There has been a lot going on over the past week and I've been traveling, which means there are a ton of new post ideas and topics to write about, but I wanted to get my AL All-Star picks out. The voting has closed and the rosters have been named, and it's obvious there were some big name choices more than informed decisions. It continues to affirm my belief that the majority of people who vote for things don't really know what they are doing. Here are my AL All-Star votes:
1B: Adrian Gonzalez, Boston Red Sox: He's been everything the Red Sox were hoping for and more when they signed him to a massive contract in the offseason. Gonzalez has flourished in a hitter friendly park and doesn't appear to have any problem with the spotlight in Boston. If he continues his current pace, he'll be a strong candidate for the MVP award and could propel the Red Sox back to the World Series.
2B: Robinson Cano, New York Yankees: Cano reminds me of a basketball player who quietly averages 20 points and 10 rebounds every year. He's not particularly flashy, but he's very consistent, durable, and a very good all around player. His numbers are down a bit, but it's still another strong season for who I believe is the best second baseman in the game.
 |
| Do-it-All Asdrubal |
3B: Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees: A-Rod seems to have become a victim of his own success. He's on pace for another 30 HR, 100 RBI, ~ .300 BA year and no one is really talking about him. He has become one of the most disliked players in the game, but it's tough to argue with his production. Rodriguez has stayed out of the spotlight this year, but there hasn't been any drop off in his game.
C: Alex Avila, Detroit Tigers: I remember watching Alex Avila when he was at the University of Alabama and they came to play against UGA in Athens. Avila destroyed the Bulldogs pitching staff and I think some of his home runs are still rolling down the streets of Athens. He has now become another weapon in the potent Tigers lineup and he's establishing himself as one of the best young catchers in the game.
OF: Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays: With Albert Pujols being injured, I think Bautista might be the most feared hitter in baseball. Every time he steps up to the plate, there's a sense of him going deep, similar to what we used to think with Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, & a healthy Pujols. Bautista is proving last season wasn't a fluke, and he's improved his ability to hit to the opposite field and get on base more.
OF: Matt Joyce, Tampa Bay Rays: It's one of the fun things of the year to see which obscure player Joe Maddon turns into an All-Star. We've seen Ben Zobrist, Grant Balfour, and now Matt Joyce. Joyce has helped fill the huge void left by some of the big changes Tampa Bay made in the offseason and has helped keep the Rays within striking distance in the AL East.
OF: Adam Jones, Baltimore Orioles: This one was a tough call, but I voted for Jones because of his all-around ability. I think he's a very good player on a bad team, and he doesn't get the recognition he deserves because he plays in Baltimore. Jones makes some ridiculous catches in center field and he is very good with the bat.
DH: David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox: He's like the baseball version of Shaq. Big guy, big personality, seems like a ton of fun off the field, and big numbers. His struggles of the past few seasons haven't slowed him down this year, and Big Papi is back to killing the ball. The main reason he gets my vote is because he also has a stolen base this year.
*Apparently, I think the AL East is quite talented. I don't have any loyalty to any of those teams - but it's obvious they are in an arms-race against each other.
Again, I couldn't vote for a starting pitcher, but I think Justin Verlander, of the Detroit Tigers, deserves the spot. He's been the best pitcher in baseball and people really think he has a chance of throwing a no-hitter every time he starts - unbelievable.
0 comments:
Post a Comment