Keith Law on the all star teams

by Adam J. Morris on Jul 7, 2008 11:56 AM CDT

Keith Law offers his critiques of the all star selections, with the most baffling one being Jason Varitek being named to the team.

Varitek may be the worst all star selection of all time. It is certainly the worst one in my recent memory, particularly because the BoSox had other guys make the team (and thus he wasn't a mandatory pick from a bad team).

Varitek is hitting .218/.300/.358, good for a .228 EQA. Out of 38 A.L. catchers, Varitek is 35th in VORP. He's still decent with the glove, but still, overall, he's been one of the worst catchers in baseball this year.

I can only assume that, in the balloting, A.J. Pierzynski's personality worked against him, and guys voted for someone instead who is well liked and well respected.

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Player ballotting

I like it. A lot. Generally they do a better job than the fans, because they aren’t going to vote for a Red Sox or Yankee just because Joe Morgan says he is consistent. But the players messed this one up big time. I can only presume that they voted Mauer in as #1, like the fans, and in that case the players’ #2 pick goes. But heck, even Gerald Laird should be in before Varitek.

Kudos to Francona for realizing that he should use one of his few position picks to take Dionnar Navarro. If Francona has any semblence of fairness, he should keep Varitek on the bench as his emergency catcher and make sure to give Navarro some innings.

by JBImaknee on Jul 7, 2008 12:20 PM CDT reply actions

Yes, I think you're exactly right on how Varitek got in.

If 99% of them voted for Mauer, and the other 1% voted Varitek, Varitek got in on that 1%. For that reason, I think, if players are going to decide the backups, they should vote Cy Young style. List the three most deserving players, and then score them. Highest scoring player who the fans don’t vote in goes. I’ll bet that wouldn’t have been Varitek this year.

by philkid3 on Jul 7, 2008 1:57 PM CDT up reply actions

I know it's not the best stat, but it's one that I have access to.

Mark Redman, pre-All Star Game, 2006: 0.208 WPA
Jason Varitek, pre-All Star Game, 2008: -1.288 WPA

Redman: 0.014 WPA/gm
Varitek: -0.017 WPA/gm

Redman’s kind of become the measuring stick for undeserving All Stars, and yet he’s much better, at least by this metric, than Varitek.

Varitek’s got to be the worst All-Star at least of this century, and perhaps of all time.

"Boy, that is a gutless, 6-foot-7, .200-hitting formerly good player. What a joke." -Tom Grieve RE: Richie Sexson

by ghtd36 on Jul 7, 2008 12:21 PM CDT reply actions

tek

how many no-hitters has this guy caught? at least one this year and more that i can’t remember exactly. he’s not necessarily the best catcher this year, but he’s a leader and belongs in the conversation this year and every other year. it’s not a travesty of justice is what i’m saying. aj is a cock and more of a divisive figure than a leader. that’s my way of saying yes i think his personality may have worked against him.

by sam in so cal on Jul 7, 2008 12:24 PM CDT reply actions

"No hitters caught"

I knew I was forgetting something when trying to figure out who the best catchers were.

Do you get extra credit for catching a perfect game? What about the guys who catch 20 K games? What about 4 K innings – the catcher usually has a lot to do with those…

by JBImaknee on Jul 7, 2008 12:28 PM CDT up reply actions

My thoughts exactly

We should trade for Varitek and sign him to a 10 year deal.

No hitters rule!

I'm undefeated in fights. Have I been in any? No. Thats because people know my f'ing status. Don't mess with the elite. - Miles

by Dirk Diggler on Jul 7, 2008 12:29 PM CDT up reply actions

KLaw

responded to this type of argument on his blog today:

I’m really stunned/amused by the no-hitters argument for Varitek. Has anyone ever pushed catching no-hitters as a skill, or evidence of a specific skill for the catcher? And is that not evidence that you’re scraping for something if you have to reach like that because the player’s offensive performance has been so bad?

by BHill on Jul 7, 2008 1:06 PM CDT up reply actions

Especially because

Throwing the no-hitter wasn’t enough for Jon Lester to get on the team, but although catching it is the only thing that Varitek has done this year, it was enough to get him on the team.

by JBImaknee on Jul 7, 2008 1:08 PM CDT up reply actions

he has caught

by booyahcaveman on Jul 7, 2008 1:34 PM CDT up reply actions

Has Sharky gotten control...

...of your account? I mean the no-hitters thing is schtick, right?

Physician: Primum non nocere

Batter: First, make no out

by Chad Crudup on Jul 7, 2008 1:37 PM CDT up reply actions

I have to say this.

Why was there no mention of Pedroia over Kinsler? Or anybody else in the AL over Milton Bradley (granted he’s starting at DH, but this shouldn’t have even been a contest)?

by jwiscarson on Jul 7, 2008 12:37 PM CDT reply actions

Well...

Bradley gets in as a starter, so we shouldn’t be complaining.

Kinsler should have started over Pedroia, but that isn’t a travesty like some of the others. Pedroia is having a good year – not as good as Kinsler, but still good. He’s more of a “star” than Kinsler because of the world series last year and his ROY award.

by JBImaknee on Jul 7, 2008 1:07 PM CDT up reply actions

I suppose that's true.

I just really wanted Bradley to get in as a starter on votes, and not by managerial decision. I wish they’d re-work the voting format to allow fans to vote for who goes, but not who starts.

by jwiscarson on Jul 7, 2008 1:14 PM CDT up reply actions

Nah

that would be way too logical.

"I’ll say something that doesn’t need context: anyone who is a Mariner’s fan is a douchebag." - FuturePants

by inactive lsb user on Jul 7, 2008 1:20 PM CDT up reply actions

Meh

The players voted him in. If the players had their way, Kinsler would be starting over Pedroia and MY over Jeter.

Here’s something I don’t know and is probably relevant – how is it decided who gets in on a player vote versus a manager selection?

Nothing pithy here. Please move long.

by WyoRanger on Jul 7, 2008 12:48 PM CDT reply actions

My understanding

1. The fans vote in players at each position – 9 guys in AL
2. If the players vote and fan vote differs, the #1 players vote guys are reserves. (the case with Kinsler and Young)
If the players vote leader and the fan vote leader is the same, the #2 player vote guy gets in as a reserve (probably the case with Varitek) – This is a total of 9 reserves
3. The manager is then free to choose 4 or 5 (I think) other players, along with the pitchers. These selections – not the players votes – must take into account the rep from each team, the correct # of pitchers, etc.

Basically, the fan vote and player votes are unrestricted. The managers picks are.

by JBImaknee on Jul 7, 2008 1:05 PM CDT up reply actions

Dayn Perry gives Vazquez a shoutout

Dayn’s Allstar thoughts

On the AL side, it’s hard to figure out why Terry Francona made Joe Crede his backup third baseman. Mike Lowell, Longoria, Scott Rolen and even Ramon Vazquez would’ve been better options.

Joe Morgan: (On Jay Bruce) I think he will. He brings energy to the team, and besides that, he is a pretty good hitter.
Ken Tremendous: I like that the #1 reason he will help his team is: "energy," and the distant #2 reason is: "ability to hit baseballs."

by TheBZA on Jul 7, 2008 1:50 PM CDT reply actions

heh

I wonder if Rrrrramon paid him to write that?

I'm undefeated in fights. Have I been in any? No. Thats because people know my f'ing status. Don't mess with the elite. - Miles

by Dirk Diggler on Jul 7, 2008 2:00 PM CDT up reply actions

Yeah, Keith Law overlooked the Crede idiocy.

No way he deserves it.

by philkid3 on Jul 7, 2008 2:01 PM CDT up reply actions

Here's the Baseball Prospectus angle.

I can offer a summary for the non-subscribers after I’ve read it myself.

by philkid3 on Jul 7, 2008 2:01 PM CDT reply actions

don't forget 2003

Mike Williams was an All-Star for Pittsburgh with a 6.44 ERA and 1.73 WHIP in the 1st half.

Greatest Inventions Ever? 1. TiVO, 2. Boobs, 3. Baseball

by willamos2 on Jul 7, 2008 2:21 PM CDT reply actions

Dear lord

that speaks to a terrible team, lol.

"I’ll say something that doesn’t need context: anyone who is a Mariner’s fan is a douchebag." - FuturePants

by inactive lsb user on Jul 7, 2008 5:08 PM CDT up reply actions

Billy Wagner

What the hell is he doing on that team as a manager pick and the only Met? No one else for the Mets has done better this season?

Nothing pithy here. Please move long.

by WyoRanger on Jul 7, 2008 3:00 PM CDT reply actions

It's ridiculous.

Reyes should have gone without question. If you’ve only got one Met, there you go, you’ve got one.

Outside of that, I think Carlos Beltran should have gone (but we all know no one pays attention to defense). And Johan Santana and David Wright have great cases. Billy Wagner never should have sniffed the team, not even as a token Met.

by philkid3 on Jul 7, 2008 4:57 PM CDT up reply actions

Tek...

is the worst player selected to go to a All-Star game. There have been other players with undeserving #’s to go because each team has to have a player. However given that obviously that isn’t the case with Varitek he should have under no circumstances been selected to go to the game, absolutly ridiculous.

"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates

by slc ranger on Jul 7, 2008 4:13 PM CDT reply actions