Comments on: Aaron Crow is an All-Star, but Alex Gordon is a victim

By: Big Lee

Big Lee — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 02:23:33 +0000

Gordon instead of Cuddyer. Twins representative could be Liriano, who has been poor at times but has pitched 2 of the best games of the year.

Washington should not be faulted for his selections, as Crow could be more useful than any of the other 3 players in this post. But it would be nice to see Alex rewarded for changing his approach and succeeding in LF after being jerked around so much in the field.

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 20:46:59 +0000

I guess that’s why the call it the All Star Game and not the Best Player Game. I’ll still watch…I do every year. I get caught up in the pomp and circumstance…cheering for my one Royal…Its the only time during the season after opening day that I get that feeling like I’m a kid watching baseball.

By: DanL

DanL — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 19:58:27 +0000

Seems like each year there are so many points made about how the players are selected – all related to a failed process. All of the talk reminds me of the NCAA Basketball tournament when teams get left out. Cynically, this far-from-perfect process is a form of marketing that gives fans plenty of things to argue about, generating interest for the event – (if it is broken, don’t fix it).

While it works for the college basketball tournament, it seems less effective for the MLB All-star game. In fact, professional all-star games across all sports seem to have lost relevance – there isn’t one all-star game that I watch or care about.

What is different and interesting about MLB is the timing of the game. As the only sport which plays games on a daily basis, they choose to not schedule a series (three days times fifteen games times 30,000 attendance) in the highest attendance month just to play a pointless exhibition game. Seems like you would want a full schedule of real games in July.

By: Sean

Sean — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 19:25:13 +0000

Alex is the best player this year upto this point. He’s been great to watch. I’m just not surprised he didn’t get picked is all, but I am frustrated about it. Hamilton isn’t a good example though. Sure he’s coming off an injury but he won the MVP of the league last year and took the Rangers to the World Series. If the fans vote him in the year after, it’s hard to argue. Even if they didn’t, Ron Washington probably would have thrown him a bone because he’s a proven player who has put up numbers for longer than a half season. If Alex would have been chosen, would he have played? Would it speed up the process? The bottom line is when the team is this bad year in and year out, it’s hard to get recognized outside of the local fanbase.

By: Ted

Ted — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 19:15:08 +0000

Sean, according to Fangraph’s WAR, Alex Gordon is the 12th most productive player in the AL, and only three of the people ahead of him play in the outfield (though Zobrist plays in the outfield a lot and should be on the All Star team). Hamilton’s production has been limited by injury, but even healthy his only edge over Alex is in slugging percentage, which isn’t shocking because he (a) plays in Texas and (b) is more of a power hitter. Alex is a better fielder and a better base runner, he has been healthy all season, and he is the most productive player on our team which should make him the obvious choice if only one Royal is selected. Unfortunately his name isn’t Josh Hamilton — he does not have articles written about him every time he steps into the batter’s box, he does not have the compelling story of drug addiction and redemption, and he did not put on one of the best shows in recent HR derby history.

By: Nick Scott

Nick Scott — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 18:56:58 +0000

It’s no longer a special as it used to be because there are so many actual baseball games on TV that we aren’t all forced to watch an exhibition to get a baseball fix. I still really enjoy the game, but it never will be “special” again and I hope it never is.

By: jim fetterolf

jim fetterolf — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 18:52:31 +0000

Crow is a ‘manager’s pick’ in a game the manager wants to win, a dominant fireman who can come in with two men on, no outs, and has a real good chance of getting out of the inning with no damage. A run prevented is worth as much as a run scored.

As for the ASG, it’s just an exhibition game to create a bye-week for teams while still milking revenues. With inter-league play and constant migration of stars it is no longer a special game matching players who would otherwise only play each other in the World Series.

By: Nick Scott

Nick Scott — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 18:32:17 +0000

It’s false because there are and have been royals who have played as well or better than their peers

By: Sean

Sean — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 18:15:41 +0000

How is it 100% false? Who on the Royals is getting screwed? Alex is having a good year. I guess he’s the first guy who batted .236 in May getting snubbed. The All Star game is rediculous at the end of the day. The point was and is, no one is jumping off the page. The fans voted Granderson, Hamilton and Bautista. Are they bad choices? Cuddyer is the one Twin…not an All Star either. When the national media and fan base knows of the team as a last place basement dweller, you have to do more than just blend with the rest of the pack in consideration. I doubt too many fanbases are rallying around outfield assists to get someone in.

By: Austyn

Austyn — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 18:07:08 +0000

I totally agree with everything you said Nick, and I think the bigger problem of all of it is ESPN, TBS and FOX. I was watching the selection show on Sunday in hopes to see Gordon’s name announced, but I found it funny that throughout the whole show David Wells (Kinda a douche) and Ripken (Great player, but not as great as I think everyone things he is) said all the bad choices were due to the fans. Now I understand they aren’t going to say it is there bosses fault but still I hate how the fans are the ones who are wrong. Then every single Sunday night game, Wednesday night game, Sunday afternoon game, and Saturday afternoon/night game usually involves either the Yankees, Red Sox, Mets, or Phillies. I’m just yea, a huge pet peeved of mine and thanks Nick for bringing it up!