Quick Thoughts On The All Star Game

     The MLB All Star game has grown to an astounding level of ridiculousness in recent years. Now "It Counts" and in deciding World Series home field advantage, a major part of the game has been placed to what is supposed to be a sideshow. The All Star Game originally in 1933 was meant to be an opportunity for fans to watch players from all cities. With the introduction of MLB.tv packages and the ability to watch many many games a week  has caused the All Star Game to lose its sparkle. Now its time to end it.
     I do believe that it is time to end this declining tradition, but there are ways to improve the product. First off lets abolish the rule that there must be a representative from each team. The AL and NL teams should simply be filled with the best players from each league. Yes, Jose Altuve (.295,.328,.379) is a nice player and a good story with his short stature, but he is a member of the game's elite. Hell, no! I would much rather see another Cardinals or Braves player than watch Jose Altuve go 0-1.
     Number two get rid of fan voting. Fan voting is a way for the fans to be a part of the game but the idea is a complete failure. Right now Derek Jeter, a player who hasn't participated in a single game this year, is one of the leaders for shortstop. Am I expected to let Joe Schmo football fan who logs onto MLB.com for fun to have as much of a voice as the voices inside the game. Right now a scout would have as much of an impact on the players as this guy Joe Schmo. I don't need to see Jeter, Jose Reyes, and a shell of his former self Albert Pujols in the game. Just because most fans don't know the true stars of the game like Juan Segura, Manny Machado, and Chris Davis shouldn't mean the rest of us have to suffer.
     The All Star game is meant to be a sideshow; don;t attach more importance to this game then there is meant to be at its core. That's like taking Tropic Thunder and saying Best Picture at the Oscars should be decided on which movie is the most similar to the movie. Terrible idea! Also one last thought...if the managers are supposed to try to win the game, then how come every player gets an at bat. I remember a couple of years ago Brandon Inge came up, grounded out and got high fives for being an all star. That's simply not what this game is about.

AL All Star Team

As we get into the middle part of June, the baseball season has heated up along with the weather. Consequently, players are racking up enough plate appearances to the point where the leaderboards and stats start to gain credibility. There are no more qualified players batting .400 or on pace to hit 80 home runs, so now the real stars and breakout players are starting to appear and cement their status as All-Star contenders. Today, we will take a look at the possible lineups for this summer’s midsummer classic in Citi Field.

In accordance with the rules, lets set the roster at 33 players (and 5 final vote candidates). The rosters have consistently had 21 hitters and 13 pitchers, so let’s keep to these standards. Additionally, every team must be represented on the team. With these conditions in mind, I have assembled below the ideal All Star roster in my mind (Starters in bold).

First Base:

Chris Davis, BAL +4.2 WAR - Second-best hitter in the American League, leading the league in home runs… the list goes on. He’s the unquestioned starting first baseman.

Mark Trumbo, LAA +2.0 WAR - This was a very questionable pick due to Prince Fielder’s prowess at the plate. However, Trumbo’s superior base running and defense more than make up for Fielder’s edge in the hitting department.

Second Base:

Dustin Pedroia, BOS +2.5 WAR – He’s not hitting for much power but doing everything else at an All-Star level, so this was an easy pick. Gold Glove candidate and almost .400 OBP an all-star starter make. 

Howie Kendrick, LAA +2.3 WAR – Kendrick is currently the best-hitting second baseman in the AL. He’s a very good all-star backup and a case could be made for him to be the starter this year.

Shortstop:

Johnny Peralta, DET +3.0 WAR – Steroid allegations notwithstanding, Peralta has been absolutely raking this year. Some of that has ben BABIP-driven of course (.418!), but even so he’s the best SS in the AL right now.

JJ Hardy, BAL – +2.0 WAR Hardy has been hitting for enough power this year to make up for his on-base deficiencies, and his slick glove pushes him onto the All-Star team as a SS.

Third Base:

Miguel Cabrera, DET +4.4 WAR – Probably the best hitter in the game, Cabrera is having an even better season than his triple-crown winner last year. His offensive firepower more than makes up for his defensive deficiencies.

Evan Longoria, TB +4.1 WAR – Longoria is on an absolute tear this year, keeping the Rays in the race with timely hitting and excellent defense. Longoria would be on pace to win the silver slugger if it wasn’t for Cabrera, and the gold glove if not for Manchado. He is the second best third baseman in the league.

Manny Manchado, BAL +4.0 WAR – Right now Manchado looks like the best defender in baseball, leading all of baseball with a 14.6 UZR. He also is leading the league with 33 doubles.

Josh Donaldson, OAK +3.0 WAR – Donaldson is exceeding all expectations this year, putting up a 142 wRC+ and playing a nice third base to boot. He is one of the big reasons the A’s are in first this year.

Catcher:

Joe Mauer, MIN +3.1 WAR – Joe Mauer may never hit for the same power he displayed in 2009, but even without it he still is the class of the AL with his on-base skills.

Carlos Santana, CLE +1.9 WAR – Cleveland’s lone all-star representative, Santana is both getting on base at a good clip and hitting for solid power. An offensive-minded catcher whose hitting makes up for his shoddy defense.

Jason Castro, HOU +1.9 WAR – While Castro is also a team rep like Santana, his solid hitting for a catcher merits his All Star selection, although he is probably the least-qualified player on this list.

Designated Hitter:

David Ortiz, BOS +2.0 WAR – No player is more of a slam-dunk selection as Ortiz is. Papi came back from his injury as strong as ever, as his 162 wRC+ sits on the top of the DH leaderboard.

Outfield:

Mike Trout LF, LAA +4.3 WAR – Trout may not be having quite as good a season as the one last year, but it is still good enough to keep him in the MVP conversation. Trout’s five tools make him far and away the best outfielder in baseball.

Jose Bautista RF, TOR +2.7 WAR – Bautista isn’t necessarily tearing the cover off the ball, but he still should be the starter in right field due to the underwhelming crop of outfielders in the AL this year. His offense is still good, and according to UZR he is having his best defensive season this year.

Brett Gardner CF, NYY +2.6 WAR – Wait, what? When you see Gardner as the CF starter for the All Star game, you know something is wrong. But the reality is that while many of the top AL outfielders have floundered (looking at you Josh Hamilton), Gardner seized the center field job in NYY and never looked back. With excellent base running and defense supplanted by above-average offense, Gardner is worthy of starting the All Star Game.

Alex Rios, CWS +2.3 WAR– Rios isn’t doing anything incredible, but instead is performing at an above average level in every facet in the game (116 wRC+, 2.6+ runs on the bases, 7.1+ runs in the field). Put it all together, and you get a capable all-star backup.

Coco Crisp, OAK +2.0 WAR– Crisp has cooled off from his early power surge, but is still getting on base at a good clip and putting his opportunities to use on the bases. Another pick that isn’t flashy but gets the job done.

Adam Jones, KCR +1.9 WAR– Jones has many doubters among the saber metric community, but despite his hatred of taking a walk (2.5 BB%), he still is driving the ball (AL leading 15 HR) and getting on base thanks to his .303 batting average. Jones would be a terrific pinch-hitting option for Jim Leyland if the AL needed power from the bench.

Pitchers:

Clay Buchholz, BOS +2.9 WAR – Buchholz has simply been outstanding this year and leads qualified starters in ERA. His solid peripherals back up his run prevention, and Jim Leyland should have no fear in tabbing Buchholz to start the game.

Felix Hernandez, SEA +3.1 WAR – Hernandez has been his usual self this year, which is code for really freaking good. Hernandez is turning in yet another Cy-Young caliber season and was an easy selection

Yu Darvish, TEX +3.0 WAR – Darvish has been absolutely ridiculous this year, posting the highest strikeout rate among qualified starters with his seemingly endless arsenal of pitches. Darvish is everything that people thought Dice-K was going to be: a legitimate ace.

Anibal Sanchez, DET +3.1 WAR – Sanchez has been lighting up the AL this year with his dominating stuff and came two outs away from a no-hitter. He is leading the AL in fielding-independent WAR despite making only 13 starts due to injury.

Doug Fister, DET +2.8 WAR – Fister is turning into the next Dan Haren, with his refusal to give up walks and above-average strikeout rate. He has also been stingy about giving up home runs, something Haren was not good at. In any case, Fister has been excellent despite his underwhelming Detroit defense behind him.

Justin Verlander, DET +2.7 WAR – If it weren’t for his pedigree, Verlander would probably not make this list. He simply has given up too many runs and currently sports an average-looking 3.72 ERA. However, much of this is due to his sky high BABIP (.344) that is most certainly a product of the bad Detroit defense. He is striking out more batters than ever (10.37) and is too good to take off the roster.

Hisashi Iwakuma, SEA +2.2 WAR - A relatively unknown player before this season, Iwakuma has turned in a fantastic out of nowhere season with a 2.06 ERA. A good strikeout rate and terrific walk rate will usually do the trick, and Iwakuma has done exactly that.

Max Scherzer, DET +3.1 WAR – Scherzer has finally harnessed his amazing stuff and is currently in the middle of his finest season to date. Scherzer would be the staff ace on any other team, and might be better than Verlander right now. Off to a 10-0 start, the sky is the limit for Scherzer and it doesn’t look like he’ll be losing any time soon.

James Shields, KC +2.3 WAR – While many heavily scrutinized Dayton Moore for trading in Myers for a new ace, Shields has lived up to the billing and done everything that the Royals could ask for. While his run-prevention skills (2.72 ERA) haven’t exactly translated into wins (2-6 record), Shields has been a bright spot for a team with one of the worst offenses in baseball.

Mariano Rivera NYY +1.48 WPA– Mo has been fantastic in his farewell season with New York, with 25 saves against 1 blown save. He is one of the main reasons the Yankees are still in the playoff race and will be Jim Leyland’s go to option in the 9^th.

Jessie Crain CWS +2.15 WPA – Crain has been the most lockdowny (not a real word) setup man in the league this year, only allowing 2 runs to date in 34 appearance, good for a .55 ERA. His success can be attributed to a career high strikeout (11.85 K/9), and he will probably be Leyland’s first option to pitch in the 8^th inning.

Greg Holland KC +0.73 WPA – The Royals haven’t had many save opportunities this year, but when they do Holland almost always converts them to wins (15 out of 17). Holland’s blazing fastball and nasty slider have led to a ridiculous 14.19 K/9 and should inspire confidence as a strikeout-option for Leyland.

Glenn Perkins MIN +1.72 WPA – Perkins is one of the main reasons the Twins have held their head above water this season (a 33-36 record should be considered a success for the Twins). Perkins has converted 18 out of 20 save opportunities with outstanding strikeout (13.01 K/9) and walk (1.95 BB/9) rates. A former starter, Leyland could easily call on Perkins to pitch multiple innings if the need arises.

Final Vote Candidates :

Grant Balfour, OAK +2.62 WPA – Balfour has been lights out for the Oakland bullpen and leads all AL relievers with 2.62 wins added according to win-probability. A worthy choice.

Chris Sale, CWS +2.3 WAR – Sale has been All-Star worthy based off his rate stats, but hasn’t pitched enough innings to make the initial cut. Some of this has to do with the White Sox careful handling of him due to his age, but regardless Sale would be a fine addition to the All-Star staff.

Kyle Seager, SEA +2.7 WAR – Seager would probably make the All-Star team any other year, but for some reason this year is the year of the third baseman. With 4 other third baseman on the team already, I couldn’t fit Seager on the team. He would, however, be a terrific 34^th man on the team and can play both second and third.

Robinson Cano, NYY +1.9 WAR – Cano hasn’t had his typical MVP-type season this year, but his hitting (122 wRC+) is still good enough to be in the conversation for the All Star team. 

Derek Holland, TEX +2.8 WAR – If it weren’t for all those Tiger starting pitchers, Holland probably would’ve made my fantasy all-star team. Still, Holland’s solid performance this year shouldn’t be forgotten, and if I had to choose I would tab him to be the 34^th man on the team.

Thoughts after Game 2

  Tomorrow, things will be better. I can move on from the tonight's game and get my hopes up for Game Three. I can forget about each ugly moment: Lebron's block on Splitter, the Heat's umpteenth steal, and that whole terrible, horrifying 23-5 run. As a Cavaliers fan and proud member of Team Anti-Heat, I watched tonight's game I watched with a mixture of fright, amazement, and eventually nausea. Right now I can;t sort my thoughts into logical patterns, so I will part ran and half share my jumbled emotions.
     The Heat tonight showed why they are considered the best team in the league. Every three point shooter and role player achieved their job to perfection. Mike Miller and Ray Allen could not miss. Chris Anderson made a whole array of infuriating putbacks, dunks, and layups. Norris Cole chipped in with a couple of strong drives. Dwayne Wade played fresh and quick, Chris Bosh actually rebounded; heck even Shane Battier finally made a three. The way the team played brought back memories of the unstoppable juggernaut that they were in last year's playoffs and this whole season before the faced the Pacers. The game could have been even worse, which brings me top my next point...what was Lebron doing in the first half tonight?
      We watched Lebron self-combust in the first half tonight, two for ten from the field midway through the second quarter, playing passively and the most uninvolved in a long while.Tomorrow the sports world will listen to praise about the Heat's terrific game, and rightly so, but Lebron's first half should not be glossed over. Every time Lebron  had the ball in his hands he either drove with no intention of scoring, dishing to a far lesser player, or settling for a tough jumper which he missed nearly every time. What were the Spurs doing on defense? Was Kawhi Leonard simply playing tough and stingy defense? Whatever the system the Spurs were utilizing, Lebron simply cannot back down from the challenge like he did. At a certain point I thought watching that there was something tragic about watching Lebron waste his talent. Even rooting against him one feels let down or slighted when he takes that 20 foot fadeaway jumper instead of driving. Maybe this is just wishful thinking but perhaps this spurt was not a fluke and the Spurs could repeat this. Right now Lebron is averaging 17.5 ppg in this series, so the Spurs are clearly playing him the right way. Hopefully number 6 is not able to take that next step for the rest of the season.
     Heat fans are pathetic, especially the ones at the game tonight. The third quarter started and half the crowd was seated. At the end of the game nearly all of the crowd had left. This is the FINALS! What, was halftime too short for you slimeballs? GET TO YOU DAMN SEAT ON TIME! And to leave before the game ended? These fans must have spent a ton for these seats, one would think that enough would be enough to keep them there. Sit in you seats you smug S.O.B.s. I wouldn't mind the Heat nearly as much if not for their fans, who think the world is out to get them. They bring it upon themselves and they just don't realize that. Ask them who Alonzo Mourning is and at least half of "Heat fans" have no clue who he is. Have some respect for the game guys, really. This is the finals. This is sacred ground and should be treated as such. Will be back after Game 3.