In reality being chosen to represent the National League in the All Star Game means relatively nothing. However there is still cache to being chosen and representing your team and league in the mid-summer classic. With a month or so to go before the teams are selected, roster spots are up for grabs.
It is almost assured that David Wright will make the All Star team based on the accolades he has achieved so far this season. The question then becomes will the Mets have any more representatives in the game and if so, who?
The bullpen will most definitely not get anyone into the game. Even with Tim Byrdak’s 13K/9 and 12 holds no one from the pen comes close to deserving a spot.
The lineup minus Wright has been extremely underwhelming. Aside from a few nice performances like Mike Baxter, .345 BA and .961 OPS and Ruben Tejada, 10 XBH the offense has performed under expectations. Whether because of poor play, injuries or lack of at-bats, most of the hitters will not get consideration for the All Star Game. The only player aside from Wright who may merit consideration is Daniel Murphy. Murphy has had a strong year but his recent slide may preclude him from serious consideration, even with the dearth of talent at second base in the National League.
Finally, the starting rotation is where to find a second All Star on this team. The Mets have two worthy pitchers for All Star consideration, Johan Santana and R.A. Dickey. Both pitchers’ stats are very similar across the board with the only difference being Santana has two wins while Dickey has seven. Unfortunately in baseball, the win stat is overvalued which will likely hinder Santana’s hopes to make the team.
This leaves R.A. Dickey as the other Met besides David Wright with the best shot at making it to the All Star Game. Dickey is near the top of the National League in many major categories; he’s 9th in strikeouts, 13th in WHIP and tied for 3rd in the “all important” wins category. Dickey doesn’t have the flash of a Strausburg or Kershaw but he is producing like an elite pitcher and if he continues on a similar pace he will get strong consideration for the All Star roster.
Dickey’s weakest category is his ERA at 3.06. If it weren’t for his April 18th start against the Atlanta Braves where he gave up 8 runs over 4 and a third innings, R.A. would have an ERA of 2.09. One poor start pushed his ERA up nearly a full run, so Dickey has to avoid those poor outings to maintain a strong chance
32 comments
drklynoon
5/29/2012-8:52am at 8:52 am (UTC -4)
If I was a manager looking to build a team with what is available in the NL to win one game I would pick Dickey to be on the team. His knuckleball is such a change of pace that he not only assures himself a clean inning but he can also make the next traditional reliever look better than they are. Dickey is also a great ambassador for baseball. He is well spoken intelligent and funny. He has a great origen story and climbs mountains for kids. This guy is a role model if there ever was one in sports. If I had a the decision to make he would be a part of the great exibition that is the All-Star game.
SaltyGary
5/29/2012-9:55am at 9:55 am (UTC -4)
Yea on the same page with you. Also so many pitchers that are chosen don’t go or play due to their spot in the rotation. This is one guy that if selected can be used and even used for a couple innings.
srt
5/29/2012-9:05am at 9:05 am (UTC -4)
Agree with David Wright deserving of a spot.
There just seems to be a bit of a bias when it comes to knuckle ball pitchers. We’ve got a month or better until the ASG, but right now Dickey’s stat line deserves consideration. It’ll be interesting to see what happens there. Right now, there are a good slew of SP that would deserves consideration for a spot.
This might be a little bit more to some of these players, other than the recognition. Especially those not making mega bucks. That’s b/c some contracts have a bonus written in, if they do make the All Star team.
Stick
5/29/2012-9:19am at 9:19 am (UTC -4)
I know it is nice to have pitchers on the team (or strongly considered) since it means you have good pitching, but I amperfectly happy to not have them actually pitch in the game. Save the bullets for games that count!
drklynoon
5/29/2012-9:40am at 9:40 am (UTC -4)
These are interesting responses. The All-Star game really has lost the fans hasn’t it? Maybe it is nostalgia talking here. But man I miss the AS game from when I was a kid. You got to see players you didn’t get to see players from the west that you didn’t get to see often and they were all good. Guys were having fun and playing hard baseball. I guess what I am saying is that the AS game use to be everything I loved about sports. It didn’t count they didn’t get payed it was just a chance to play against the best and that was how it counted.
Prismo
5/29/2012-9:53am at 9:53 am (UTC -4)
Interleague play killed it for one thing.
SaltyGary
5/29/2012-10:00am at 10:00 am (UTC -4)
Ya know even as a kid I was bored with the all star game. The voting and HR derby were always great but the game was always a snooze fest. I guess it was cool to get a glimpse of a guy like Cal Ripkin play but growing up in a market where I had local access to the Sox, Yanks and Mets made it easy to catch these guys before inter-league play.
I think sportscenter and then baseball tonight had a greater impact than interleague play. Once that got going you can see highlights of every player and team. We have so much access to information now that getting the glimpse of Ichiro at the ASG isn’t must see TV anymore.
NJstuckinTX
5/29/2012-10:34am at 10:34 am (UTC -4)
Agreed. And Selig calling it a draw one year was the nail in the coffin.
They also should take the “meaning” factor of the AS game away. No way that “game” should give one league home field advantage or not.
srt
5/29/2012-9:56am at 9:56 am (UTC -4)
I’m in the minority in that I like the ASG and I watch every year. I know so many do not anymore.
Daniel Stein-Sayles
5/29/2012-9:57am at 9:57 am (UTC -4)
I agree 100%, there is something special about watching the best players on the same field in the middle of July wanting to win. Every year I’m watching, hoping the Mets representatives get to play and contribute. There is still something special against the mid-summer classic.
Stick
5/29/2012-10:15am at 10:15 am (UTC -4)
Well, next year it will be exciting, right?
srt
5/29/2012-10:17am at 10:17 am (UTC -4)
Oh, for sure. That’s one I won’t miss.
Good thing they brought those fences in the the HR derby, right?
Daniel Stein-Sayles
5/29/2012-10:23am at 10:23 am (UTC -4)
Do you guys think Johan has a chance to make the team?
NJstuckinTX
5/29/2012-10:44am at 10:44 am (UTC -4)
No.
NJstuckinTX
5/29/2012-10:45am at 10:45 am (UTC -4)
Honestly, even Halladay shouldn’t make the team.
trs86
5/29/2012-10:52am at 10:52 am (UTC -4)
Halladay will be on the DL by then anyway.
NJstuckinTX
5/29/2012-11:16am at 11:16 am (UTC -4)
I know he’ll be on the team. It’s the popularity contest thing that will get them voted on. I’m just saying, I’m not sure he deserves to be.
Then again, who is really looking forward to Capuano and Dickey, etc. on the mound vs. the Halladays and Lees, etc.
NJstuckinTX
5/29/2012-11:18am at 11:18 am (UTC -4)
totally didn’t read your post correctly. my bad. And funny stuff. I wouldn’t doubt he will be. Thank goodness (not on a personal level, Roy. Strictly on a fan based level.
)
srt
5/29/2012-10:52am at 10:52 am (UTC -4)
Johan is pitching better than Halladay so far this year.
So much could happen in a month but even with as well as Johan has pitched, think there are too many SP before him that have better numbers, QS, etc. Pitchers that have been consistently going deep in games or have come close to complete games.
You never know though….some of those pitchers could have awful Junes and Johan could pick up right where he left off with that CG he pitched the other day.
Stick
5/29/2012-11:41am at 11:41 am (UTC -4)
who would have thought when ST began that at Memorial day, Johan would have an ERA below 3.00, and Halladay would be down with a bum shoulder?
Prismo
5/29/2012-11:11am at 11:11 am (UTC -4)
I hope not. He could use the extra rest.
oleosmirf
5/29/2012-11:00am at 11:00 am (UTC -4)
remember that many pitchers become unavailable due to when they last pitched.
If Dickey keeps this up, he will surely be selected and obviously Wright will be voted in by the fans. I think Santana has an outside shot considering LaRussa is the manager.
Stick
5/29/2012-11:43am at 11:43 am (UTC -4)
true. and of the 15 SPs “worthy”, 10 of them will bag out for some reason (if not being excluded for when they pitched, coming up with some ache or pain that needs rest). And can’t really blame the pitchers for staying home, since a lot of them have enough trouble making it through a year without any extra work.
Jessep - MMO
5/29/2012-1:17pm at 1:17 pm (UTC -4)
I think there is no way Wright misses the AS Team. There isn’t an NL 3B within driving distance of his season right now.
I think you can make a serious argument for Murphy too but Altuve will/could take up a spot due to Houston which will hurt Murph.
Dickey and Johan both have a chance, they just need to turn it up from now through June 30.
Gio, Kershaw, Cain, Beachy, Dempster, Capuano, Sanchez, Strasburg.
I’d put dickey and Johan behind all of them right now. The odds are the NL will carry 8, MAYBE 9 pitchers.
That’s 8 right there…
Stick
5/29/2012-1:29pm at 1:29 pm (UTC -4)
a couple of those guys won’t be available though (from pitching too recently). and you never know who will bag out with an injury.
so you probably have to go what, 15 deep to come out with 8-9 that will show up for the game?
SaltyGary
5/29/2012-1:59pm at 1:59 pm (UTC -4)
Well it is more of a popularity contest as opposed to a deserving contest. Wright should by all means get in. If the fans rallied behind Murph it would be possible but a long-shot.
Wandy Rodriguez has a shot for that Houston pick as well. That 4-4 won loss record is very deceiving and he is having a fine year.
Jessep - MMO
5/29/2012-2:11pm at 2:11 pm (UTC -4)
True about Wandy but I think Altuve would get there before him just based on the talent pool.
Mr North Jersey
5/29/2012-2:17pm at 2:17 pm (UTC -4)
Aren’t you supposed to be guarding a wall?
Col. Jessep: Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who’s gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinburg? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom.
Jessep - MMO
5/29/2012-2:27pm at 2:27 pm (UTC -4)
My favorite film character of all time.
Prismo
5/29/2012-2:20pm at 2:20 pm (UTC -4)
I don’t have the patience to look through every team, but there’s usually at least one very mediocre pitcher that gets selected just because the team had no other all stars.
Ceetar
5/29/2012-2:55pm at 2:55 pm (UTC -4)
in terms of Murphy, Ike and Duda, they could all go if we wanted them to. (As could Thole, Tejada, Bay and Torres)
Santana’s comeback story may get him a nod if he grabs a couple more wins and avoids raising his ERA much.
Dickey absolutely deserves it.
Stick
5/29/2012-3:09pm at 3:09 pm (UTC -4)
I had to read this twice to realize you just meant that since they are on the ballot, the fans could stuff the box if they rally wanted to. Not that there was any alternate universe in which Ike deserved to go!
actually, if he played on the Phils and was having the same year, he just might get in afterall. Continuing a fine civic tradition in the area, fans like to vote early and often. And like in Chicago, even post-death.