Stephen Strasburg: All Star?

[erik316wttn]

Recently, one of the hot topics I've seen debated has been whether or not Stephen Strasburg deserves to make the All-Star team. I think it could lead to some good discussion here. ESPN.com even has an article about it.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5335648

 

My take? While Strasburg has been everything he's been advertised to be, I don't think he deserves the All-Star game this season only because he doesn't have enough appearances. Now, had he been with the Nats sometime in April or maybe even early May and put up these kind of numbers I'd have a different opinion. I'm sure he'll have many All-Star games under his belt by the time it's all said and done, but assuming he makes his next scheduled starts (as there's no reason to think otherwise), he'll only have seven appearances this year. Not nearly enough to be counted among the best in baseball this year, I think.

[Tryptamine]

Recently, one of the hot topics I've seen debated has been whether or not Stephen Strasburg deserves to make the All-Star team. I think it could lead to some good discussion here. ESPN.com even has an article about it.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5335648

 

My take? While Strasburg has been everything he's been advertised to be, I don't think he deserves the All-Star game this season only because he doesn't have enough appearances. Now, had he been with the Nats sometime in April or maybe even early May and put up these kind of numbers I'd have a different opinion. I'm sure he'll have many All-Star games under his belt by the time it's all said and done, but assuming he makes his next scheduled starts (as there's no reason to think otherwise), he'll only have seven appearances this year. Not nearly enough to be counted among the best in baseball this year, I think.

 

If Strasburg gets to go then Cashner should get to go as a RP. There really needs to be some kind of set in stone qualifications so the fans/media can stop this nonsense.

[imb]

who cares how many outings or innings or whatever. you want to win the game, send the best players. is anyone going to really say he's not one of the 7 best starters in the nl?

 

he literally fits every meaningful criteria

[erik316wttn]

who cares how many outings or innings or whatever. you want to win the game, send the best players. is anyone going to really say he's not one of the 7 best starters in the nl?

 

he literally fits every meaningful criteria

 

So we're going to send every pitcher who has 7 good starts leading up to the ASB? What if he gets knocked around his next 2 starts? Are you going to feel the same way?

 

I don't disagree with you that he's a great pitcher with awesome stuff and he's done a very good job thus far. But 7 starts is a sample size. That's about 20% of a full season. Anyone can have a good 1/5th of a year. That's not to say he won't continue, as he most likely will. But none of us know that for certain.

[17 Seconds]

who cares how many outings or innings or whatever. you want to win the game, send the best players. is anyone going to really say he's not one of the 7 best starters in the nl?

 

he literally fits every meaningful criteria

Anyone can have a good 1/5th of a year.

 

very few pitchers can have a 1/5 of a season as good as strasburg's had. he hasn't just been good, he's been insane.

 

That's not to say he won't continue, as he most likely will. But none of us know that for certain.

 

you could say that about every player

[imb]

who cares how many outings or innings or whatever. you want to win the game, send the best players. is anyone going to really say he's not one of the 7 best starters in the nl?

 

he literally fits every meaningful criteria

 

So we're going to send every pitcher who has 7 good starts leading up to the ASB? What if he gets knocked around his next 2 starts? Are you going to feel the same way?

 

I don't disagree with you that he's a great pitcher with awesome stuff and he's done a very good job thus far. But 7 starts is a sample size. That's about 20% of a full season. Anyone can have a good 1/5th of a year. That's not to say he won't continue, as he most likely will. But none of us know that for certain.

 

the all star game is about winning (i guess. i mean, you want home field), sending the best players, and sending the players that people want to see. He's 3/3.

[17 Seconds]

strasburg is getting national'd tonight. comical defense being played behind him in the 7th. booted double play, throwing to the wrong base, not being able to field a bunt, etc

 

edi: now another error. these dudes are good

[davearm2]

Agree with it or not, the All-Star game is a popularity contest.

 

You'd be hard pressed to come up with a more popular player right now than Strasburg.

[erik316wttn]

Agree with it or not, the All-Star game is a popularity contest.

 

You'd be hard pressed to come up with a more popular player right now than Strasburg.

 

I don't disagree. But popularity can lead to a lot of guys in the ASG who don't always deserve it, either. Griffey got in during a lot of his down years due to injury, and Cal Ripken, Jr got in some years just because of who he was.

 

Again, not that Strasburg hasn't had a great few starts, but then where do you draw the line? Brennan Boesch has had 1/3rd of a fantastic year. Should he go in? I'm not saying he shouldn't, but if you put Strasburg in you gotta but Boesch in there, too. And I'm going off of the assumption that Strasburg puts up similar numbers in his next 2 starts and doesn't get hit in one or both of them.

[imb]

You don't "have to put brennan boesch in there if you put strasburg in." that's stupid, position players are voted in, pitchers aren't. You're not really going to compare 50 flukey games by brennan boesch to what strasburg is doing, right?

[davearm2]

Agree with it or not, the All-Star game is a popularity contest.

 

You'd be hard pressed to come up with a more popular player right now than Strasburg.

 

I don't disagree. But popularity can lead to a lot of guys in the ASG who don't always deserve it, either. Griffey got in during a lot of his down years due to injury, and Cal Ripken, Jr got in some years just because of who he was.

 

Again, not that Strasburg hasn't had a great few starts, but then where do you draw the line? Brennan Boesch has had 1/3rd of a fantastic year. Should he go in? I'm not saying he shouldn't, but if you put Strasburg in you gotta but Boesch in there, too. And I'm going off of the assumption that Strasburg puts up similar numbers in his next 2 starts and doesn't get hit in one or both of them.

Lots of guys make the ASG that don't deserve it based on their current-year production, sure. But by construction, current-year production is less important than who the fans want to see play. Again, like it or not, that's the system.

 

So there's nothing wrong with an over-the-hill Griffey of Ripken making the ASG once you recalibrate your expectations to favor popularity over production.

 

Given I've never even heard of this Brennan Boesch guy, I strongly doubt he is deserving on the popularity score.

Edited June 29, 2010 by davearm2

[imb]

maybe erik is just roleplaying as john kruk

[erik316wttn]

You don't "have to put brennan boesch in there if you put strasburg in." that's stupid, position players are voted in, pitchers aren't. You're not really going to compare 50 flukey games by brennan boesch to what strasburg is doing, right?

 

You kind of proved my point.

 

Strasburg has been fantastic since he's been up. So has Boesch. Of course Strasburg has the higher career ceiling by far, but if you're going to put him in after only 7 career starts, how can you pass on Boesch after 60-some career games when he's been great, too.

 

For those who don't know, through 53 games Boesch is .330/.389/.621 with 12 HR and 43 RBI.

[imb]

You don't "have to put brennan boesch in there if you put strasburg in." that's stupid, position players are voted in, pitchers aren't. You're not really going to compare 50 flukey games by brennan boesch to what strasburg is doing, right?

 

You kind of proved my point.

 

Strasburg has been fantastic since he's been up. So has Boesch. Of course Strasburg has the higher career ceiling by far, but if you're going to put him in after only 7 career starts, how can you pass on Boesch after 60-some career games when he's been great, too.

 

For those who don't know, through 53 games Boesch is .330/.389/.621 with 12 HR and 43 RBI.

 

you can pass on boesch because fans pick position players, and they're obviously not going to vote him in. wow, great post.

[17 Seconds]

You don't "have to put brennan boesch in there if you put strasburg in." that's stupid, position players are voted in, pitchers aren't. You're not really going to compare 50 flukey games by brennan boesch to what strasburg is doing, right?

 

You kind of proved my point.

 

Strasburg has been fantastic since he's been up. So has Boesch. Of course Strasburg has the higher career ceiling by far, but if you're going to put him in after only 7 career starts, how can you pass on Boesch after 60-some career games when he's been great, too.

 

For those who don't know, through 53 games Boesch is .330/.389/.621 with 12 HR and 43 RBI.

 

why do we have to pretend that we don't know strasburg is way better than boesch?

[Tryptamine]

I know it's never going to happen, but I dream of day when fans no longer have anything to do with picking the rosters. So many snubs because of delusional fans. It would also be nice if they got rid of that ridiculous homefield advantage rule.

[davearm2]

You don't "have to put brennan boesch in there if you put strasburg in." that's stupid, position players are voted in, pitchers aren't. You're not really going to compare 50 flukey games by brennan boesch to what strasburg is doing, right?

 

You kind of proved my point.

 

Strasburg has been fantastic since he's been up. So has Boesch. Of course Strasburg has the higher career ceiling by far, but if you're going to put him in after only 7 career starts, how can you pass on Boesch after 60-some career games when he's been great, too.

 

For those who don't know, through 53 games Boesch is .330/.389/.621 with 12 HR and 43 RBI.

"For those who don't know" illustrates perfectly why he's not a candidate for the ASG.

[erik316wttn]

Agree with it or not, the All-Star game is a popularity contest.

 

You'd be hard pressed to come up with a more popular player right now than Strasburg.

 

I don't disagree. But popularity can lead to a lot of guys in the ASG who don't always deserve it, either. Griffey got in during a lot of his down years due to injury, and Cal Ripken, Jr got in some years just because of who he was.

 

Again, not that Strasburg hasn't had a great few starts, but then where do you draw the line? Brennan Boesch has had 1/3rd of a fantastic year. Should he go in? I'm not saying he shouldn't, but if you put Strasburg in you gotta but Boesch in there, too. And I'm going off of the assumption that Strasburg puts up similar numbers in his next 2 starts and doesn't get hit in one or both of them.

Lots of guys make the ASG that don't deserve it based on their current-year production, sure. But by construction, current-year production is less important than who the fans want to see play. Again, like it or not, that's the system.

 

So there's nothing wrong with an over-the-hill Griffey of Ripken making the ASG once you recalibrate your expectations to favor popularity over production.

 

Given I've never even heard of this Brennan Boesch guy, I strongly doubt he is deserving on the popularity score.

 

Probably not, but in terms of pure stats if you put Strasburg in, then Boesch should be voted in by the fans.

[Guest]

Brennan Boesch is barely in the Top 15 of AL OF in WAR.

[erik316wttn]

You don't "have to put brennan boesch in there if you put strasburg in." that's stupid, position players are voted in, pitchers aren't. You're not really going to compare 50 flukey games by brennan boesch to what strasburg is doing, right?

 

You kind of proved my point.

 

Strasburg has been fantastic since he's been up. So has Boesch. Of course Strasburg has the higher career ceiling by far, but if you're going to put him in after only 7 career starts, how can you pass on Boesch after 60-some career games when he's been great, too.

 

For those who don't know, through 53 games Boesch is .330/.389/.621 with 12 HR and 43 RBI.

"For those who don't know" illustrates perfectly why he's not a candidate for the ASG.

 

So even though he's put up really good stats in the 1/3rd of a year since he's been up, as has Strasburg, Boesch shouldn't get in because he doesn't have the hype or the media following? Welp, I guess that eliminates Gallardo and Greinke.

Edited June 29, 2010 by erik316wttn

[davearm2]

I know it's never going to happen, but I dream of day when fans no longer have anything to do with picking the rosters. So many snubs because of delusional fans. It would also be nice if they got rid of that ridiculous homefield advantage rule.

Get rid of the homefield advantage rule and then stop worrying about who makes it and who doesn't, because then it's purely an exhibition and there's no ambiguity about making popularity the criteria.

[erik316wttn]

I know it's never going to happen, but I dream of day when fans no longer have anything to do with picking the rosters. So many snubs because of delusional fans. It would also be nice if they got rid of that ridiculous homefield advantage rule.

Get rid of the homefield advantage rule and then stop worrying about who makes it and who doesn't, because then it's purely an exhibition and there's no ambiguity about making popularity the criteria.

 

Agree 100%. The HFA rule is one of the dumbest thing I've ever seen. Then it can truly be about popularity and who the fans want to see instead of stats that have been put up.

Edited June 29, 2010 by erik316wttn

[davearm2]

Probably not, but in terms of pure stats if you put Strasburg in, then Boesch should be voted in by the fans.

Except as I've explained we're not basing this on pure stats.

[17 Seconds]

You don't "have to put brennan boesch in there if you put strasburg in." that's stupid, position players are voted in, pitchers aren't. You're not really going to compare 50 flukey games by brennan boesch to what strasburg is doing, right?

 

You kind of proved my point.

 

Strasburg has been fantastic since he's been up. So has Boesch. Of course Strasburg has the higher career ceiling by far, but if you're going to put him in after only 7 career starts, how can you pass on Boesch after 60-some career games when he's been great, too.

 

For those who don't know, through 53 games Boesch is .330/.389/.621 with 12 HR and 43 RBI.

"For those who don't know" illustrates perfectly why he's not a candidate for the ASG.

 

So even though he's put up really good stats in the 1/3rd of a year since he's been up, as has Strasburg, Boesch shouldn't get in because he doesn't have the hype or the media following? Welp, I guess that eliminates Gallardo and Greinke.

 

it's called the all-star game. strasburg is a star, boesch isn't.

[imb]

You don't "have to put brennan boesch in there if you put strasburg in." that's stupid, position players are voted in, pitchers aren't. You're not really going to compare 50 flukey games by brennan boesch to what strasburg is doing, right?

 

You kind of proved my point.

 

Strasburg has been fantastic since he's been up. So has Boesch. Of course Strasburg has the higher career ceiling by far, but if you're going to put him in after only 7 career starts, how can you pass on Boesch after 60-some career games when he's been great, too.

 

For those who don't know, through 53 games Boesch is .330/.389/.621 with 12 HR and 43 RBI.

"For those who don't know" illustrates perfectly why he's not a candidate for the ASG.

 

So even though he's put up really good stats in the 1/3rd of a year since he's been up, as has Strasburg, Boesch shouldn't get in because he doesn't have the hype or the media following? Welp, I guess that eliminates Gallardo and Greinke.

 

if you took 11 OF or whatever, I'm sure they might be able to find a place for Boesch.