Apparently, Baseball has now come with another idea to generate talk. They're going to let the fans vote for the 30th and last spot on the all-star teams. MLB will name five candidates and fans will have 48 hours to vote.
AL Reserves -- Derek Jeter, *Mike Sweeney, *Randy Winn, Robin Ventura, Paul Konerko, Nomar, Omar Viquel, Miguel Tejada, Tony Batista, *Robert Fick, *Garrett Anderson, A.J. Piersynski
AL Pitchers -- Mark Buerhle, Barry Zito, Pedro Martinez, Derek Lowe, Roy Halladay, Eddie Guardado, Mariano Rivera, Kaz Sasaki
NL Reserves -- *Lance Berkman, *Adam Dunn, * Richie Sexson, Luis Castillo, Junior Spivey, Mike Lowell, J. Hernandez, Shawn Green, Luis Gonzalez,Benito Santiago, Damian Miller
NL Pitchers -- Tom Glavine, Eric Gagne, Shill, Unit, Trevor Hoffman, * Mike Williams, * Matt Morris, Odalis Perez, John Smoltz, B.Y. Kim
And the potential 30th player
AL -- Damon, Chavez, Erstad, Ordonez, Thome
NL -- A. Jones, Pujols, Klesko, Giles, L. Walker
__ Me, I'd vote for Damon and Andruw Jones.
Let the griping commence (especially about all the Yanks and D'Backs selected)
(edited by odessasteps on 30.6.02 1948) I asked Bobby Dylan, I asked the Beatles. I asked Timothy Leary, but he couldn't help me either.
I know they're both good teams, but that many players from the Yankees and Diamondbacks is pretty stumb.
But then again, Vedro and Vlad got on the team, so I'm happy.
(edited by El Nastio on 30.6.02 2216) On June 27th, 2002, the Montreal Expos (number one on the MLB contraction list) added MONEY to their payroll, aquiring Bartolo Colon. In a time like this, there's two quotes that come to the forefront;
cfgb: "I hate to say it, but Atlanta really needs to be watching their rear ends". And Number Two;
Picking guys from your locker room who are borderline is one thing....but Robin Ventura?
Sure, the guy has a pile of homers, but is batting at about a .250 clip. ALL STAR? And leaving out Hinske or Chavez (who at least can still get in via fans)...
What a load of crap. (Of course there's always one player I gripe about every single year....)
I have to agree, Ventura is the AL pick who really should not be there, no matter how many dingers he's got. Chavez should've gotten his spot outright. He's definitely getting my vote for the AL's 30th roster spot. At least it saves me the agony of having to flip a coin to decide between Erstad or Damon.
On the NL side, I really don't have any complaints about the selections, and Andruw is definitely getting my vote for the 30th spot.
Ventura is a bad choice, but Johnny Damon deserves to be going. He's had a bad week and the Sox went 1-7. He's got to be the best player in the AL who has never been selected to the All-Star squad.
He's Rolie Polie Olie - and in his world of curves and curls, he's the swellest kid around.
How do you feel about Jose Hernandez making the team? There's a lot of talk around here about how stupid it looks to have two Brewers (third worst team in baseball) on the All Star team.
I don't take issue with Hernandez. He's earned a slot, as has Richie Sexson. Both have very good numbers. Worst team in baseball or not, this is about the best players getting a shot. Shortstop in the NL is a tad weak.
Damian Miller's a bit of a sorespot for me as well as Ventura, but I'm also quite aware how weak the catcher position is...so I guess they can get away with it.
Kim is one that may not deserve his spot. There are already plenty of closers selected, why not another starter?
Actually, my biggest problem is with Randy Winn, but that has more to do with the archaic rule of "one player from each team."
as someone said today, that was fine with there were 8 teams in each league. Now there are twice as many teams and only about 4 or 5 more roster spots.
I asked Bobby Dylan, I asked the Beatles. I asked Timothy Leary, but he couldn't help me either.
Agreed. Randy Winn doesn't make this squad if he's not a Devil Ray. I can't think of one more deserving. Maybe Joe Kennedy, but Winn's probably their best player. Man, do they suck.
He's Rolie Polie Olie - and in his world of curves and curls, he's the swellest kid around.
I'm guessing Luis Gonzalez's selection was a carryover from last year (oh yeah, plus his manager's making the selections). Gonzalez should have been the 2001 NL MVP, not Bonds. I'm okay with him going.
There's always one scrub who benefits from the "one from each team" rule. Scott Sanderson in 1991 (Yankees), Carlos Garcia (Pirates) in 1994, Rich Becker (Twins) in 99 and Fred McGriff (Devil Rays) in 2000. But if you didn't have that rule, the rosters would be flooded with Yankees, Red Sox and Mariners. I actually think it's a decent rule. Even if your team sucks, you still get to see one of your boys bumping around with the superstars. (Randy Winn gives all 8 Tampa Bay fans a reason to tune in) But this is coming from a Pirates fan, so grade on a curve. In one of their best seasons (1992), they had a grand total of... TWO All-Stars picked for that year's game (Van Slyke and Bonds).
My 30th picks are Brian Giles and Johnny Damon. Giles carries his team and Damon's outstanding in the field.
Yeah, I voted for Damon and Andruw. The Bosox are actually winning, in small part because they actually have a leadoff hitter that doesn't suck. But the glut of Yanks/D'backs on the rosters is inexcusable... and understandable. Why not pick your players if they got you to the Series?
Originally posted by estragandI'm guessing Luis Gonzalez's selection was a carryover from last year (oh yeah, plus his manager's making the selections). Gonzalez should have been the 2001 NL MVP, not Bonds.
The 2001 MVP should've been Pujols hands down.
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"As long as the moon shall rise" "As long as the rivers flow" "As long as the sun will shine" "As long as the grass shall grow"
Originally posted by estragandI'm guessing Luis Gonzalez's selection was a carryover from last year (oh yeah, plus his manager's making the selections). Gonzalez should have been the 2001 NL MVP, not Bonds.
The 2001 MVP should've been Pujols hands down.
Barry Bonds had one of the greatest season in the history of baseball. I cannot believe this kind of discussion continues despite the facts staring you straight in the face. Just because Bonds is a jackass doesn't make him any less of a player. .515 OBP and .863 slugging. .863!!!!
Gonzalez - .429 and .688. C'mon.
Pujols - .403 and .610. Nope.
He's Rolie Polie Olie - and in his world of curves and curls, he's the swellest kid around.
I respect Bonds, but still would have picked Luis Gonzalez as the MVP. I just felt that Gonzalez had a bigger impact on his team, last year. Has nothing to do with personality. The stats are impressive...but if stats win MVP's, then Todd Helton better be clearing off his shelf for the next 9 year's worth of MVP trophies.
I throw all that "Bonds is a jerk" stuff out the window. When was the last time the universally loved Sammy Sosa came over to your house to help you mow the lawn? When was the last time we had ANY type of non-hecklin, non-auotgraph haggling contact with a player? Bonds may be a jerk to the baseball media.. but have you SEEN those guys?! Buncha geeks who recite stats and watch the waiver wire all day long.. they're socially inept. I'd be a dick to them, too.
Okay, last night I'm sitting out in left field, just over the wall at Coors Field. A buncha drunk assholes with Gilligan hats kept chanting "Barrrrr-yyy" all night long (nevermind that the Giants WON). Whenever Bonds came to bat, they boo'ed. In the sixth, Bonds was intentionally walked and these same dweebs boo'ed, AGAIN! They screamed "pitch to him! that's what we came to see! booo!" WTF!? My dad looked over at me and said "Bonds can't win..." Later, the Gilligans were haggling Bonds about posing for a picture. "Hey, c'mon ya prick.. just one picture! I need it for my computer!" (oh yeah, that'd get ME to pay attention to ya!).
I remember an old intrview Bonds gave, where he said "I'm there to work, not socialize". Can't say I blame him.
Maybe we disagree on the definition of MVP. It has been pretty well established that the MVP goes to the best player, not the most valuable player on his team. Case in point (always used as the example) is the 1987 winner Andre Dawson. Since the Cubs finished last, I would guess saying he was so valuable they couldn't have finished in last without him sounds kind of dumb.
Anyhow, the best player last year was Barry Bonds. He had the 8th highest OBP in history and the HIGHEST slugging percentage in history. Of all time. Forever. Higher than every player who ever played the game.
I don't see the argument for Gonzalez. Those who had votes in the Baseball Writers of America that didn't vote for Bonds, could not have ben unbiased.
He's Rolie Polie Olie - and in his world of curves and curls, he's the swellest kid around.
Originally posted by estragandI'm guessing Luis Gonzalez's selection was a carryover from last year (oh yeah, plus his manager's making the selections). Gonzalez should have been the 2001 NL MVP, not Bonds.
The 2001 MVP should've been Pujols hands down.
Hey, I'm all for the Cardinal loving here, but how could you say that? I mean, Bonds had probably THE greatest season in history last year. And even if you make the "'most valuable' player not 'best' player" argument, I think Bonds was more to the Giants than most players were to their respective teams.
And Luis Gonzalez wasn't even the most valuble or most outstanding player on his own team (Curt who? The Big what?).
EDIT: But if you think Pujols got snubbed, go )quick!) make it up tom him by voting for him for the NL's 30th man. I've placed about 100 votes for him already.
(edited by TheBucsFan on 2.7.02 1416) Mean Gene: "You know, I don't think it's a question - Goldberg, I don't think it's a question of who's next, I think it's a question of who's left?" Goldberg: "No, see, that's where you're wrong. It ain't who's left, it's - WHO'S NEXT?"
"Just how hardcore am I? Well this morning, I drank milk that was two days past the expiration!" -Norman Smiley