King Felix, Ichiro! Make All-Star Team
by JLProck on Jul 6, 2009 10:05 AM PDT
49 comments
Glad to see Felix Hernandez is going to this year's All-Star festivities. He certainly deserves it after the year that he's had so far. And Ichiro is showing that you just can't logically guess when he might fall off the map. He is possibly having the best year of his career.
Keith Law had a problem with some of this year's selections. I'm not an Insider, so I couldn't read the whole article, but I'm sure it went on to explain what's wrong with the selection process (fans being idiots and so forth). I, for one, don't worry too much about selections. I vote for who I think should go, and leave it at that. As long as the game is fun to watch, I'll live with whoever goes.
Here are the two lineups:
Plenty of big names. Aaron Hill, who thought deserved to go, made it. As did Raul the Lawn Dart. And, if you'll take a close look, you might notice a former Mariner that we all love and adore. That's right, ladies and gents, Ryan Franklin is an All-Star. Oh, and Derek Jeter is an All-Star again. Big surprise there (though he deserves it this time).
Anyway, here's to a quality All-Star game. They have been less-than-spectacular the last few years.
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Congratulations, Felix!
I would have liked to see Gutierrez in there, but that was an extreme long shot. Branyan has some perennial All-Stars in front of him at first, so I can’t complain too much about his snub. And Aardsma . . . whatever.
And congrats to Adam Jones.
by Teej on Jul 6, 2009 10:25 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I read something somewhere this morning
that how you feel about All-Star selections is dependent on what you think the All-Star Game actually is. If you think it’s a reward for the most talented players in the game, chances are you feel pretty aggrieved every year when the Raul Ibanezes of the world get to go. If you think it’s a meaningless bit of fun in the middle of the season, you want Griffey there even though he’s got no business being an All-Star, just because this is probably his swan song.
I fall towards the latter camp, myself – I’m glad Hamilton is there, I accept the inevitability of Jeter being there, and even though it’s pointless I’ll probably watch the whole thing.
Nice Guys Finish Third - My semantics are a waste of time.
by pdb on Jul 6, 2009 10:34 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I enjoy it when out-of-nowhere players who crush the first month or two of the season get a bid.
Didn’t Chris Shelton get off to a ridiculous start with Detroit in 2006? I wanted to see him in the ASG that year. I liked that Jose Lopez made it on the team then, too. On the other hand, I really wanted to see Jr. on the NL squad in 2001, so I guess I’m on the fence here.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains. -- P&P&Z
by Two Rs and Two Ls on Jul 6, 2009 10:52 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Actually, this is a year that everyone can feel good about Jeter in the All-Star Game.
He is narrowly in second to Marco Scutaro for WAR, and if that clause did not make sense to you, then you’re fine with his selection because he is The Captain.
by abender20 on Jul 6, 2009 10:56 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, I just pick on Jeter because it's easy and I'm lazy
He actually is having a good year this year.
Nice Guys Finish Third - My semantics are a waste of time.
by pdb on Jul 6, 2009 11:03 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Third behind Bartlett & Scutaro, but still he's a fine selection, yeah
by patsfan on Jul 6, 2009 11:25 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'd forgotten that Bartlett doesn't qualify for the leaderboard thanks to his missed time.
Man he’s having an impressive season.
by abender20 on Jul 6, 2009 11:27 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
There's also a difference in what time frame voters use.
I might weight the first three months of the season a little more heavily, but I still think the past couple of years should matter. So, like you, I have no problem with Hamilton being there. And while I would LOVE to see Branyan make the All-Star team, I can’t fault people for voting for Teixeira and Youkilis.
by Teej on Jul 6, 2009 11:15 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
The problem I have is the indefensible home field advantage thing.
If they want HFA to be decided based on something between the two leagues, how come not just interleague record?
by Matthew on Jul 6, 2009 11:25 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
HFA is supposed give people under 40 a reason to watch the AS game.
It has nothing to do with deciding something between the two league
by Poochie on Jul 6, 2009 11:30 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
After every inning, the trailing team should have to vote one teammate off the field.
That seems to work for people under 40.
by abender20 on Jul 6, 2009 11:32 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
At the end of the ASG, each team should gather round and bukkake a Japenese girl, and the audience can vote for which team performed best and that team gets home advantage.
I was at Shea for the Felix-Slam!
Personal M's record: 5-4.
by EnglishMariner on Jul 6, 2009 12:18 PM PDT up reply actions 6 recs
well that's certainly an option I suppose
Nice Guys Finish Third - My semantics are a waste of time.
by pdb on Jul 6, 2009 12:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
It is my idea for how to attract the key 18-25 male adult that advertisers crave.
I was at Shea for the Felix-Slam!
Personal M's record: 5-4.
by EnglishMariner on Jul 6, 2009 12:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
This is what 18-25 yo males are into these days? Or just the ones with disposable income?
by Kermit. on Jul 6, 2009 12:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I thought 18-25 year old males had fantasies involving several women and one guy
not the other way around
by Poochie on Jul 6, 2009 12:45 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed.
I don’t like it at all. And I don’t think it really gets people any more excited about the game. Most people understand that their favorite team has a small chance of making the World Series.
by Teej on Jul 6, 2009 11:34 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
And why would the players care?
Even if you are in contention the WS is still far off.
I think the AS game was probably a great thing in it’s heyday, but now that you can see any star player anytime you want, and that the quality of play is probably worse than in a typical game, it’s completely obsolete and I would not be sad to see it go away.
by Poochie on Jul 6, 2009 12:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
It's not completely obsolete I don't think
MLB uses the ASG as a sales tool for the casual fan, the fan that may watch one game a year, in the hopes that they’ll reel that fan in and make them a regular customer fan.
Nice Guys Finish Third - My semantics are a waste of time.
by pdb on Jul 6, 2009 12:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
The reason I'm a Mariners fan is because of Ichiro's All-Star MVP performance in '07.
Fuck Anaheim.
by Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth on Jul 6, 2009 1:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
God that was an amazing day.
ASG MVP, extension, and rumors of AJ’s promotion.
Go Nova
by dbroncos31 on Jul 6, 2009 6:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
They do for catchers!
Assuming one of them is injured.
by acblue on Jul 6, 2009 1:01 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
It's kinda stupid that Branyan doesn't get to go
Or at least that he isn’t part of the homerun derby.
by OlSalty on Jul 6, 2009 12:49 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Glass half full
There’s still time for someone to decide they want to go the Bahamas get injured, and for Branyan to take his spot.
by Poochie on Jul 6, 2009 12:54 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
But the real question is
Is Ichiro! gonna hit some bombs in the home run derby?
by d0nkey on Jul 6, 2009 12:58 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Probably not that lazy selfish SOB
Nice Guys Finish Third - My semantics are a waste of time.
by pdb on Jul 6, 2009 1:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Whoah, I must have been half-asleep when I was listening to the radio this morning.
I could have sworn I heard on KIRO that Ichiro and Gutz made the team, not Felix. In retrospect, that would have made very little sense.
"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."
by Fearless Frog on Jul 6, 2009 2:25 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Hey Mariners fans
sorry to hear Branyan didnt make it ( hes on my fantasy team), he really does deserve to go. First base is just a very strong position.
Anyway, It would be cool if you guys could help Giants fans vote in Sandoval on the final vote. He batting .333
Of the 5 on the NL ballot, he leads in Avg. OBP. and OPS. and hes second in HRs. He is really fun to watch.
Thanks, Giants fan
The San Francisco Giants: Where old men go to die.
by GrahamCrakalaka on Jul 6, 2009 4:17 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Sandoval doesn't deserve the last spot. Matt Kemp does.
Sandoval’s at 2.7 WAR, while Matt Kemp is at 3.5 WAR. Kemp has been the best outfielder in baseball this year. Sandoval has been excellent, but he’s just an all-star level player. Kemp’s an MVP level player.
by Decatur on Jul 6, 2009 4:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm taking Kemp's UZR numbers with a boulder of salt.
by Teej on Jul 6, 2009 4:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
To expand,
Looking at his career UZR numbers, he looks to be about average as a center fielder. Which is definitely respectable. But I don’t believe for a second that he’s a +15 or +20 center fielder. So regressing that, and factoring in the sizable gap in wOBA, I might give the nod to Fat Ichiro.
by Teej on Jul 6, 2009 4:47 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I was wondering about Kemp's defense, too.
Could it be he is simply improving his play; similar to what Adam Jones had to do? Kemp sure is a big dude out there, but he’s got some good speed for his size.
by Wilder. on Jul 6, 2009 5:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sure, he could have improved.
He does have good speed. But +10 halfway through the year seems a little crazy to me. I don’t mean to throw out this year’s numbers, but at least regress them a bit. We’re looking at roughly one-sixth of the data we probably need to make a good assessment of someone’s defensive value.
I love WAR as much as the next guy, but when we’re dealing with half-season samples and big swings like this, I tend to give more weight to the larger samples of previous years.
Kemp could definitely be an elite center fielder. I just have my doubts.
by Teej on Jul 6, 2009 5:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Its likely
that Kemp will get on the roster in Beltrans spot
But Sandovals offensive numbers are better than Kemps, excluding SBs.
I havent looked, but im guessing Kemps high WAR comes a lot from his defence.
Also, the Dodgers are evil.
The San Francisco Giants: Where old men go to die.
by GrahamCrakalaka on Jul 6, 2009 6:00 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
The difference between his UZR last year and his UZR this year is entirely in range.
He has a swell arm, and that’s true this year as well. He certainly has foot speed, so the rest is up to his routes. Watching him against the M’s, he certainly had some nice routes to track down some otherwise gappers. Maybe he’s getting more comfortable out in center. Based on that small anecdotal evidence, bupkus, but he at least has the physical tools to be a good CF.
by abender20 on Jul 6, 2009 6:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Those are all good points. I guess I just got a crush on Kemp after seeing him in the Dodgers series.
But I’d still pick Kemp over Sandoval, although it’s probably a lot closer to even than WAR suggests for 2009.
by Decatur on Jul 6, 2009 7:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
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