star berth before he goes back to his home planet.

Of course, Bruce Bochy is picking the rest of the team, so Matt Cain is probably going to start. We probably shouldn't get too worked up about the voting, even though it's impossible not to.