Who's your first-half Most Valuable National?

OK, we'll make this nice and simple on the final day of the All-Star break. Who are you choosing as your first-half Most Valuable National?

This is a tough question to answer, of course, because there have been a number of steady contributors to this team. Only two Nationals made the All-Star team - Jordan Zimmermann and Tyler Clippard - and neither had other-worldly first halves.

The Nats were a pretty balanced team before the break, getting contributions from throughout their roster. I've selected two position players, two starting pitchers and two relievers below, but feel free to choose a Nats player not on this list.

Who is your Most Valuable National for the first half?

Anthony Rendon
Relevant numbers: .287 average, .343 on-base percentage, .490 slugging, 13 homers, 53 RBIs, 42 extra-base hits, eight stolen bases, 89 games played
His case: Rendon has done it all for this team, reaching base, driving in runs and consistently causing problems for opposing pitchers. He leads the Nats in batting average, slugging percentage and extra-base hits and has played solid defense at both second and third base.

Adam LaRoche
Relevant numbers: .279 average, .383 on-base percentage, .457 slugging, 12 homers, 47 RBIs, 47 walks, 76 games played
His case: LaRoche has been a steady force in the middle of the Nats order. He missed 14 games with a quad injury, but if not for that stretch, might have had a legitimate chance at an All-Star appearance. His offensive numbers dropped off a bit in the couple of weeks before the break, but he never slumps defensively and adds plenty of value to this team as a defensive first baseman.

Doug Fister
Relevant numbers: 8-2 record, 2.90 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 45 Ks, 8 BBs in 77 2/3 innings
His case: Fister missed the first six weeks of the season while on the disabled list, but he's been an absolute force since his return, winning eight of his 12 starts and consistently working deep into games. We've talked about how quickly he works, how seriously he takes his defense and hitting and how prepared he is for his starts, and all those areas have made an impact on the Nats rotation as a whole.

Tanner Roark
Relevant numbers: 8-6 record, 3.01 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 85 Ks, 25 BBs, 113 2/3 innings
His case: Sure, Zimmermann and Stephen Strasburg could have been my second starter on this list, but I'm going to switch things up and go with Roark, who continues to be a tremendous story. A little over a year ago, he was a reliever at Triple-A Syracuse. Now, Roark is tied for the team lead in wins, ranks second among starters in ERA, has thrown the second-most innings of any Nats starter and is giving this team tremendous production as the No. 5 guy in the rotation.

Rafael Soriano
Relevant numbers: 1-0 record, 22 saves in 24 chances, 0.97 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 36 Ks, 11 BBs, 19 hits in 37 innings
His case: Soriano has been a beast so far this season and was a clear snub for the All-Star Game. His numbers really do speak for themselves. Not much I need to add here.

Drew Storen
Relevant numbers: 2-1 record, 1.20 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 23 Ks, 5 BBs, 22 hits in 30 innings
His case: Storen could have easily been an All-Star selection, as well. He hasn't allowed a multi-run inning all season and has surrendered just one homer all year. His changeup has been a really nice weapon for him this season.

Who you got?