This year's embarrassing start has brought up an embrassing prospect: not having anyone deserving go to Cincinnati to represent the team in the ASG.
There seems to be 2 candidates, but neither of them, while playing well, should take a spot of another player, but will, due to MLB rules. No one looks to have a prayer of getting a fan vote enbtry.
1) Pedroia. Currently fifth in voting. 1/4 the votes of Altuve. While hitting .296/.362/.444/.806 (a good power year for him, 7 HR's), I would say that Kipnis and Altuve are shoo-ins. Does a 3rd 2B make it? And if so, does Pedey beat out Travis, Dozier, and Forsythe for that spot.
2) Koji. tied for 10th in saves, with 10. Only Miller has both more saves and a lower WHIP. Miller and Davis (0 ERA, 21 innings) are shoo-ins, and 4 more RP's with 15+ saves and ERA under 3. Koji only P with 10+ saves with less than 19 innings (15.1).
Tazawa is (also) pitching well, with 6 more innings than Koji, and in most years Ortiz and Hanley would make it via the ballot. And Hanley had it on production after April. 1 month later, he doesn't deserve it, especially when you factor his defense, sort of like the French army in January.
No need to talk about the starters here.
Can the next 5 weeks possibly bring a new candidate or improve enough the resume of any of the highly paid hitters?
Is it obviously Pedroia? And if he and Koji both slump in June, what happens?
There seems to be 2 candidates, but neither of them, while playing well, should take a spot of another player, but will, due to MLB rules. No one looks to have a prayer of getting a fan vote enbtry.
1) Pedroia. Currently fifth in voting. 1/4 the votes of Altuve. While hitting .296/.362/.444/.806 (a good power year for him, 7 HR's), I would say that Kipnis and Altuve are shoo-ins. Does a 3rd 2B make it? And if so, does Pedey beat out Travis, Dozier, and Forsythe for that spot.
2) Koji. tied for 10th in saves, with 10. Only Miller has both more saves and a lower WHIP. Miller and Davis (0 ERA, 21 innings) are shoo-ins, and 4 more RP's with 15+ saves and ERA under 3. Koji only P with 10+ saves with less than 19 innings (15.1).
Tazawa is (also) pitching well, with 6 more innings than Koji, and in most years Ortiz and Hanley would make it via the ballot. And Hanley had it on production after April. 1 month later, he doesn't deserve it, especially when you factor his defense, sort of like the French army in January.
No need to talk about the starters here.
Can the next 5 weeks possibly bring a new candidate or improve enough the resume of any of the highly paid hitters?
Is it obviously Pedroia? And if he and Koji both slump in June, what happens?