Marlins 2011 All-Star Discussion

[Swifty]

I think the first balloting total comes out this weekend. Given Reyes' strong season, I think Hanley's streak of starting is over, though that's not necessarily a lock.

This is the first time since '04 that the Marlins have both the record and the production to warrant multiple all-stars.

Some names to consider:

Josh Johnson: 3-1; 1.64 ERA; 0.97 WHIP
Ricky Nolasco: 4-0; 3.04 ERA; 1.14 WHIP
Leo Nunez: 18 SV's; 2.59 ERA
Mike Stanton: 11 HR, .895 OPS
Gaby Sanchez: .328 BA, .915 OPS
Logan Morrison: .982 OPS, 6 HR in 25 games.


My best guess is JJ and Leo make it, Gaby goes on the "final ballot" and doesn't make it. Stanton should but probably won't.

[Mainge]

No way Reyes starts.

Tulo brp.

[Bobbob1313]

If JJ only misses 2 more starts, he gets in. Leo probably gets in. Gaby and Stanton have very strong cases.

[emkayseven]

I'd bet Leo doesn't get in. He has no name recognition most places and he just had a shitty outing against the manager who is going to be picking the pitchers. I'm sure Brian Wilson will be selected since he's having a "decent" season and the manager earns that right to pick his players. K-Rod is a lock if he keeps up his 0.76 ERA or something close to it. Putz is having a solid season, and no one besides maybe Ian Kennedy on that team deserves to be looked at, so he might "have" to make it. Same with Joel Hanrahan, he and Charlie Morton are the only ones who deserve it right now and I just can't imagine Morton's stats are as sustainable as Hanrahan's are right now. I think Leo gets squeezed out.

JJ is a lock, I think, unless he misses a bunch more starts. Ricky should be there but I think with offense being down so tremendously there are lots of pitchers who will also "deserve" to be there, and some on teams that might not have another rep (for example, if you're Bochy, you might be forced to take Morton over Ricky if both keep their stats up).

I really do think Mike can make it. Offense is turrible this year. If you look at NL OFers you have to figure Berkman, Holliday, Braun and Kemp definitely make the team. If he keeps it up and stays healthy, Beltran probably makes it. That leaves probably 3 more OF spots. Jay Bruce is a solid choice, but everyone else's OPS is below .850 except for Seth Smith, who, as a platoon player, isn't likely to get too much support (though as a player out west he does play Bochy a bunch). Even if Bruce and Smith make it that leaves at least 1 slot open for OFers. Who else is a better option? Ethier? Victorino? I think with offense the way it is it makes sense to have a big bopper, the guy that can put one into New Mexico from the stadium. If he keeps hitting home runs and the average doesn't dip too low, I think Mike is in 100%.

Gaby is going to get stiff competition from Prince, Votto, Pujols, Ike Davis and maybe even Ryan Howard. One of the first three is going to be voted in but I can't see them going with 3 1B, let alone 4.

[Namaste]

I realize there are several reasons why but it will really suck if Leo gets in and Gaby doesn't.

Dunn, Mujica and Sanches are having a better season than Nunez.
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MK7, Stanton also has the Wow Factor too which may help his chances.


Wow Factor being he hits baseballs into orbit.

[Swifty]

I think it really comes down to how the OF vote goes. The starting 3 really should be Braun-Kemp-Holliday but it could very well end up being Braun-Beltran-Soriano. Then you figure Ethier and Berkman are locks and as much as I love Stanton, I just don't see it "easy" for him.

[emkayseven]

I don't think there's a chance Soriano makes it unless he's voted in. Chicago has a lot of fan voting but St. Louis typically does as well. I'm sure they'll be showing up in droves since they have 4-5 hitters who deserve to make it.

Like I said, if you count Berkman, Braun, Holliday, Kemp, Bruce, and Beltran as locks, there's still 2 spots open. I don't see any way Stanton doesn't fill one of those spots.

[Chewford]

I think JJ will be the only one who makes the team unfortunately.

If Stanton keeps hitting them out at the rate he's going for the next month, he should get in. That would be a fun homerun derby.

[Swifty]

Right, but that's assuming the 6 that go are correct. Fan voting is usually good for 1 or 2 undeserving starters. So that's maybe your 2 right there. Ethier also is a lock, at least to me.

OF locks:

Braun
Kemp
Holliday
Ethier

Close to it:

Berkman
Beltran

Flies in the ointment:

Soriano
McCutchen (Pitt needs an all-star)
Jayson Werth (Wash needs an all-star and Zimmerman can't/won't be it)
CarGo (never count out the "hey, last year was awesome" factor)

Stanton deserves it, but I can see him getting the squeeze. Especially if JJ, Hanley and Leo make it (not completely impossible/improbable).

[emkayseven]

I think there is zero chance Hanley makes it on name recognition alone after his turrible year. Reyes is tearing it up, Starlin Castro looks great, Tulo has cooled down but has the HRs and the defense that might make a manager pick him if he isn't voted in. Not to mention the fact that Bochy sees Tulo fairly regularly, and although he's struggled some against SF this year he has a .955 OPS against them from 2008-2010. That's a pretty good audition for the man who might pick you.

Like I said I'd expect Pittsburgh's all-star to be Hanrahan or Morton. McCutchen has done nothing to warrant selection over those two. The Nats might even send Livan Hernandez or Jordan Zimmermann despite their records. But you're right, Werth is probably their best bet. I highly doubt CarGo makes it when Tulo, Helton, and Street are all better bets. He won't get voted in. Soriano has a sub-.300 OBP. No manager is going to pick him and no way will he get voted in even with the push from Cubs fans.

I don't know how you can say Ethier is a lock. Just because of the streak? He's got 4 homers this year and a respectable OPS. He's also slumping like crazy and may or may not be injured. He's no better a selection than Stanton. I'm not a Stanton homer by any means, but if the teams were announced today I don't see any way he doesn't make it.

[Ralph]

Wouldn't surprise me if Washington's selection is Tyler Clippard dudes just been all sorts of awesome last 3 years.

[Bobbob1313]

Mujica

What?

[HUGG]

Neil Walker has an outside shot at being the Pirates rep too. It's a weak year for 2B.

[Erick]

I realize there are several reasons why but it will really suck if Leo gets in and Gaby doesn't.

Dunn, Mujica and Sanches are having a better season than Nunez.
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MK7, Stanton also has the Wow Factor too which may help his chances.


Wow Factor being he hits baseballs into orbit.

Leo's been our best reliever so far this year.

[Miamarlin21]

Dunn might want to argue that.