If it's just a exhibition game, I don't see a problem with it.
On the other hand, if the winner of the game affects home field advantage in the World Series, no doubt he shouldn't be eligible.
If it's just a exhibition game, I don't see a problem with it.
On the other hand, if the winner of the game affects home field advantage in the World Series, no doubt he shouldn't be eligible.
"No matter how good you are, you're going to lose one-third of your games. No matter how bad you are you're going to win one-third of your games. It's the other third that makes the difference." ~Tommy Lasorda
The important part is for the 29 games he's been up he's been easily the best player in baseball......my response was to his paragraph saying he shouldn't be eligible because the game is for home field advantage????
With the WS home field advantage on the line who do you want up right now....the guy hitting .429 over the last month?
With the WS home field advantage on the line....who do you want as one of your 3 outfielders?
With the WS home field advantage on the line who do you want on the bases?
I get the he shouldn't be eligible due to only having 115 AB......I'm 1,000,000% disagreeing that he shouldn't be eligible because the game is too important/for WS home field advantage.
I've posted similar opinions before and got hammered for it, but my opinion hasn't changed. These guys perform their job around 20-25 hours a week, and they spend roughly half of that time sitting down. Yes, I take into consideration the fact that they also work out -- but so do I, and I work 40-hour weeks and sometimes more (and I'm 49). To suggest going to the all-star game would somehow affect the remainder of their season energy-wise or endurance-wise, is quite a stretch, IMO.
Puig just became only the third player since 1900 (1900!) to have 50+ hits in his first 30 games. I was on the fence when I started this thread, but I'm now solidly in favor of this guy getting a spot on the NL roster.
_Sir_Charles_ (07-07-2013)
This debate reminds me of Chris Sabo's rookie year. He started his MLB career on fire -- hot enough to make the all-star game as a rookie -- but was terrible after the all-star break. So, looking back, as great as Sabo seemed the first half of his rookie season, he never captured the attention of the country the way Puig has. If you don't hold the games played argument against Puig, his "first half" has been more impressive than Sabo's first half was in '88.
Will Puig drop off after the break the way Sabo did? Maybe, maybe not, but as of now, he deserves a spot. If the objective is to win the game, and you consider if NL pitchers haven't figured him out yet, how could AL pitchers do it in one night, then he needs to be there.
I don't think he should be considered. Too small of a sample. It'd be like when Jeff Francoeur started his career super hot, made the cover of SI, whole nine yards, if they had put him in. We don't know what Puig is yet. He could be Pujols, or he could be Francoeur (and I worry about Puig's K/BB ratio going forward, regression could hit him hard) no question he has the talent, though.
That said, I don't really care about the game. The All Star game is pretty worthless and watered down already, so if people want him there, I'm not going to be mad about it.
Barry On Baseball Also blogging at Banished to the Pen.
Why does it matter whether Puig keeps this up later (we know he won't maintain this pace)? As of now, he's a huge force in the game. If he turns into a 4th OF down the road, why does that mean he shouldn't be in the game now?
All my posts are my opinion - just like yours are. If I forget to state it and you're too dense to see the obvious, look here!
Falcon7 (07-06-2013)
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