Written by Nino Colla

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There will be 68 players to make the annual MLB All-Star Game this season, probably more when other players bow out.

But of those initial 68, Jason Kipnis did not make the cut. 

His teammates, Asdrubal Cabrera and Chris Perez, both made it though for the second time in their careers and the second year in a row.

The Indians fiery closer shares the Major League lead in saves with Baltimore's Jim Johnson and Atlanta's Craig Kimbrel (both All-Stars) at 23. Perez has not blown a save opportunity since opening day and all three closers are similar in what they've done, with Perez giving up a few more runs, Kimbrel striking out more than both, and Johnson leading the trio in innings. Perez on the year has a 2.76 ERA in 29.1 innings with seven walks and 39 strikeouts. 

Perez joins a relief crew of fellow game-enders that includes Johnson, Tampa's Fernando Rodney, and Texas' Joe Nathan. 

As for the "snubbing" of Jason Kipnis, one could argue in favor for him that the second baseman for the Indians is 15th in the AL in runs scored (47), 16th in hits (84), 6th in triples (3), 14th in RBI (46), and 3rd in stolen bases (19). Then point to his counterparts at second base and how he ranks among them.

Runs: 3rd

Hits: 3rd

HR: 2nd

RBI: 1st

SB: 1st

AVG: 3rd

OBP: 3rd

Kipnis, Ian Kinsler, and Robinson Cano are all probably playing better than any other trio at any other position in the game right now. All three are worthy given their numbers. Kipnis leads his team in hits, homers, RBI, and steals. There's probably one player on the team having a better season than him, so Kipnis not being included with the Indians receiving two All-Stars, plus the log jam at second is rather understandable. Both Kinsler and Cano made the team, Cano as a starter, Kinsler as a reserve. Manager Ron Washington managed to get both Elvis Andrus (also deserving) and Ian Kinsler, giving him three shortstops and two second basemen. 

And if there is another position that has three players that are playing just as good, unfortunately it is the shortstops in the AL.

In the end, he got his two guys and three shortstops (how many innings is Derek Jeter really going to want to play anyway?) instead of one of his guys and three second basemen. That's the decision you can make when you are the manager of the team and your guys are having good seasons. The "snub" is hardly a travesty in anyway as the guys that Kipnis lost out to are all well-deserved. It's still disappointing though.

What stings the most is that Washington left a pitcher as his final roster spot for fan voting, meaning that the Indians faithful won't get a chance to put Kipnis into the game. He'll have to rely on an injury or decision to not play for him to make the squad at this point. The Indians and their second place team will have to take their two All-Stars and be happy. When they make it to two straight World Series and have their manager making the decisions, maybe they can get half of their starting lineup on the team too.

Thankfully the other guy that made it and the guy having probably the only better season on the team is Asdrubal Cabrera, who leads the team in average, almost at a .300 clip, has just as many home runs as Kipnis, 18 doubles, 40 RBI, and is second on the team in OBP with .378, which is 10th in the AL.

Cabrera among his position is fourth in hits and average, second in home runs, second in RBI, and second in walks. Cabrera made the club behind Derek Jeter, voted in as the starter, and along with Texas' Andrus.

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