Cubs Fans Got it Wrong — NL All Star Travesty
With the All Star Game lineups being announced, the Cubs added another milestone to what could be a record breaking season. They are now the first team to have their entire infield start in the All Star Game. And while the Cubs are a great team, the question must be asked; has the success gotten into the heads of Cubs fans everywhere?
Obviously the corner infielders, Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant are without question deserving starters and I have absolutely no problem with them being starters as Bryant leads Major League Baseball in home runs. Some might argue that Wil Myers is having a better season statistically, there’s no doubt Rizzo is more recognizable in the game of baseball.
Now moving onto the middle infield and this is where I began questioning if giving fans a vote was worth it. The starting second baseman, Ben Zobrist is an outstanding player and someone I believed should earn a spot as a reserve, but it is an outrage that he is starting. Zobrist currently holds a slash line of .296/.404/.473 with 11 home runs. And while I will admit a OBP of .404 is incredible, I’m not watching the ASG to see someone draw a walk or hit a sac fly. Meanwhile Daniel Murphy currently has a slash line of .347/.387/.579 with 14 homers. The other second baseman I’d prefer over Zobrist is DJ Lemahieu who currently hits .322/.388/.489 with only 5 home runs.
Ben Zobrist: .378 wOBA, 136 wRC+, 2.9 WAR
Daniel Murphy: .403 wOBA, 153 wRC+, 3.3 WAR
hmmm…
Finally, at shortstop Addison Russell is the starter. Addison Russell for Pete’s sake. Now there is one obvious answer when it comes to who should start over him at short, and that would be LA Dodgers sensation Corey Seager. While Russell hits for .238/.336/.392 with 9 home runs Seager currently hits .305/.363/.540 with 17 home runs. How even Cubs fans could not vote for him is beyond me.
Addison Russell: .314 wOBA, 93 wRC+, 1.5 WAR
Corey Seager: .380 wOBA 142 wRC+, 3.9 WAR
double hmmm…
I love baseball and I love All Star weekend and the ability to decide who plays in the game. But after the Royals and now the Cubs, I truly believe the MLB needs to find a new way to decide who their best players are.
Originally published at baseballfam.com on July 6, 2016.
