All Star Selection Discussion Thread

[HeatherC1212]

First big news from the All Star game selection show...Josh Hamilton will start in the game! That's SO great for him and I am so happy about his success this year. :thumbup:

NL team hasn't been announced yet but the AL starters have been announced and there's not any huges surprises.

C - Joe Mauer
1B - Kevin Youkalis
2B - Dustin Pedroia
SS- Derek Jeter :rolleyes: (sorry, I'm not a fan, LOL)
3B - Alex Rodriguez
OF - Manny Ramirez, Josh Hamilton, Ichiro Suzuki
DH - David Ortiz (who apparently won't play due to his injury)

No news on the pitching staff for the AL yet. They're interviewing Josh right now. :)

[Handofdeath]

The NL's infield consists of Lance Berkman at first, Philly's Chase Utley at second, Atlanta's Chipper Jones at third and Florida's Hanley Ramirez at short. Former Yankee and current Cub Alfonso Soriano starts in left, teammate Kosuke Fukudome will be in center and Cincinnati's Ken Griffey, Jr. gets the nod in right. The Cubs' Geovany Soto is the starting catcher.

Source:New York Post

[HeatherC1212]

The NL's infield consists of Lance Berkman at first, Philly's Chase Utley at second, Atlanta's Chipper Jones at third and Florida's Hanley Ramirez at short. Former Yankee and current Cub Alfonso Soriano starts in left, teammate Kosuke Fukudome will be in center and Cincinnati's Ken Griffey, Jr. gets the nod in right. The Cubs' Geovany Soto is the starting catcher.

Source:New York Post

They were wrong. Ryan Braun is the other guy in the outfield. How the heck did Griffey not get in there?! :(

[Handofdeath]

They were wrong. Ryan Braun is the other guy in the outfield. How the heck did Griffey not get in there?! :(

It was probably force of habit they wrote it down. Perhaps a Home Run Derby invite for Jr. I hear those things can mess your swing up for months. Might be just the thing for Griffey. :D

[Carin4Narron]

something's fishy of why Jr's not in there.

[Jack Burton]

Got nothing to complain about, he didn't deserve to make an "All-Star" game this year.

[HeatherC1212]

I swear Junior was just in the top three for the OF when they showed the stats during the Fox game yesterday afternoon. This is beyond weird. :eek:

EDINSON!!! :jump:

[NorrisHopper30]

Junior was like a couple hundred thousand votes ahead of Braun a few days ago.

Interesting.


Is this on TV?

[HeatherC1212]

Wow, Edinson is our only All Star this year. I can't argue with that too much but I'm shocked Junior somehow fell out of the top three OFs when he was just there yesterday. :eek:

[HeatherC1212]

Junior was like a couple hundred thousand votes ahead of Braun a few days ago.

Interesting.

Is this on TV?

It's on TBS right now.

[NorrisHopper30]

I'm a new TWC user..and can't find the channel guide - what channel is TBS?

[Griffey012]

Phillips should have made it over Tejada, it stinks seeing BPhill never get any love.

[NorrisHopper30]

Phillips should have made it over Tejada, it stinks seeing BPhill never get any love.

Uses HGH and he's still not as good as BP :D

Last year not winning the Gold Glove was a crime, he will win it this year if he keeps up this amazing pace he's on.

[HeatherC1212]

I'm a new TWC user..and can't find the channel guide - what channel is TBS?

It's channel 57 on my cable but I have no idea if that's the same for you.

And thanks to Chase Utley, Brandon will probably never make the All Star team unless the manager or the players vote him there. :(

[HeatherC1212]

AL Pitchers

Scott Kasmir
George Sherrill :D
Roy Halliday
Mariano Rivera :rolleyes:
Jonathan Papelbon
Justin Duchscherer
Joe Nathan
Joakim Soria
Cliff Lee
Francsico Rodriguez
Ervin Santana
Joe Saunders

[NorrisHopper30]

Kazmir made it? Hasn't he been injured half the year?

[FlyingPig]

Has Dunn ever been invited to the Home Run Derby?

[Brutus]

It's weird...

When Griffey looked like he would get the nod, I was somewhat critical knowing he didn't deserve a spot. But now that he was overtaken at the last minute (Braun is a favorite of mine so I'm happy for him), I'm somewhat disappointed he got passed up.

While Braun most definitely deserves this appearance, it's actually fishy that much of a differential was made up at the last minute. In any event, he deserves it, Griffey doesn't, so it's not an injustice whatsoever... just weird.

[HeatherC1212]

After seeing the lineups for both leagues, I'm fully on the side of the NL this year. Too many of the AL people got on there by reputation than on what they've actually done this year. That's just my opinion of course but a few guys haven't had all star years at ALL for the AL. Oh well. GO NL! Time to break the streak! :jump:

[FlyingPig]

How does Ian Kinsler not start for the A.L.?

[Kingspoint]

I suppose this is where I post that "Brandon Phillips gets screwed again!".

[Kingspoint]

All Phillips has done besides his 77 consecutive games of not committing an error while at the same time get to every ball humanly possible is:

Among National Leaguers....

Lead all 2nd Baseman in stolen bases.

Lead all 2nd Baseman in Triples.

Lead all 2nd Baseman in Hits.

Lead all 2nd Baseman in Sac Flys.

3rd of all 2nd Baseman in RBI's.

3rd of all 2nd Baseman in AVG.

3rd of all 2nd Baseman in Runs.

3rd of all 2nd Baseman in Homeruns.

3rd of all 2nd Baseman in Extra-Base Hits.

3rd of all 2nd Baseman in Total Bases.

3rd of all 2nd Baseman in Runs Created.

3rd of all 2nd Baseman in ISOP (whatever that is).

Lead all 2nd Baseman (in Majors) in Fielding Percentage (.998). (Uggla is 10th and Utley is 12th in the Majors)

Lead all 2nd Baseman in Zone Rating.

Hasn't missed one game all year.

All the time when it's deserving there will be three players from one position and this is the case where Phillips should join Utley and Uggla.

[Chris Sabowned]

3rd of all 2nd Baseman in RBI's.

3rd of all 2nd Baseman in AVG.

3rd of all 2nd Baseman in Runs.

3rd of all 2nd Baseman in Homeruns.

3rd of all 2nd Baseman in Extra-Base Hits.

3rd of all 2nd Baseman in Total Bases.

3rd of all 2nd Baseman in Runs Created.

3rd of all 2nd Baseman in ISOP (whatever that is).




I love Phillips as much as anyone, but thats a lot of 3rd's. If they are only carrying 2 2b's then you can't be shocked he didn't make it.

On a different note I don't see how people can say its "fishy" that Griffey got passed at the end. There's no conspiracy. Braun has been a good self promoter going on shows and pitching why he should be voted in. It would be more fishy if Griffey somehow moved up the standings, not down.

[NorrisHopper30]

How does Ian Kinsler not start for the A.L.?

Because Boston fans continue to believe Dustin Pedroia is amazing.

[superred]

i dont know which is more criminal volquez not starting the allstar game or phillips not even being selected

[Griffey012]

I at least figured Phillips would make the final vote.

[NorrisHopper30]

Meanwhile Jason Varitek will be starting for the AL with his 219 batting average and 301 OBP.

Not to mention he has more strikeouts than Ks (70 to 55).

This is the best system available obviously.

I might not be watching the All Big Market Game this year.

[Redeye fly]

I love Phillips as much as anyone, but thats a lot of 3rd's. If they are only carrying 2 2b's then you can't be shocked he didn't make it.

On a different note I don't see how people can say its "fishy" that Griffey got passed at the end. There's no conspiracy. Braun has been a good self promoter going on shows and pitching why he should be voted in. It would be more fishy if Griffey somehow moved up the standings, not down.

Yeah, but that being said, all sabermetric stats and analysis aside which may in place suggest otherwise, Phillips is arguably the most well rounded of the three... if you're just looking at things like speed/stolen bases and defense in terms of errors and fielding percentage. Yeah, he doesn't have a whole lot of plate discipline, and Uggla and Utley both deserve to be there, but so does Phillips.

It sucks that Griffey didn't make it if and only if this is his last year, but it probably isn't. I can't necessarily say I agree with Welsh's point that guys like Junior, Ripken, Gwynn, etc. should be in the All Star game in their last year for sentimental reasons, but I understand the argument, and it would be nice to see.

Oh well, congrats to Edinson. Hopefully we'll see him and Cueto both making it together in the near future.

[HeatherC1212]

Meanwhile Jason Varitek will be starting for the AL with his 219 batting average and 301 OBP.

Not to mention he has more strikeouts than Ks (70 to 55).

This is the best system available obviously.

I might not be watching the All Big Market Game this year.

Just a minor quibble...Varitek is not starting the game. That spot went to Joe Mauer which makes a lot more sense. Varitek shouldn't be in the game in the first place. He got the players vote which doesn't give me a lot of confidence in the intelligence of the players, LOL ;)

IMO, the NL looks stronger than the AL this year. :thumbup:

[NeilHamburger]

The shame is they are carrying 3 Shortstops (Hanley, Tejada and Guzman) and only two 2nd basemen. Guzman must go as he's the only national, I'd argue Phillips should go over Tejada. Phillips is a better defender, has more HR's, RBI's, Runs, SB's, a high slugging perc. and a higher OBP. Really that is the argument.

[Orodle]

After seeing the lineups for both leagues, I'm fully on the side of the NL this year. Too many of the AL people got on there by reputation than on what they've actually done this year. That's just my opinion of course but a few guys haven't had all star years at ALL for the AL. Oh well. GO NL! Time to break the streak! :jump:

Soriano, Fukudome, and Braun arnt there on rep?

[superred]

Soriano, Fukudome, and Braun arnt there on rep?

braun probobly should be starting over just about anybody in the nl, the others shouldnt

[HeatherC1212]

braun probobly should be starting over just about anybody in the nl, the others shouldnt

Soriano has been on the DL so he probably won't even play the game and I'm not a Dome fan at all (he doesn't do as well away from Wrigley) but aside from those two players who are a bit questionable for their picks, I can't argue with any of the starters for the NL this year. They got it right for the most part but I probably would have put Matt Holliday, Pat Burrell, or Nate McLouth in the starting lineup based on their first half stats. I think I even threw a few votes in there for Matt Holliday (I think he's awesome).

[Kingspoint]

The shame is they are carrying 3 Shortstops (Hanley, Tejada and Guzman) and only two 2nd basemen. Guzman must go as he's the only national, I'd argue Phillips should go over Tejada. Phillips is a better defender, has more HR's, RBI's, Runs, SB's, a high slugging perc. and a higher OBP. Really that is the argument.


Exactly. You can always have three 2nd Basemen. They always have 3 or 4 of many positions, whether it's 1B, 3B, SS, or 2B.

Phillips is not only not a self-promoter, but he's as quiet as they come. The REDS should promote for him, but they don't do a thing.

[Handofdeath]

You also have to consider that every team has to have a rep there and you have to put your roster together around that.

[Blue]

Hey! We get Tim McCarver!

I miss George Grande.

[Blue]

braun probobly should be starting over just about anybody in the nl, the others shouldnt

Braun has an .873 OPS. The Reds have a leftfielder with better than that.

[foxfire123]

Well, I don't think *BRANDON* would have made 3 flippin' errors in an All Star game like Uggla has tonight. <insert eyeroll here>

[Jack Burton]

It was a joke that Fukudome made the all-star game.