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Pick Baltimore’s 2008 Meathook All-Star
By Jamie Mottram | June 26, 2008
During last night’s O’s-Cubs game, MASN put up a graphic asking fans to support three players in particular for All-Star selection: Brian Roberts, Nick Markakis and … wait for it … Melvin Mora. Yes, the same guy whose OBP is under .300 and who hasn’t been any damn good since ‘05. Then play-by-play man Jim Hunter added that “you can vote up to 20 times per day” and that “fans of all the other teams are doing it.”
I’m here to kindly ask you to not do that. No one wants to see Melvin Mora in the All-Star Game, except for maybe Melvin’s quintuplets. Thankfully, we don’t need to worry about that. In fact, we’re not in danger of seeing any Oriole voted in, and we’re almost certain to see just one token player selected for the roster, Dmitri Young-style. The good thing is that the O’s are decent enough this year, and have decent enough individual performers, to not send a total eyesore to the Bronx.
Here are the top candidates for Baltimore’s All-Star spot, along with my pick and a poll at the bottom so we can reach some kind of consensus:
Jeremy Guthrie — key stats: 3.64 ERA, 1.21 WHIP — The ace has the 12th-best ERA in the AL, and just 4 wins to show for it. And that’s one year after recording 7 wins with the 13th-best ERA in the AL. Over two seasons, he has posted a 3.68 ERA in 49 starts with only 11 wins. That’s criminal.
Aubrey Huff – .338 OBP, .493 SLG, 14 HR, 42 R, 42 RBI — I hate that the O’s signed this guy two years ago, so it’s tough to swallow that he leads the team in HR and RBI and has his best OPS since ‘04.
Jim Johnson — 1.29 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, .165 BAA — Middle relievers only make it for exceptional reasons, but this guy’s been terrific.
Nick Markakis — .388 OBP, .474 SLG, 42 R, 12 HR, 8 SB — Markickass has emerged as the 24 year-old face of the franchise and, if he keeps this up, improved in each of his three seasons. His OBP is 11th-best in the AL, but you’d like to see a middle-of-the-order corner outfielder hitting with a bit more pop, especially if he’s gonna be an All-Star.
Brian Roberts — .374 OBP, .478 SLG, 46 R, 21 SB — B-Rob has been one of the best at his position for years now, and is at least the second-best 2B in the AL this season, behind Ian Kinsler. This is also the second-best season of his career, making for a fine comeback from Mitchell Report taintiness.
Luke Scott — .357 OBP, .511 SLG, 12 HR — Leads the team in OPS, so he has to be included. He also turned 30 yesterday.
George Sherrill — 26 SV — He’s been just OK by closer standards but is on pace for 55 saves; two shy of Bobby Thigpen’s Major League record. Plus, the flat-brim thing is something like a phenomenon.
My pick – As badly as I want to see the entire AL roster flip their brims after Sherrill records the final out, this is Bob Roberts’ honor to receive. He’s been with the O’s since ‘01 (remember when he was battling Jerry Hairston Jr.?), he’s nearly the best at his position and, gosh darn it, people like him.
But what do you think?
Tomorrow: Pick Washington’s 2008 Meathook All-Star!
Topics: Stats Are Cool, Orioles |
6 Responses to “Pick Baltimore’s 2008 Meathook All-Star”
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June 26th, 2008 at 9:54 am
I’ll agree on Roberts.
But on a Nats note…..
There’s not even a debate. Guzman hands down.
Did anyone see this coming back when he couldn’t hit his way out of a wet paper bag?
June 26th, 2008 at 10:04 am
The problem with Guzman as the Nats’ All-Star, and I’ll expand on this tomorrow, is that, while he’s hitting .300, it’s an empty .300. That said, there aren’t many options elsewhere on the roster. Like, at all.
June 26th, 2008 at 10:54 am
Although Huff is definitely in the running, I refuse to endorse him because of how much he’s sucked for the O’s before this year.
So it’s down to Sherrill, B-Rob and Markakis. I went with Kickass because he’s a dreamboat.
June 26th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Which begs the question…..should MLB keep doing this at least one per team thing?
June 30th, 2008 at 11:58 am
I’m sorry - how can you say BRob is 2nd to Kinsler in AL 2nd basemen? Yeah, Kinsler may have the hotter bat so far this season, but have you noticed the 15 (that’s FIFTEEN) errors he’s made?? Roberts has made 3. Shouldn’t defensive ability factor into the All-Star consideration as well?
June 30th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Os1girl, while I admit that I don’t understand defensive stats, I don’t think errors are all that great a barometer of defensive ability.
That said, it’s arguable whether or not Kinsler or Roberts is the finest AL 2nd baseman so far this season, and I thank you for arguing it.