All-Star Bloggin’
Jul 7
UPDATE: The starting lineups are out, and apparently my picks didn’t fare too well. Only two of my AL starters made the starting lineup (A-Rod and Josh Hamilton), although four of my other seven picks at least made the squad as reserves.
On the NL side, I did a bit better: four starters (Berkman, Utley, Ramirez, and Braun), but only one reserve (Martin).
Looking at each lineup as a whole, I think we see a problem with fan voting: by and large, the players represented seem to have been largely selected because they play for popular teams, not because they’re the best players at their positions. (I mean, Soriano a starter? He’s been hurt, and hasn’t played in a month. But his inclusion in the starting lineup is still a lot more defensible than Fukudome’s — the latter isn’t even in the top ten in any important offensive category.)
[END UPDATE]
For your debate and perusal, my All-Star Ballot (below the fold):
more…
AMERICAN LEAGUE:
- First Base: J. Morneau, MIN
- Second Base: I. Kinsler, TEX
- Third Base: A. Rodriguez, NYY
- Shortstop: J. Bartlett, TB
- Catcher: D. Navarro, TB
- Outfielder: J. Hamilton, TEX
- Outfielder: G. Sizemore, CLE
- Outfielder: B. Upton, TB
- Designated Hitter: A. Huff, BAL
NATIONAL LEAGUE:
- First Base: L. Berkman, HOU
- Second Base: C. Utley, PHI
- Third Base: D. Wright, NYM
- Shortstop: H. Ramirez, FLA
- Catcher: R. Martin, LAD
- Outfielder: C. Beltran, NYM
- Outfielder: R. Braun, MIL
- Outfielder: C. Lee, HOU
For the most part, I based these selections on offensive stats (mainly RBI, AVG, and SB). As you can see, I wasn’t a homer, having voted for only one Brewer, and a clearly deserving one at that. And I was even forced to do the unthinkable, voting for a Yankee.
But I figure this will give some grist for the mill, especially for guys like Ted and digglahhh who follow baseball a lot more closely than I do.
Also, I’d like to reiterate my objection against fan balloting in the All-Star game. It just doesn’t make any sense at all, and involves way too much homerism, not to mention ballot-box stuffing. Certainly, if you’re going to make the All-Star Game count (something I also object to), then you need to do away with the fan balloting.
Maybe later in the week I’ll do a “How To Fix The All-Star Game” post.
#1 by Ted at July 2nd, 2008
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I’ll have to pass on this because as we have learned from previous discussions, you and I use different criteria to make selections.
You go with the “who has had the best most recent three months of baseball”, and baseball being what it is, you end up with lineups partially filled by hot second-tier players.
I take a different view. For me, the All-Star game is a fan spectacle (not withstanding recent tweak involving WS home field advantage). I want to see a collection of players that have demonstrated a long-term mastery of the game. Players that are stars, not just recently hot.
In the music world, your approach results in booking bands like The Tonight Show. Who has just released a hot single? Given the opportunity, I’d much rather see the Stones, the Who, Hendrix, and U2 than the four most recent top selling singles (is there even such a metric anymore in music?)
Not saying my preference is better or more valid, just saying I want my stars to be stars.
At least digg and I won’t have to debate Sheffield this year
#2 by tgirsch at July 2nd, 2008
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I’ll have to pass on this because as we have learned from previous discussions, you and I use different criteria to make selections.
That’s never stopped us before.
you end up with lineups partially filled by hot second-tier players
I’m not sure I agree with that criticism. For starters, a typical “hot” streak lasts days or maybe weeks, but certainly not months. So my criteria favors players who are having a great season — not necessarily a great career, but they’re the best (or, at least, among the best) at their position right now.
The uber-cynic could say that your approach results in a team populated largely with has-beens, while mine results in a team populated largely with never-wases. But in practice, I don’t think it works out that way.
After all, my list has no shortage of proven baseball commodities, yet still contains several up-and-coming stars. Maybe the All-Star game really should be all about name recognition rather than performance on the field; maybe you shouldn’t warrant consideration for All-Star status until you’ve had several good years of playing; but that’s what debates like this are for.
Maybe we should have two separate All-Star games, one with a “paid their dues” veterans roster, and one with a “up and coming players” roster. Or, for that matter, since the abomination that is Interleague Play has effectively destroyed the All-Star Game anyway, maybe we should pit the established veterans against the up-and-comers, instead of the traditional AL/NL division. Hey, there’s an idea…
#3 by tgirsch at July 2nd, 2008
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One additional thing worthy of note: by Ted’s criteria, there can be no such thing as “an All-Star season.”
#4 by digglahhh at July 2nd, 2008
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Ted,
I think your objection is kind of a red herring. Just eyeballing, in the NL, I think only Braun would be a first-time All Star. And, he didn’t just have a hot rookie season, he had a Pujols-ian rookie season. He’s slugging in the low-to-mid-fives this year, I’d call him established.
Looking at the AL, TG’s a little further on the edge here. Morneau, A-Rod, and Sizemore are all established stars. No problem there. Josh Hamilton has just been incredible, so it’s pretty hard to not vote for him. Thinking about all he went through, and how little ball he played over the past few years and what he is doing now - the guy must be uncannily talented. This will be the first of many selections for him.
Now, we have two pairs to address. Kinsler and Upton are two guys who broke out last year. Kinsler has taken another step forward and Upton has shown last year wasn’t fluke. 2B is also pretty weak, there are really no other viable options.
The other group is Bartlett and Navarro. These guys are replacing perennials who have either greatly disappointed or are just done. Navarro’s as good a choice as any other AL catcher. Bartlett is a bad choice, IMO, but Jeter isn’t playing at All Star level pickins are pretty slim. Actually, it might have to be Jeter, just about all AL SSes are stinking it up.
DH, whatever.
Ted - career anomaly fluke wise, he didn’t vote for Milton Bradley.
All things told, I’m not going to rip the ballot. The only vote I think is egregiously misguided is Bartlett (.583 OPS). The AL has many spots where there’s nobody blowing away the field.
BTW, I’m more on TG’s plane here anyway, and I certainly do NOT want to see Griffey in this ASG.
#5 by Ted at July 2nd, 2008
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digg, as I did not even bother to look at Tgirsch’s selections, I disagree with your characterization of my comment. But, whatever. I really don’t care to debate my opinion with you.
#6 by tgirsch at July 2nd, 2008
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I’m certainly willing to reconsider Bartlett. I picked him because the pickings were pretty slim at AL SS, and he’s a monster on the basepaths — 17 SB, no other shortstop is even close. I only had very limited access to statistics when I put together the ballot (and the MLB site, for mysterious reasons, didn’t give OPS, or even any components of OPS). If I had it to do over again (given more detailed stats), I’d probably give it to Michael Young (TEX), or maybe Johnny Peralta (CLE). But most likely Young.
#7 by Ted at July 4th, 2008
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OK, Lester shut out the evil empire tonight, so I feel a bit more magnanimous re the world of baseball. I saw a play earlier this year and have been waiting for a baseball thread to put it out there. I’ll pose it as a riddle for starters, and provide the answer in a couple of days.
I have watched baseball for 41 seasons now, and I had never seen this before. Nobody on, nobody out. No extreme weather conditions like heavy wind or rain or hail. Field is dry and in great shape. Batter swings at pitch. Hits the ball, but ball ends up only about 10 feet in front of the plate. Batter ends up on second base, and is awarded a double. In other words, no error on the play. Ball does not hit an infielder (or ump), and no shattered bats or animals on or above the field.
How can a player hit a 10 foot double?
#8 by tgirsch at July 4th, 2008
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Was the game indoors? Did he sky a pop-up off of a catwalk or something? (Prince Fielder hit an inside-the-park home run in Minnesota last year that way.) Otherwise, I’m guessing the ball bounced off a base. After all, I can’t help but notice that you were careful to say that the ball ended up ten feet in front of home plate, not that it only traveled ten feet.
#9 by Ted at July 4th, 2008
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Damn you. It was at the Trop. Hit a speaker. Baseball indoors is roughly the equivalent of sex with a blood relative.
Interesting play today when Damon caught then deposited the ball on top of the wall and it sat perched there for a second or two, Caddyshack-style.