Ozzie's All-Stars
July 04, 2006
As much as I like Ozzie Guillen, I have a big problem with the fact he chose to take his guy, Mark Buerhle, to this year's All-Star Game over Curt Schilling. I know I sound like a typical whinny Red Sox fan, but Schill has one more win (10), a slightly better ERA (3.54 vs. 3.86), and hasn't been shelled the way Buerhle did Sunday against the Cubs, giving up TEN--yes TEN--earned runs.The snub of Schilling, and this stupid rule MLB instituted a few years ago that at least one player from each ball club must be an All-Star, means a guy like the Royals' Mark Redman is an "all-star" and Curt is not. I'm sorry, but as a close follower of the game, I have a hard time digesting this.
The same can be said for Tampa Bay's Carl Crawford. This guy can field, hit, run bases, and improves with every season, yet he's still not good enough to make this squad? He makes the much-improved D-Ray offense go 'round. He can't get the spot over Gary Matthews Jr, a journeyman that the players voted onto the team as a "feel good pick"? Sounds like "office politics" to me.
I also have a problem with Ozzie not inviting Jim Leyland of the Tigers to be on his bench. Leyland has resurrected the once-woeful Tigers and is running away with Manager of the Year. Sure, Ozzie's White Sox are chasing the Tigers, but give Leyland his due.
- I'll play devil's advocate here. David Ortiz, who in my eyes is baseball's reigning MVP over A-Rod, should NOT--repeat, NOT--be starting first base for the AL All-Stars. Ortiz is a DH, meaning he rarely plays first base unless it's an interleague game in a National League opponents park. A guy like Paul Konerko of the White Sox should be the starting 1B. However, the All-Star game should have a DH spot in the lineup and nix the pitcher batting since the DH is a part of the game over in the American League. Really--who wants to see pitchers bat in an All-Star game. If this a game "for the fans" (yet it determines homefield advantage for the World Series an not overall record), let the DH's have a spot in the lineup and protect the pitchers from being targeted in the batter's box.
- Imagine an All-Star game with NO Barry Bonds? This season it's a reality. Funny thing is, in FOX's commercial for the All-Star game, we see players like Bonds, the A's Eric Chavez, the Yankees' Jason Giambi, and the Mets' Carlos Delgado appearing, but none will be in the game.
- Speaking of Jason Giambi, he's a guy having a monster season, but there just isn't a place for him on the roster. Since he's a Yankee, I won't shed a tear.
- Over in the NL, the fact Nomar Garciaparra, who leads baseball in hitting, didn't get picked by the manager or his peers is a travesty. The manager is Phil Garner, and he decided to take his boy Lance Berkman as a 1b reserve over No-mah. Hopefully, the fans will show more common sense and vote him in the NL's "Final Vote" on MLB.com
- What? Edgar Renteria is an All-Star? Too bad the Red Sox can't get shortstops like him. His evil twin brother "E-6" Renteria must be found and brought back to Boston to stand trial for kidnapping and fraud.
- How the hell does a shitty fielder like Alfonso Soriano get voted in by the fans over more deserving players like Carlos Lee or Andruw Jones? About what I said earlier regarding the fans maybe having more common sense--I take that back. They may not afterall.
- By the way, after all this space dedicated to the All-Star Game...I won't be watching on July 11.
posted by That 30's Guy @ 10:36 PM,
