2012 MLB All-Star Game Snubs
Now that the rosters have been set, let’s talk snubs. These are the players not chosen by their peers and the All-Star Game managers. The starters are voted in by the fans, so really there are no snubs there. The All-Star starters vote is the most democratic process out there. If you don’t like the result, you should have voted more or got your friends to vote more.
The reserves and the pitchers are where the snubs come into play. The other players who provide their input and the managers that select the final players involved have a difficult job. They are tasked with filling out a roster with the best players available, yet there are always biases. See the number of the Rangers on the roster as an example. With the biases and the limited roster spots, there will be some who are left off. Here’s an abbreviated version of my list (Just the top four):
Encarnacion is having the best year of his career. Maybe it’s overlooked because he plays in Toronto with
Jose Bautista. He’s nearing a career high in home runs and still has the second half of the season to go. He’s hitting .291/.373/.572. His contributions have kept the Blue Jays in the hunt, but he was passed up because of the number of talented third basemen in the league.
This may be a strange one for some, but Headley is the most consistent and the best player on the Padres roster. Huston Street is the team’s lone representative and this was base solely on the need to get another pitcher on the roster, but Headley was deserving. He is hitting .272/.371/.418 this year with eight home runs. His OPS has been increasing steadily and he currently has the highest OPS of his career. But again, he plays third base, a position with much talent throughout the league.
Peavy will be part of the final vote, but he shouldn’t have to be. This is an example of the importance those within the game still put on wins. Peavy is 6-5, but he has a slim 2.96 ERA this year. He’s striking out 4.21 batters for every walk issued. Simply put, he’s dominant again. Not since his 2008 has Peavy been this good, and he’s got the inspiring story of recovery from an inure so rare no Major League player had ever experienced it.
This is a snub probably based on lack of availability at the position he plays. However, Bryan LaHair made the All-Star game at first base and he doesn’t even play there anymore. Surely there was a way to move things around and get Goldschmidt on the roster. He is hitting .292/.367/.540, good enough for a 138 OPS+. He’s also hit 11 home runs in 67 games. These are impressive numbers for a guy who skipped Triple-A ball altogether.
For continued coverage of the 2012 All-Star Game, be sure to check out our dedicated ASG Page.