Baseball Musings: All-Star Selections

July 02, 2006

All-Star Selections

I just saw part of the NL starting lineup for the All-Star Game, and the only problem I have with the voters is Soriano. However, most of the voting was done before his slump hit. I think the NL could have done better.

Update: Bonds and Biggio were left off the team. That's too bad. When you have someone with that kind of career, he should be on the team. Dan Uggla, however, did make it.

Update: Joe Mauer got screwed. I'm sorry, as much as I like I-Rod, Mauer deserved to start. The Red Sox fans also showed their power, voting in Loretta over Cano at second and Ortiz over Giambi at first.

The AL starting staff doesn't look that strong to me. Santana is the obvious starter for the game, and I wouldn't be surprised to see the four closers used instead of some of the starters.

As Steve Phillips pointed out in the selection show, each side as only two catchers. In a game where the outcome matters, that's one too few. What happens if the backup enters in the sixth and the game goes extra-innings? I hope if someone drops out during the week another catcher is added to the squad.

You can vote for the final roster spot at MLB.com.

Update: I also think it's sad that long-time greats Bonds and Biggio were left off the teams. There should be some special dispensation for great stars to make an appearance at the game.

Posted by David Pinto at 07:42 PM | All-Star Game | TrackBack (0)

Comments

Sooo where are the selections???

Posted by: Robert at July 2, 2006 08:17 PM

Biggio maybe, but Bonds? Bonds? He's not having a good season and he's in disgrace, rightfully so. Good for the fans for passing him over.

Posted by: Mike at July 2, 2006 08:47 PM

Santana may be the "obvious" starter, but Ozzie is going with Buehrle instead. What a Mariotti.

Posted by: dan at July 2, 2006 08:48 PM

Giambi's exclusion is a joke (though understandable for BALCO reasons), Soriano is a worse joke, and Mauer not starting is a %$#@*&! crime. Oh, Guerrero starting with his .828 OPS is even worse than Soriano.

On the whole, it looks like the NL did better than the AL.

Posted by: Casey Abell at July 2, 2006 08:51 PM

What about Hafner and Liriano having to rely on a final man vote to make it. These two are arguably the best hitter and pitcher respectively in the AL.

Posted by: mike harris at July 2, 2006 09:09 PM

Yeah the NL did better than the AL because Ozzie padded the reserves with all of his boys. Hope the fans have the good sense not to vote Pierzynski in to make it a bigger farce. Also fans should vote Garciaparra in for NL.

Posted by: emains at July 2, 2006 10:06 PM

The main thing is Mark Redman made the team. Has there ever been a guy with an ERA over 5 (well over 5 in fact) that has made the team? This one guy per team thing needs to go away, or at least take someone who is somewhat deserving.

Posted by: JeremyM at July 2, 2006 10:13 PM

Geez, not to belabor the point, but Mussina and Schilling didn't even make the team and Redman did. Two guys having great years who both have decent shots at making the Hall of Fame, and they'll be sitting at home. Would fans be more likely to tune in to see Redman, or these two? If anything KC fans will tune out from the shame rather than make a point to watch.

Posted by: JeremyM at July 2, 2006 10:18 PM

I doubt Redman will see any playing time.

Posted by: David Pinto at July 2, 2006 10:25 PM

Schilling definitely should have been named. More of the Ozzie show on display here.

Posted by: emains at July 2, 2006 11:08 PM

well, it is possible biggio is still hurting and told phil he didn't want to go.

besides, he isn't hitting near as well as uggla.

so as much as i am a biggio fan, i agree with this.

and i would bet $$$$ that barry told phil he didn't wanna go. heck, he told espn that jason schmidt should go, not him. and you KNOW barry wants to rest

- will be interesting to see if ozzies boyz gonna pull it off for him

and i DO think that contreras gonna start, not santana. and after watching liriano and verlander, i am GLAD ozzie left them off

Posted by: lisa gray at July 3, 2006 02:31 AM

Neither Bonds or Biggio deserved to be there over Uggla. But by far the worst and most undeserving starter is Lo Duca.

Posted by: jason at July 3, 2006 02:32 AM

Just another example of why having the fan votes pick the starters is a bad idea - too many deserving players are left off, while players in the bigger markets are chosen.

Posted by: JudyB at July 3, 2006 04:02 AM

Why wasn't Brandon Phillips name even on the ballot? I'm not saying he should have made the final squad, although it wouldn't have been a crime if he had, but shouldn't the season he is having at least rate his name on the ballot? It was nice to see the kid Uggla get some props. Phillips numbers compare fairly well to him. Can someone say "miscarriage"?

Posted by: david at July 3, 2006 09:36 AM

Lo Duca is far worse as a starter than Soriano.

And, to some extent, I agree: there should be one position per team that is for a great player that might be in his last season. I just wouldn't give it to Bonds this year.

Posted by: nick at July 3, 2006 10:11 AM

How did Nomar not make the team?

Posted by: dave at July 3, 2006 11:22 AM

Lo Duca is far worse as a starter than Soriano.

Lo Duca should not even be on the team. Barrett and McCann are bot having clearly better years.

Posted by: dave at July 3, 2006 11:24 AM

And I forgot about David Ross...who probably should be the starter.

Posted by: dave at July 3, 2006 11:26 AM

Agree that Lo Duca is about as bad as Soriano. Neither should be on the team. Lo Duca ranks ninth in OPS among catchers with 150 AB's, Soriano ranks seventh among left fielders with the same qualification. Neither is that good defensively. NYC voters strike again.

Holliday and McCann should be starting instead, but they both play a long ways from New Yawk. (Or L.A. What's with Guerrero?) At least they got onto the team. Ross is having a terrific year, but he doesn't have that many plate appearances.

Posted by: Casey Abell at July 3, 2006 12:45 PM

A lot of commentators and fans call Ozzie Guillen 'colorful'; he isn't; he's a joke, a walking insult to baseball. He's also a shameless jerk (witness his anti-gay rants) and a classless homer (if he had his way he'd take his entire team to Pittsburgh).

Posted by: bill at July 4, 2006 10:45 PM

Giambi not making the team/ home run derby is a crime tejada is in it with 17 home runs are you serious and giambi has 27 i dont get it and liriano is lucky he made the team cuz contreras pitched otherwise he wouldnt even be there which is a crime

Posted by: Matt at July 10, 2006 03:44 PM

What are you smoking Cano is not better than Mark l and David Ortiz is way better than Gimibi he is way out of his league. thats good no yankees made it to the homerun derby .

Posted by: bob at July 10, 2006 07:51 PM

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