All-Star Mets 2008

[bmfc1]

It's All-Star Selection day. According to [u:bf922a4ddd]The New York Post[/u:bf922a4ddd], for whatever that's worth (Hubbach didn't write the article), none of the Mets are starting:

http://www.nypost.com/seven/07062008/sports/yankees/jeter__a_rod_start_118679.htm

(no word if Lenny Kravitz will sing the National Anthem).

Which Met or Mets do you think will be selected as a reserve?

I think David Wright and Jose Reyes will make it. Wagner should, too, but I don't think he'll get the call.

[Gwreck]

I think Wright will get it as a reserve third baseman. The other possible option for reserve second baseman is Aramis Ramirez of the Cubs, who is less likely to go, if only because the Cubs have 3 starters.

At shortstop, Reyes might be most deserving but there's also Cristian Guzman and Miguel Tejada as possibilities. (I think Reyes goes).

Billy Wagner might be relegated to the "Final man" vote.

[metsmarathon]

wright and reyes and beltran are all the second most offensively productive national leaguers at their positions (based on a quick sampling of runs created per espn.com)

wright and reyes should make the team. beltran, tho 2nd best centerfielder, is only the 6th best outfielder, and therefore is less likely to make the team, depending on how many outfielders they carry.

mind you, i haven't checked to see if the best thridbaseman and shortstop are also the leading vote getters, so there's always that monkey wrench!

[metsmarathon]

and that assessment holds up when i look at VORP, too. hanley ahead of jose, chipper ahead of wright, and mclouth ahead of beltran.

if i open it up to include defense, per wins above replacement, then beltran actually drops to third among centerfielders, with aaron rowand taking top billing.

using win shares, wright is third behind chipper and aramis ramirez
reyes is third behind christian guzman (!) and hanley ramirez
and beltran is the number 2 outfielder, still behind mclouth

[Fman99]

What closer from the NL is having a better year than Wags is though? Kerry Wood?

[Frayed Knot]

THe NYPost claims to already know the starters despite the fact that TBS is supposed to have top secret rights to them at 2:00 this afternoon.

IIRC, ESPN jumped the gun last year by leaking the names and denied MLB's new partner TBS of their moment in the sun.

[metsmarathon]

wood has more saves, and about as good an era, lidge has 19, like wagner, but with an 0.77ish era and no blownies.

[seawolf17]

]Yankees New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera will be named with the other pitchers and reserves. The plan is for Rivera to pitch the final All-Star inning in Yankee Stadium history.

BAAAAAAAARF.

[Guest AG/DC]

Mmmmmmop-up.

[Guest AG/DC]

[Frayed Knot]

Wagner's in.

[bmfc1]

And only Wagner!

[TransMonk]

He would have been my only choice.

[bmfc1]

Great work by MLB: because of the rule that every team must have a player on the team, Mitchell Report star (and noted liar) Tejada makes the team but David Wright, a player that MLB should be showcasing, does not.

[Frayed Knot]

One could make a dcent argument for either Wright or Reyes, but it's always a numbers game and it looks like Chrisitan Guzman, as the token Wash Nat, "took" Reyes's spot.

[bmfc1]

Wright's up for the "26th" spot in the fan vote.

[Zvon]

I am surprised Wright didn't get selected for the bench.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

I remember when we kicked around the idea of possibly getting Jermaine Dye to help solve the Mets outfield woes last summer (Alou & Chavez injured, Newhan & Ledee were getting starts). Nobody showed much love for the struggling Dye at the time, now he has a legitimate claim for deserving to be on the AL All Star squad and is one of the 5 vying for the last man fan vote.

Hopefully Wright can pull out the vote and make it as the NL's 26th man.

[stevejrogers]

bmfc1 wrote: Great work by MLB: because of the rule that every team must have a player on the team, Mitchell Report star (and noted liar) Tejada makes the team but David Wright, a player that MLB should be showcasing, does not.

Tejada was picked by the players. You want to be annoyed, be annoyed at them voting Aramis Ramirez over Wright.

[bmfc1]

SteveJRogers wrote: ="bmfc1"]Great work by MLB: because of the rule that every team must have a player on the team, Mitchell Report star (and noted liar) Tejada makes the team but David Wright, a player that MLB should be showcasing, does not. Tejada was picked by the players. You want to be annoyed, be annoyed at them voting Aramis Ramirez over Wright.

Valid point SJR. It bugs me to see Tejada, and a big-time jerk like Milton Bradley, in a showcase game, but it's not a contest of virtuosity.

[Frayed Knot]

Wright's competition for the final spot is:
Pat Burrell - Phi
Carlos Lee - Hou
Cory Hart - Milw
Aaron Rowland - SF




Reyes's problem is that all the good SS are in the NL this year.

Ranking the 20 SSs who qualify with enough ABs by OPS, the NL guys are 1st (Ramirez), 2nd (Reyes), 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, and 19th (Khalil Greene)
while the AL guys are 6th (Michal Young), 11th, 12th (Jeter), 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th & 20th

[batmagadanleadoff]

You could make a reasonable argument for Johan Santana as an All-Star, given the selections. Santana has the lowest ERA among all pitchers not selected to the ASGame and is one of the leagues's top pitchers this year, if not one of its elites. Santana's won-loss record, which is not suggestive of the quality of his season, undoubtedly did him in.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Quick, let's trade Reyes to the American League.

[Gwreck]

With this long rain delay, I expect all CPFers to vote at least 25 times each for David Wright on the "final man" vote.

[bmfc1]

I looked at a Rays board and they want us to vote for Longoria and they'll vote for Wright. Voting for Longoria keeps Giambi out of the game.

[Frayed Knot]

AL Vote-in choices:
Jermain Dye - Chi
Jose Guillen - KC
Jason Giambi - NYY
Evan Longoria - TB
Brian Roberts - Bal

Edited July 6, 2008 by Guest

[Gwreck]

I voted for Longoria, on merit, mostly. (I will admit that keeping Giambi off the roster did cross my mind).

Here's hoping the Rays fans vote for Wright. After all, they already have Kazmir.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

Yeah, the Rays and their fans do owe us on that score.

[G-Fafif]

2008 Mets All-Stars Suck

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

bmfc1 wrote: I looked at a Rays board and they want us to vote for Longoria and they'll vote for Wright. Voting for Longoria keeps Giambi out of the game.

Deal! Those sneaky Rays fans!