Saturday, June 29, 2013

Yankees That Should Go To The All-Star Game

Cleveland Indians v New York Yankees

The 2013 All-Star Game is quickly approaching and it's sure to be a week of festivities in New York City. Players from all 30 teams will go to Queens and fight for one of the most glorious prizes: home field advantage during the World Series. Now, there are multiple ways for players to go to the All-Star Game. There's the famous voting for your favorite player 25-35 times on MLB.com (by the way you have till July 4 to do so), and there's the manager selection. For those of you unfamiliar with the manager selection here is the rule:


The manager of each leagues All-Star Team--in consultation with other managers in his league and the Commissioner's office-- will fill his team's roster up to 33 players .


So with that rule in effect and with the ballot voting, it's time to decide which Yankee should (in my opinion) should make it to the All-Star Game.


1. Robinson Cano


Robinson Cano obviously should be on the All-Star Team (and if voting went his way, he should be the starting second baseman). Robbie Cano is having a slight off-year in the batting average department but he leads the team in HR's and RBI's and is one of if not the best second basemen defensively in the game. I know defense isn't going to mean anything in the All-Star Game, but Cano has many other aspects. And if (for some odd, strange reason) Cano doesn't make it to the All-Star Game, we will see him during All-Star Week, since he is the Captain of the AL HR Derby Team.


2. Mariano Rivera


This is an obvious no-brainer. It's Mariano Rivera's final year, he's having another All-Star season and I bet if it weren't for his season ending ACL injury, he would of been on the 2012 All-Star Game Roster. The only issue is where would Mariano Rivera pitch in the game. Fans want him to start the All-Star Game but Mariano Rivera wants to close the All-Star game. If I could have a say, I would love it if Mo got the last three outs of the game. It would be a fitting end and it would be better than getting the first three outs of the game. Plus, if Mo does go in the game, can we hear Enter Sandman as a loving tribute to the greatest closer ever?


3. Preston Claiborne


The good news with pitchers is the league decides and not the fans. And I know Preston is a rookie and has only been here for roughly 2 1/2 months, but he has done a phenomenal job in the Yankees bullpen. Maybe with the roster moves that the league would have to do with the pitchers that pitched the Sunday before the game, Claiborne can somehow squeeze his way on the roster. David Robertson did so in 2010 when he wasn't originally listed on the roster, yet made it after the plethora of changes the day before the All-Star Break.


4. Brett Gardner


Brett  Gardner

Before you say that 'Gardner is not an All-Star' and 'There are a bunch of players that are better than Gardner for the manager's vote' just hear me out here. For most of the season, the one who has been carrying the Yankees on their backs (along with Robinson Cano) is Brett Gardner. He has the most hits on the team, is tied for the most stolen bases on the team and numbers show that he is the fourth best outfielder defensively. Gardner's not a power-hitter but he already has 6 HR's on the season and has shown some power with his booming doubles and triples that almost leave the park. If anyone should at least be considered for the manager's vote, it's Gardner. Right now, he's the Yankees best player hitting with consistency.


5. Hiroki Kuroda


CC Sabathia is the 'ace' of the Yankees staff, but the one that has been pitching like an ace this season is Hiroki Kuroda. Other than his two starts to begin the season, Kuroda has not had a 'bad' outing. He considers a couple of his starts bad when he gives up three runs (which isn't bad at all) but if you look at his numbers, he has been the guy that they go to in order to shut down the other team's offense. The only reason Kuroda has those losses is because--the Yankees can't score. But his ERA and his numbers should tell the story as to why he's having an All-Star year.


So now that I have given my five players that I think should make it to the All-Star game (whether by the fans or managers vote), it's time for you to decide. If you had five players that you wanted to take to the All-Star game, which five players would it be?

27 comments:

  1. Gonna go out on a limb and say the only way Claiborne is at the all star game is if he buys a ticket. Nothing against him though great start to his career

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  2. Gotta agree with Matthew on Claiborne. Also, middle relievers who don't generally pitch the 8th are not really going to get much consideration. The two most likely to make it this year are Cano and Mo, though I give Kuroda an outside shot.

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  3. AN OLD MOVIE..."Welcome to Hard Times"...is here. Showing this year, in the Bronx.
    A friend called me reticent recently, so I'll try not to be.
    Another click downward tonight, and no reinforcements on the horizon. That Baltimore lineup,
    beat down these Yankees. Revamp on the fly, or die. One bat will not do it.
    I'm being reticent again.
    The ship is sinking, and no captain to go down with her. He will save us?
    Mr. Steinbrenner would NEVER of allowed this to happen. A shame.

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  4. Patrick, me ole' Irish eyes are seeing 1973 to 1996 all over again. Yup, the years King George owned the team, 22 years with only 4 trips to the WS....we went 2 and 2.
    George tried to do what ever he could to win. He made some very bad trades and went by what his Tampa Cabal said, rather than what baseball people said.
    If he had not been banned from baseball for a while and let Stick take over the team in his place...we would have had "NO" 1996 to now run. It would have been hit or miss every year with no Farm system.

    Bottom line; He was the best owner the Yankees could have had at the time.

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  5. GOOD DAY, to be RETICENT.
    How many months ago, did you hear the grumbling from Yankee fans...
    "The Yankees hit too many home runs!"..They got their wish.
    Now they can relish in the five hit outburst, they put on the Orioles last night.
    To fall behind 2-0, is reason to turn the TV off.

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  6. RUMBLINGS? or is that thunder?
    One hundred miles down the Jersey Tpke, they say it's trade rumblings.
    Even a block buster. Great news for the great BBB of NY.
    Young? Utley? Rios? Mayberry?....excuse my spelling.
    Block buster, great.

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  7. IS THERE TIME?
    After Minnesota, the yanks come back home for 3 with Baltimore.
    The next 11, are with the Twins, and the Royals.
    Can they dodge the bullet?
    Will the casket be lowered?
    Will a hot Boston, tumble the Yanks into the kill zone?
    A-Rod plays in Charleston tomorrow night. Can he be the man?
    Is Nunez the savior?....no way. (trade him)
    Is there a block buster waiting for the trigger to be pulled?
    Not wanting to be called reticent.....I will back off a bit. Take care.

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  8. I have become so "reticent" I have become a reader, rather than a poster. Patrick please continue on my behalf.

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  9. john.
    My BBB of NY, brother. Welcome.
    Please feel free to fly on my wing. Always liked your swagger.
    Do you see hope? Are they sending reinforcements? Is there a block buster out there?
    Leave reticent, to those that lack in humor.
    Take care.

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  10. Hope? nah very little hope can I see. their was hope in the winter! When we could have made BBB very happy, then we were only "stuck" with A-Rod, Jeter, Teix, and the pitching staff. So many options if we would have dealt away aging or costly (to be) contracts before they too became an albatross. For me as I read earlier the Dodgers are OK with contracts up to age 35, that sounds so good right now. and prospects need to be developed or used as chips, the Yankees are doing neither. It seems that many ships have sailed and left us in the harbor. The Money Muscle we once enjoyed is gone as some are catching up and the game is changing. Oh I wish for once last chance to flex for a Darvish or a Cuban outfielder. Oh well this is why I read.

    And yet GO YANKEES

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  11. Patrick, you can't really expect too much with all the injuries, we have are 1,2,4, and 5 hitters out. How many teams win in that situation. This is not a time to panic!

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  12. Just read that the Braves and Giants have interest in Joba, so Joba for Tyler Pastronicki looks like a match!

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  13. doug....good morning.
    Please clarify...who is Tyler Pastronicki? Where did you hear that one?
    Josh Willingham was on the Yanks radar, until the injury. too bad.

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  14. Patrick, Patronicki is a back up SS and 3rd for the Braves, he is young and under control. I think the Yanks would have to give the Braves more than Joba for him, maybe Joba and Montegomery.

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  15. doug...I'll pass on Tyler.
    Tyler Pastornicky (spelling corrected)... 1st base/ 2nd base
    ML AB: 184....Hits: 45....HRS: 2....Avg .245
    I think Joba alone, is too much for this guy.
    Joba should be in a package, aimed at one targeted player. My take.

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  16. RIGHT HANDED BAT?
    Texas gets Manny Ramirez. Yes, the Boston Manny.
    Yankees, send out the Dreadnaughts...to reel in Luis Cruz. He did bat .297 last year,
    in 296 at bats. An upgrade?
    You could hear the disappointment in Jason Nix's voice during pre-game.
    He had his chance, and got hurt. Tough business.

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  17. Peds aside, Manny was one of the best hitters in baseball history, the Sox wouldn't have won either series without him. I would think he helps the Rangers. Manny is a Hall of Famer along with Bonds, Clemens, Pettite, and A-Rod. They were the best of their era, it makes no sense to leave them out. Everyone knows this was the Steriod era, and the era before that was the Ampetamine era. Bottom line is that players have cheated since the beginning of baseball, Willie and Mickey were shot with B-12.

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  18. You said it John.....Yanks really should have flexed their financial advantage on the Int'l market when there were legitimate and YOUNG talented players there for the signing.

    Where else can the Yankees get a 26-yr old Ace like Darvish or a clean-up hitting young, dynamic OF like Puig or Cespedes?

    These types of talents rarely make it to Free Agency anymore and the Yanks don't get the blue-chip talent at the front of the draft. They used to be able to get 1st round quality amateurs from the D.R. Or Venezuela but that door has also closed under the new CBA. The Yanks have less than half the money to spend on those players compared to teams like the Cubs or Astros.

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  19. My man Doug can always be counted on for optimism. And just like that.....boom....5 in a row! Good call Doug. And if the Yanks get some or all of their players back soon, they have a shot at the playoffs with 3 wild cards now. I just hope they don't do anything foolish to trade away their few young assets for another veteran stop-gap. If they make trades to improve for this yr, they have to be another team's salary dump or a player young and good enough to provide value beyond this season. Someone like a Nate Shierholz.

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  20. THE PICKLE JAR IS EMPTY TONIGHT.
    Searched every link available, for over an hour, trying to find a rumor of substance.
    Nothing. Maybe after five wins, they think no longer need hitters?
    Yanks now batting 14th in the American League. 14 out of 15, not bad.

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  21. fishjam, I like Michael Young if the Phillies fall out of the mix, he will be a good rental and can play first and third.

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  22. GRAVITAS?
    Some say Pres. Geo. Bush didn't have it. I disagree.
    But, I think the Yanks may be acquiring a bit of it now. Nice win.

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  23. No doubt Michael Young would help but since Philly is in the Wild card mix he may not be available. And if he is, Philly will want some talent back in return, not just salary relief since Texas is already paying most of his contract.

    Last yr, Philly traded Victorino at the deadline to LA and since he was going to be a FA like Young is, it's a pretty good comparison of value. Philly got a promising rookie reliever and a B-level prospect with a big arm. So, say the Yanks had to give up either Preston Claiborne or Shawn Kelly plus a B prospect like Turley, Jose Ramirez or maybe a JR Murphy? Would you do it for 2 months of Michael Young?

    IMO, I'd probably pass. Yanks can't afford to give up their few young assets for rental players.

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  24. LETS PRETEND?
    DOWN THE STRETCH....What is your rotation? Here's mine.
    Sabathia, Kuroda, Pettitte, Nova, Pinada
    Phelps.... to the pen, as long man. He did well in that role. Warren needs to pitch more, at AAA.
    Hughes....joins the set-up squad. He excelled there, a few years back. Lights out at times.
    And, he's leaving anyway. He'll get over it.
    For what it's worth, that's my two cents.

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  25. TRAVIS ISHIKAWA....what have we obtained?
    Travis is 6'2", 220lbs. Bats left. Was out of options.
    Ishikawa hit .316/.413/.525 (156 wRC+) in 208 Triple-A plate appearances this year, including a .331/.434/.568 line against righties. He’s a career .260/.324/.399 (93 wRC+) hitter in 857 big league plate appearances, which is broken down into .262/.330/.409 (97 wRC+) against right-handers and .244/.281/.322 (61 wRC+) against lefties.

    The Yankees pounced quickly on Ishikawa. Perhaps their scouts see something in him, that
    steered them away from their quest of the right handed bat, that they are longing for.
    Lets wait, and see.

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  26. FIRST IMPRESSIONS...Travis Ishikawa.
    Many of you know, I've had trouble in sabre-metrics 101. Not that I didn't try. It's nonsense to me.
    But, the Irish have this thing on first impressions. You can garner much about a person.
    Travis Ishikawa's first at bat tonight.....( two garnered impressions )
    a) Where did he get that haircut?...Walmart?
    b) A short timer. Enjoy him while he's here.

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  27. doug, good call!
    That is why Mickey ended up in the hospital and Maris won the HR Crown.

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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)