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No Love in The Big Apple
Several players seemed to have their bags packed and were well on their way to New York for the All-Star Game when they found themselves suddenly off course and stranded.
Unlike the passengers of Oceanic Flight 815, the players that were snubbed for the All-Star team won’t be stranded on a remote island, but instead stranded at home when a few of them have very legit complaints about being left out of the fun in New York.
Prince Fielder has recovered from a slow start to post some nice numbers, average aside, but it’s not hard to believe that he’ll be a spectator when you consider that he was up against Lance Berkman, Adrian Gonzalez and Albert Pujols.
Mark DeRosa is in a similar situation. He’s batting .292 with 51 Runs, 11 HR and 49 RBI. He probably deserves to make the trip, but Chase Utley and Dan Uggla have made that impossible.
Vladimir Guerrero, Jason Giambi, Jose Guillen and Brian Roberts have also had fine seasons, but just not quite good enough to play the final All-Star Game in Yankee Stadium.
There are, however, a few players that have plenty of reasons to be upset with the results of the voting.
J.J. Hardy (.295, 37R, 12HR, 38RBI) will be watching the game, while Cristian Guzman (.313, 50R, 5HR, 29RBI) plays in it. Mike Lowell (.297, 39R, 13HR, 54RBI) was even snubbed by his own manager, when Carlos Guillen (.286, 43R, 8HR, 44RBI) and Joe Crede (.261, 36R, 15HR, 47RBI) were both selected as backups to Alex Rodriguez.
There are also some very deserving players who have one last chance to make the team in the final vote. Two more players will be invited to New York, but that will also send more deserving players home to watch the game from the couch.
David Wright may still make the squad yet, but with his .286 batting average, 55 Runs, 16 HR, 66 RBI and 9 SB; he should already have his spot guaranteed. Chipper Jones has the unreal .388 average with nearly identical runs scored and homeruns, but 16 less RBI and only 2 stolen bases. Along with Jones, Aramis Ramirez is already on the team. Ramirez has is batting .283 with one more run, 1 less HR, 6 less runs batted in and 8 less stolen bases.
Pat Burrell (.279, 47R, 21HR, 53RBI), Corey Hart (.296, 46R, 14HR, 55RBI, 13SB) and Carlos Lee (.292, 43R, 19HR, 67RBI) are facing David Wright for the final roster spot, but they also have the right to feel that they belong more than Kosuke Fukudome (.287, 58R, 7HR, 35RBI, 8SB) and Alfonso Soriano (.283, 36R, 15HR, 40RBI, 7SB). In addition to the chance at being voted into the final slot, one of these players could be an injury replacement for Soriano, who may not be healthy enough to play.
Evan Longoria is in the running for the final spot in the American League, but his .281 average, 44 Runs, 16 HR and 52 RBI makes him much more deserving that Carlos Guillen and Joe Crede, who were already voted in.
Jermaine Dye is battling Longoria for that last spot, but it could certainly be argued that his .308 average, 51 Runs, 19 HR and 52 RBI should be on that team more than Manny Ramirez (.278, 52R, 16HR, 53RBI), J.D. Drew (.299, 61R, 16HR, 51RBI) and Grady Sizemore (.269, 56R, 22HR, 50RBI).
There was also a major mistake made regarding the starters, but this can be blamed on Red Sox Nation fan voting. There is no way that Dustin Pedroia (.312, 60R, 9HR, 41RBI, 9SB) deserves to start over reserve 2nd baseman Ian Kinsler (.332, 79R, 14HR, 53RBI, 23SB).
No Love in The Big Apple?
No Love in The Big Apple?
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