No, but then again, the Reds don't either. When was the last time you saw Chapman hit anything over 102? He's pretty consistent at 98 to 101 IMO. And yeah, they've got a reliever that sits there too.Originally Posted by Sea Ray
No, but then again, the Reds don't either. When was the last time you saw Chapman hit anything over 102? He's pretty consistent at 98 to 101 IMO. And yeah, they've got a reliever that sits there too.
Frazier really isn't even a good candidate to use in order to make a purist argument that selection to the all-star game should be based solely upon first half performance when there are guys like Prado, Hill, Heyward, Craig, Lucroy, Fowler, Colvin, Goldschmidt, and Kubel who don't have to dvr Fox tonight.
Last edited by jojo; 07-10-2012 at 11:19 AM.
"This isn’t stats vs scouts - this is stats and scouts working together, building an organization that blends the best of both worlds. This is the blueprint for how a baseball organization should be run. And, whether the baseball men of the 20th century like it or not, this is where baseball is going."---Dave Cameron, U.S.S. Mariner
Rodriquez throws just over 100 when he can get the ball over the plate. But that's the problem. He can't always throw strikes.
I have not heard one person mention Frazier for the ASG. But that's not a surprise at all. Harper has had all the pub since before he ever played one inning in MLB. He has that pizzazz about him, plus he's pretty darn good. I just as soon see him in the ASG as anyone else.
Reds Fan Since 1971
A lot of these guys are picked because of marketing and fan interest in them.
You could argue that Chapman made it because of fan's interest in his high velocity fastball. He did have a bad stretch there and it wasn't a given that he would make the team.
Cozart doesn't come close to Harper in a numbers game. Cozart is barely OPS'ing .700.
mbgrayson, there aren't many guys picks for the game based on performance. All of the starters are picked based on popularity. Should it be that way? No, I don't think so. Especially now that it actually has meaning to it.
I'm not a fan of the all star game, but baseball knows what it is doing here.
Harper is a young guy expected to be a star.
Frasier may not have a job in 2-3 years. He's done a great job this year, but it's iffy he can maintain this level of performance. In contrast, Harper has an almost unlimited ceiling.
MLB wants as many people to watch the AS Game as possible. Thus, it has to be a popularity contest. If they have a computer select the teams based on statisitical merit, ratings are going to take a hit.
[Phil ] Castellini celebrated the team's farm system and noted the team had promising prospects who would one day be great Reds -- and then joke then they'd be ex-Reds, saying "of course we're going to lose them". #SellTheTeamBob
Nov. 13, 2007: One of the greatest days in Reds history: John Allen gets the boot!
Put it this way, Harper is better arm candy to baseball than Frazier is.An All-Star game or any exhibition is, in a sense, anathema to a sport, in this sense: that whereas sports beg and demand to be taken seriously on a certain level, All-Star games are essentially about showing off.
Bill James
Comparing Chapman to anybody is silly. Chapman has thrown a ball faster than (literally) anybody ever has, ever.
Not to mention the fact Rodriguez has 4.63 ERA in 20 innings this year.
If it was based on stats and not popularity you wouldn't have the annual superstar of former glory who is barely hitting his weight who always seems to get selected over a younger and MUCH better but less known and less popular player. If fans are going to make selections the game will always be partly a joke.
Actually, why not bring LeHair into the conversation? He was put on the team straight up and this in spite of the fact that Starlin Castro was put on the team (ie LeHair did not need to be given a slot to meet the All Star quota).
LeHair's WAR is 1.2 while Frazier's is 1.6. I mean, he has hit more home runs and his OPS is better, but his WAR number is lower than Frazier's or Harper's/
Truth is, look around baseball. There are several pitchers who can crank out 100 mph fastballs, and it seems as if there are more every year. Chapman seems to be a novelty right now, but my guess is that within a year or two there will be another guy who will surpass Chapman's velocity record.
I'm not sure it was Fangraphs or one of the other sites, but the average major league fastball over the last few years has gone from about 89-90 up to about 91-92. Whether that trend continues upward or not, I don't know. But it does seem that flame throwers who hit 100 mph regularly are becoming more commonplace. I also wonder if this will lead to more elbow and shoulder blow-outs as well.
I suppose that's why I think the Reds need to concentrate on turning Chapman into a pitcher rather than marketing him as a circus act.
“I think I throw the ball as hard as anyone. The ball just doesn't get there as fast.” — Eddie Bane
“We know we're better than this ... but we can't prove it.” — Tony Gwynn
But can Harper hit off pitchers that "try to trick you"? Since Frazier apparently cannot.
I dont really see anything to get upset about here. If the roles were reversed and we had Bryce Harper and instead a Washington Nationals part-time player who is having a strong season got picked as an All-Star replacement over our 19 year old phenom, we would be in an uproar.
Love what Frazier is doing this year, but Harper deserves the nod. He brings a level of excitement that not many players do.
"Today was the byproduct of us thinking we can come back from anything." - Joey Votto after blowing a 10-1 lead and holding on for the 12-11 win on 8/25/2010.
What about Allen Craig:
.313, .377, .614, OPS .991 with 13 HR, 44 RBI's, 1 SB. He has 199 PA's in 46 games played.
The point is that there are others much deserving than both Harper and Fraizer. There's always going to be snubs. I personally have no problem with Harper getting into the AS game. He's an exciting player to watch.
Basically this is why the Harper selection was wrong. it was done to increase ratings.
The fact that both Fraizer and Craig, two role players, have been more productive than Harper speaks volumes about how bad of a pick this is. There easily a dozen players far more worthy than Harper.
Hoping to change my username to 75769024
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