NL All Star Predictions
Given the 6/27 vote totals and the 1 player per team requirement, here's my predicted 32 man NL roster. This takes into account prior roster compositions and the fact that LaRussa will probably take some extra Cards if he can. I've based it on something of a 60-30-10 system where 60% of the consideration is based on this year, 30% is based on recent years, and 10% is based on overall career value.
The last 3 or 4 cuts were amazingly hard to do. Also, it was really hard to find someone worthy from Colorado, Arizona, and Pittsburgh.
Starters - all are currently leading the voting.
1B - Pujols - STL
2B - Kent - LAD
SS - Izturis - LAD
3B - Rolen - STL
C - Piazza - NYM
OF - Abreu - PHI
OF - Edmonds - STL
OF - Beltran - NYM
P - Clemens - HOU
P - Willis - FLA
P - Martinez - NYM
P - Hernandez - WAS
P - Peavy - SDG
P - Smoltz - ATL
P - Carpenter - STL
P - Webb - ARI
P - Cordero - WAS
P - Isringhausen - STL
P - Lidge - HOU
P - Fuentes - COL
1B - Lee - CHC
1B - Delgado - FLA
1B - Johnson - WAS
2B - Utley - PHI
SS - Lopez - CIN
3B - Ramirez - CHC
C - LoDuca - FLA
OF - Cabrera - FLA
OF - Alou - SFG
OF - Lee - MIL
OF - Jones - ATL
OF - Bay - PIT
Position Breakdown:
1B
Pujols 340/424/605/1.029/20HR/64RBI
Lee 387/464/723/1.187/23HR/65RBI
Delgado 312/405/565/970/15HR/56RBI
Johnson 320/444/508/952/8HR/42RBI
Lee probably should start over Pujols, but Pujols has had great career numbers while Lee is having a career season. They may leave Johnson off the roster to go with more 2B/SS/3B back-ups.
Others in consideration
Sean Casey (322BA), Chad Tracy (317BA) - aside from BA, neither of these guys has anything going for them besides BA.
2B
Kent 296/370/520/890/15HR/58RBI
Utley 312/380/526/906/10HR/35RBI
Kent has clearly been the best 2B in the NL this year. Utley has thrived since he was given the 2B job full time after the Polanco trade.
Others in consideration
Luis Castillo (314BA/419OBP/39R/6SB), Marcus Giles (290BA/52R/11SB), Rob Mackowiak (301BA), Craig Counsell (290BA/49R).
I'd take Utley, but Giles and Castillo are more top of the order hitters. Castillo's speed is gone this year and Utley's OBP is higher than Giles'.
SS
Izturis 276/323/339/662
Lopez 304/350/550/900/13HR/45RBI/40R
Izturis makes it on his defensive reputation. Lopez has clearly had the better season though.
Others in consideration
Omar Vizquel (299BA/13SB), David Eckstein (293BA), Clint Barmes (329/371/516/886/8HR/34RBI/40R)
Vizquel may make it as the Giants rep if other OFs are selected over Alou. He's had a better year than Izturis and has just as good a defensive rep. Eckstein may be a LaRussa hometown pick. Barmes would have been the Colorado rep if he didn't break his collar carrying deer meat up his stairs.
3B
Rolen 243/327/426/753
Ramirez 300/361/563/924/17HR/49RBI
Rolen's been hurt much of the year. Numbers like these would've never made him an all star in years past in Philadelphia, but his stature has grown over the past few years. Ramirez is having a great season. He still might not make it if Glaus gets the Arizona spot.
Others in consideration
Morgan Ensberg (277/378/554/933/19HR/52RBI), Chipper Jones (282/411/513/923), David Wright (297/387/510/897), Troy Glaus (264/354/527/882/17HR/48RBI)
Ensberg really deserves to go based on his great half season. Jones has beenhurt a lot of the year, but would've been the Braves rep had A. Jones not had a monster 2 weeks. Wright is having a solid season, but may be mired in the Rolen-like dilemma of his early years of having too much established competition at 3B. Glaus has a lot of HRs and could sneak into the game as the AZ rep.
OF
Abreu 319/436/557/993/17HR/52RBI/55R/18SB
Edmonds 286/397/568/965/14HR/46RBI
Beltran 265/320/437/756
Cabrera 336/387/569/955/15HR/54RBI
Alou 318/409/521/930/12HR/36RBI
Lee 275/339/549/889/20HR/69RBI
Jones 283/359/599/958/24HR/55RBI
Bay 311/388/573/962/15HR/40RBI
No slap hitting singles hitters in this group. Abreu is simply awesome. He's having the best year of any OF in the NL by far demonstrating great power and speed. Edmonds is also havign a great year. Beltran is 41st in OF OPS and has 1SB. New York must've been a tough adjustment. He doesn't deserve an all-star bid. Cabrera is well on his way to establishing hmself as the next great young slugger. Alou is doing well without much support in the SF offense and he's the lone SF rep. Lee leagues the majors in RBI. Jones is the lone Atl rep and might not have made it over Jones or Giles had he not gone on a 2 week HR tear. Bay is quietly having a great season and is the lone Pit rep.
Others in consideration
Adam Dunn (20HR), Brian Giles (910OPS), Cliff Floyd (20HR/51RBI/903OPS), Pat Burrell (16HR/895OPS/60RBI), Luis Gonzalez (307BA/AZ rep), Jose Guillen (302BA/529SLG/15HR)
Dunn's BA is too low, Giles only has 9 HRs, Floyd should be there instead of Beltran, Burrell's been in a huge slump the past 2 weeks, Gonzalez is beat out as AZ rep by Webb or Glaus, Guillen's having a pretty good year, but not AS level.
I'm out of time, so I'll come back to comment on my selections for pitchers later.
0 recs |
4 comments
Comments
burrell: look out below
What pitcher starts the game for the NL? I'm thinking Willis. Hopefully La Russa will leave him out there for, I dunno, seven or eight innings.
by dajafi on Jun 29, 2005 12:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Not Willis
Although I wouldn't be opposed to Willis coming down with a minor arm injury that puts him out the rest of 2005 while pitching in the All-Star game.
by lethal on Jun 29, 2005 6:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Abreu
by David S. Cohen on Jun 29, 2005 4:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I was pretty darn close
I got all the pitchers and Webb's on the last man ballot.
Utely was my hometown pick, but Castillo is OK too. He has a 50 point higher OBP even if his SLG is way lower. Castillo's job is to get on base while Utley's is to drive people in. Castillo's career accomplishments are much higher as well.
I would've gone with Webb as the AZ rep over Gonzo or maybe even Glaus. Taking 3 SSs means 1 less 1B and 1 more OF means another less 1B. Johnson was borderline with his recent slump anyway, but no Delgado? That's a complete travesty!
by lethal on Jul 4, 2005 4:14 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

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