11/05/24
June 02, 2004
All-star voting boosts chance of a Clemens-Piazza battery.: The potential for a Clemens-Piazza battery is only one of the intriguing developments revealed by the voting totals. Boston's Nomar Garciaparra has been injured all season, but he has 412,742 votes, leading the Yankees' Derek Jeter (396,268) among American League shortstops.
posted by oliver_crunk to baseball at 08:46 AM - 17 comments
From the online All-Star ballot: Thank you for voting. Every vote matters, so vote up to 25 times! What the hell? Just as I was feeling a bit of civic sentimental pride for voting, I'm told I have to do it 24 more times for it to count?
posted by DrJohnEvans at 09:44 AM on June 02, 2004
random thoughts: - the first time piazza has to go to the mound... the tension is going to be classic unintentionally comedy. - damon may be the first player voted to the ASG simply because of the popularity of his hair and beard. - I'm hoping they do right by David Ortiz and at least nominate him for 30th man. Ortizzle was 5th in voting for league MVP last year, he should have made the ballot for 1B over Millar. - I hope Manny does the HR Derby this year...
posted by jerseygirl at 09:47 AM on June 02, 2004
Good? While I by no means think Derek Jeter deserves to be the starting shortstop for the All Star game, it seems to me to be a complete joke that someone who has yet to face live pitching this season (and flat out sucked for the last month of last season) is leading all AL shortstops. If Nomar is elected he will decline the invitation if he has any class at all (as should Jeter). I understand that the fans are just voting for who they want to see, but at some point you have to overcome the yahooism and vote for the guy you think actually deserves to be there. Now, excuse me while I stuff the ballot box for Michael Young.
posted by Jugwine at 11:13 AM on June 02, 2004
The guy leading the Majors in batting is currently in 5th for his position, I hate the fans.
posted by mick at 11:50 AM on June 02, 2004
How 'bout Pedro Martinez throwing at...um...to Jorge Posada?
posted by lil_brown_bat at 11:57 AM on June 02, 2004
ha, untill alst week one could argue that Nomar was in fact more valuable to his team than Jeter... Jeter will be in the .260s by the break, I guarantee it. Not starter material over Tejada (I think - he's the deserving one, right?) but enough so that he wouldn't be the worst elected starter ever. Chavez broke himself so that paves the way for ARod at 3rd, both in the game here and in the gold glove department if he keeps improving. Mora's currently playing 3rd though, right? He definitely deserves it. I would love to see Pedro to Posada and Clemens to Piazza in the same game... that'd be great. I don't think there are many mound visits in the all star game though. I'd pay money to see Clemens nod to a breaking ball and then drill Piazza in the mask with a heater. I'd fall off the couch laughing.
posted by Bernreuther at 12:05 PM on June 02, 2004
Sean Casey and/or Melvin Mora need to do a lot more for me to want to see them starting in an all-star game.
posted by YukonGold at 12:18 PM on June 02, 2004
I would love to see Pedro to Posada and Clemens to Piazza in the same game... that'd be great. I'd rather see Schilling go up against Clemens.
posted by jerseygirl at 12:43 PM on June 02, 2004
Here's my ballet, off the top of my head, so i'm sure I'm missing someone.: AL 1B: Ken Harvey 2B: Juan Uribe 3B: Melvin Mora SS: Alex Rodriguez C: Javy López OF: Carlos Beltran OF: Manny Ramirez OF: Vlad Guerrero SP: Curt Schilling NL 1B: Sean Casey 2B: Jeff Kent 3B: Scott Rolen SS: Jack Wilson C: Mike Piazza OF: Craig Wilson OF: Barry Bonds OF: Lance Berkman SP: Ben Sheets
posted by corpse at 01:04 PM on June 02, 2004
People can't vote ARod in at short, can they? That would be funny though. I don't know about Javy over Jorge, or Schilling as the best in the AL either. I don't even know what team Juan Uribe plays for, which shows how much attention he gets... I would have said Soriano but he's been ice cold lately. Glad to see Craig Wilson getting some attention finally. Why is it that the NL has like 12 people with 1.000+ OPS and the AL has 4?
posted by Bernreuther at 02:41 PM on June 02, 2004
I don't know about Javy over Varitek.
posted by jerseygirl at 03:07 PM on June 02, 2004
I remember when Pudge got hurt and then went NL the AL was devoid of any real competition for Jorge... damn, now look at it. All 4 deserve the nod - Jorge is up over 1.000, Javy hits, Tek hits and leads, and Pudge is Pudge (though I actually havent noticed his stats at all this year, no clue how he's doing). Who's left in the NL besides Piazza?
posted by Bernreuther at 03:55 PM on June 02, 2004
Who's left in the NL besides Piazza? No one even close in terms of home runs, although Johnny Estrada (OPS of .920) is having a decent enough season for the Braves and Paul LoDuca is coming closer to returning to his 2001 form, but without the power.
posted by Jugwine at 04:34 PM on June 02, 2004
Victor Martinez has been incredible in Cleveland, something like 35 RBIs in the month of May.
posted by dusted at 04:38 PM on June 02, 2004
Ah, every year the All-Star game is full of has-beens. Delgado couldn't buy a vote last year, but this year (whilst injured and hitting a robust .227) he's just behind Giambi. Not that he's a has-been, but c'mon. If Ichiro keeps hitting like he did in May he should be there too. Given that the All-Star game "means" something now - I'd be surprised if the AL isn't loaded with Yankees. Torre'd be stupid not to.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 05:12 PM on June 02, 2004
I'd pay money to see Clemens nod to a breaking ball and then drill Piazza in the mask with a heater. I'd fall off the couch laughing. You might get your wish. That's pretty much Clemen's character.
posted by justgary at 07:24 PM on June 02, 2004
Good. My feelings on Derek Jeter: I would rather have a blind pigeon with a broken wing start at shortstop in the All-Star Game.