Ozzie the Snubber

[NAPAFISH]

American League substitutions

Francisco Liriano over Bobby Jenks

How, exactly, does the major league ERA leader by more than half a run not make the All-Star team? While, in most cases, I support taking the player with the track record over a couple of seasons instead of the player having the good half-year, Liriano is the leading contender for Rookie of the Year and is starting to nudge his way into the Cy Young picture as well. Maybe he'll stumble over the course of the summer and won't end up the league's ERA champ, but he has the stuff and the minor league performances that say that the last three months are no fluke.

And I'm not advocating taking Liriano instead of a proven All-Star. The guy who's sitting clearly in Liriano's spot is Jenks, the White Sox's closer, a hard-throwing and mediocre-performing pitcher in the minors who has thrown fewer innings (76 2/3) in his major league career than Liriano has this season -- and whose 2006 ERA is higher than Liriano's, despite the fact that Jenks is a full-time reliever. With Jenks and Mark Buehrle (now sporting a pedestrian 3.86 ERA) both on the roster due to questionable selections made by the manager, I'd accuse Ozzie Guillen of nepotism, but the last thing MLB needs now is for someone to provoke its resident jerk.

Lifted from article from ESPN

[genegodawa]

Well, at least Mauer got there.

My guess is that Ozzie figures Jenks may not ever get another shot whereas Liriano has many great chances ahead of him?????

[SledNeck]

Ozzie figured if he snubbed Jenks, then Jenks would go on a a wild bender and start burning himself with cigarette lighters.

[Down to Earth]

In a way, though you really can't blame Ozzie, but the system.I know Liriano has been on fire, but Jenks is tied for the MLB league in Saves. The two I have problems with is Buerhle and Redmen. Redmen is there only because of the stupid "every team needs to be represented" rule. I mean the guy is 5-4 with an ERA over 5. In Buerhle's case Ozzie just went with the hometown guy, even though guys like Liriano, Beckett, Schilling and Verlander as much if not more deserving. Oh well, hopefully this just means Liriano stays well rested for the second half of the season.

[SledNeck]

espn poll goes like this.

Quote:

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Who is the AL's most glaring omission?

53.1% Francisco Liriano, Twins (8-1, 1.99 ERA)

25.9% Travis Hafner, Indians (.312 BA, 22 HR, 66 RBI)

10.3% Justin Verlander, Tigers (10-4, 3.13 ERA)

7.2% Jason Giambi, Yankees (.268 BA, 24 HR, 63 RBI)

2.2% Tadahito Iguchi, White Sox (.293 BA, 9 HR, 38 RBI)

1.3% Brian Roberts, Orioles (.313 BA, 1 HR, 33 RBI)

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Quote:

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Who is the most deserving AL All-Star?

69.5% Joe Mauer (.392 BA, 5 HR, 40 RBI)

15.6% Jose Contreras, White Sox (8-0, 3.54 ERA)

14.9% Roy Halladay, Blue Jays (10-2, 3.22 ERA

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Quote:

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Who should be the AL starting pitcher?

41.2% Johan Santana, Twins (9-4, 2.59 ERA)

26.0% Jose Contreras, White Sox (8-0, 3.54 ERA)

25.2% Roy Halladay, Blue Jays (10-2, 3.22 ERA

6.7% Kenny Rogers, Tigers (10-3, 3.72 ERA)

0.9% Barry Zito, A's (8-4, 3.66 ERA)

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[buzzsaw]

Good work Sledneck, that pretty much sums it up!

[rundrave]

nice!

[Spinner1]

I don't really blame Ozzie, or Garner. All-Star selection process is completely flawed. Fans need to be removed from the voting, or at least make them an insignificant part of the process.

[Bobby Bass]

Hmmm without the fans there is no game..You want to pick the teams? win...

[SledNeck]

You mean become a NY Y, NY M, or BOS fan.

[Spinner1]

"Hmmm without the fans there is no game.."

That sounds good on the surface. But how is a city with 300,000 population supposed to get anyone on the All-Star team? They need to modify the selection method so it is less of an East coast popularity contest.

[Bobby Bass]

What city has 300,000 people and has a baseball team? Twins have won twice allowing Kelly to pick his team that is what I meant by winning.. I think the fans being allowed to vote 25 times online is a farce. Should be one vote one fan. Of course no one is going to be happy to many players to few roster positions I think all star game should be held at the end of the year, or have to half season games... See if I can stir up a few things with that statement..

[PierBridge]

Quote:

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I think the fans being allowed to vote 25 times online is a farce. Should be one vote one fan.

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You can vote as many time's as you want all you have to do is clear your cookies after 25 votes.

I know people that voted thousands of times for Mauer....

[Spinner1]

"I know people that voted thousands of times for Mauer...."

Zactly, any system that allows that is bogus. Nothing against Mauer. Nobody more deserving. Pittsburgh figured this out early and launched a campaign to do whatever it takes to elect Jason Bay. Bay is probably deserving as well, but that isn't the point. They announced on the Pirate broadcast how to vote a thousand times.

Bobby

Without looking it up, I'm gonna say Cincy and Tampa are lucky to have 300K. Milwaukee isn't huge either I don't think. We can split hairs, but how many markets can dream of competing with Chicago, NY, and teams in the East Coast in general? Allowing two managers from last years WS isn't the answer either. The college football polls seem somewhat accurate to me. Sportwriters and ALL the players and managers voting would get it closer to "correct". I think I could live with something like that. I think we agree it's broken. I'll let it go now.

[buzzsaw]

I found this online:

Ozzie Guillen, Chicago White Sox: This guy has yet to meet a thought that hasn't passed through his lips. If Ozzie can parlay the corresponding popularity into the presidency of his homeland, Venezuela will be at war with, oh, China.

[bgreen82]

its wierd morneau wasnt even on the espn poll for most deserving not to make it. he raised his average to like .295. is 5th in al in hr. and 2nd in rbi's or something like that. very good season so far to not even be on that poll when iguchi and brian roberts are dont you think.