2021 MLB All Star Game

 It's 4th of July weekend, which means we are getting close to the MLB All-Star game.  This years game features tons of first timers and old-timers, but does not feature a single Iowa Connection.  Iowa hasn't produced much elite baseball talent over the years, and this year continues the same trend.  However, we do have a bunch of what I will deem "Fuzzy Connections".  An Iowa Connection typically consists of one of three things: Born in Iowa, Lived in Iowa, or went to school in Iowa.  (Yes, all three typically mean live in Iowa as well.)  But sometimes a player has a connection to Iowa that isn't exactly a choice. (Yes, I know that Born in Iowa isn't a choice either).  Baseball players are sent to minor league teams at the discretion of their major league clubs, and typically spend a few summer months there one year and are off.  They may not have a residence there, but crash at a host family or maybe a hotel.   So, I don't count it (but maybe for those unaffiliated teams like the Waterloo Bucks or Clarinda A's...).

Anyway, here are the Fuzzy Iowa Connections in the All-Star Game this year.

Name, Team, Year(s)

Salvador Perez, Burlington, 2009

Mike Trout, Cedar Rapids, 2009/2010

Teoscar Hernández, Quad Cities, 2013

Carlos Correa, Quad Cities, 2013

Jared Walsh, Burlington, 2016

Lance Lynn, Quad Cities, 2008

Kris Bryant, Iowa, 2014/2015/2018

Max Muncy, Burlington, 2012

Kyle Schwarber, Iowa, 2015/2017

Chris Taylor, Clinton, 2012

Josh Hader, Quad Cities, 2013

Craig Kimbrel, Iowa, 2019

The team that jumps out here is the 2013 Quad Cities River Bandits with three All-Stars this year (Correa, Hader and Hernández).  In total, 16 River Bandits played in the majors. 5 players have been All-Stars, and in 2017 three River Bandits were All-Stars (McCullers, Correa and Devenski).

Name, WAR, All Star years

Carlos Correa,  31.2, 2017/2021

Josh Hader, 9.7, 2018/2019/2021

Lance McCullers Jr, 8.4, 2017

Vince Velasquez, 6.6, 

Teoscar Hernández, 5.4, 2021

Richard Rodríguez, 4.1

Chris Devenski, 4.0, 2017

Brett Phillips, 3.9

Tony Kemp, 2.3

Josh Fields, 1.8

Juan Minaya, 1.7

Rio Ruiz, 0.9

Chia-Jen Lo, 0.2

Mike Hauschild, -0.2

Jordan Jankowski, -0.2

Jon Singleton, -0.9