Okay California fans, we know it was you: Barry Bonds slipped into the National League All-Star starting lineup at the 11th hour and we're placing the blame square on the Golden State. We don't get up around the Bay much, but seeing as how San Fran is one of the highest populated cities in the nation, and is pretty much the only place Barry Bonds is adored...
It was you fuckers. Way to go. Eh, it's not like Alfonso Soriano was that much more deserving, anyway. Bonds, for all his diminishing physical tools, is still an on-base percentage monster. We heard on First Take this morning (yes, we watched it) that Bonds still gets on base one out of every two times he steps to the plate. That's insane. And, for the record, we thought Bonds should have been elected to the team. The NL's crop of outfielders this year is - kindness in 3, 2, 1... - extremely mediocre. We just didn't want to see him voted onto the team, by the fans, no less.
Now that that's out of the way, onto the real issue: the snubs. Who didn't make the team that was deserving? In the NL, that would be practically every starting pitcher who's had success this year. Tony La Russa (and as Cardinal fans, it pains us to say this) dropped the ball (along with the players) by selecting six - six! - relief pitchers to the NL team. The AL roster is much better, mostly due to the fact they have much better players to choose from. But there are still some glaring omissions:
1.) Chris Young, SP, Padres
- San Diego fans are pissed, and rightly so. He's 8-3 with a 2.14 ERA. We know, he plays in Petco, but come on...
2.) Orlando Cabrera, SS, Angels
- How upset are the Angels about the snubbing of O-Cab? Enough to take veiled shots at the players selected ahead of him. Beautiful.
3.) Curtis Granderson, OF, Tigers
- The Al is stacked at the OF position, and it hurts that Granderson is the least visible outfielder on his own team, but he's on pace for 300 total bases!
4.) Ian Snell, SP, Pirates
- Teammate Freddy Sanchez may have won the NL batting title last year, but Snell has an ERA under three and a 7+ K/9 rate. He's doing this for the Pirates.
5.) Kevin Youkilis, 1B, Red Sox
- Yes, the game is being played in an NL park so they have to sneak Big Papi in as a first baseman, but isn't is kind of insulting to his team's first baseman, the one having a better season than Ortiz?
1 comment:
Might want to check your facts - LaRussa selected 3 relief pitchers - the players selected 3 including Fuentes. Chris Young wasn't voted on the team by his fellow players either - guess they can be mad at the whole league!
Stork
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