Shocker! A-Rod gets snubbed for All-Star Game

Well, I guess I can understand why admitted PED user Alex Rodriguez got left out of this year's All-Star Game. We can't have juicers on the team. (Except that three other admitted PED users are on the team: Nelson Cruz is starting in the AL DH spot, the Cardinals' Jhonny Peralta is starting as NL shortstop, and Dodger Yasmani Grandal is a reserve.) 

I saw that Royals manager Ned Yost, the AL manager for the game, made sure to take care of his team, even though thanks to Kansas City fans stuffing the ballot box, four KC stars were already in the starting lineup, and Wade Davis was picked by players for the bullpen. Yost then obnoxiously went and picked Kelvin Herrera, one of his setup guys, saying:

“The one thing he had that a lot of others didn’t was he pitched in game seven of the World Series last year,” Yost said. “That was kind of a deciding factor for me.” 

Um, the All-Star Game is supposed to be about *this* year, not last year.

Then Yost also picked yet another Royal, third baseman Mike Moustakas, for the Final Vote competition over A-Rod. Puh-lease. Dude, you already have six of your players on the team, and you try to get a seventh on? Good grief. Yost claimed it was about flexibility -- A-Rod is a DH -- but don't tell me Rodriguez couldn't play third or first for one inning.

Due to a quirk in the system, Prince Fielder was on the fans' first base ballot, but the players' DH ballot, and Fielder, who is having a slightly better year than Rodriguez, got the nod.

But, as the New York Post's Ken Davidoff points out:

The Yankees’ first half proved far more enjoyable than many (including the hack writing this column) anticipated, and for that, A-Rod deserves a healthy share of the credit. He ranks among the league leaders in on-base percentage (.390, sixth), on-base plus slugging (.902, eighth) and OPS-plus (149, 8th). Consider that no other player ranking in the top 10 in any of those categories — not all, but any — failed to make the club.

Even writer Bob Klapisch, who has slammed A-Rod a lot in the past, thinks leaving him out is an injustice, and writes:

The layers of arrogance and narcissism have been peeled away. Beneath the psychological flesh is a goofy, semi-geeky ballplayer who’s made terrible decisions and told appalling lies. But Rodriguez loves baseball in a deep and profound way. I remember the first time he confided about a veteran Yankee who didn’t share his passion for the sport. “I asked [the teammate] if he wanted to come over after one of our games and watch the West Coast games on TV,” Rodriguez said. “And [the teammate] looked at me like I was crazy. “Why would I want to do that?” he said. “I was blown away.” Rodriguez is obviously not the player of his youth, but his enthusiasm remains intact.

Hmmm -- I wonder which player he was talking about here?

At any rate, A-Rod in the ASG would have been must-watch at-bats. Love him, hate him, people would watch the game to see him.

The Yanks do have Mark Teixeira and Dellin Betances on the All-Star roster, and Brett Gardner in the Final Vote competition, but A-Rod should have been on the team. Here's hoping that somebody drops out in the next week or so and he is added on.

I voted for Giancarlo Stanton 35 times on my All-Star Game ballot. Then he ate a KitKat Bar wrong. The monster!

I made a joke on Facebook the other day about how #VoteDrew, the hashtag to elect Stephen Drew to MLB's All-Star Game, was the saddest hashtag ever. Then it got me to thinking about who I would vote for on my All-Star ballot. Obviously, I voted my maximum 35 times for my main email address for Alex Rodriguez (and Mark Teixeira and Jacoby Ellsbury), and I also gave my votes to Yadier Molina, as I have been doing since 2007, just to tick off Squawker Jon. Here is the rest of my ballot. I used stats to determine most of the rest of my picks:

MY AL ALL-STAR PICKS
1B: Teixeria, NYY
2B: Altuve, HOU
3B: Moustakas, KC
SS: Semien, OAK
C: Vogt, OAK
DH: Rodriguez, NYY
OF: Trout, LAA, Ellsbury, NYY, Reddick, OAK *
Note: Hanley Ramirez has better numbers than Reddick, but I will never vote for a Red Sox for the ASG!

MY NL ALL-STAR PICKS
1B: Goldschmidt, ARI
2B: Gordon, MIA
3B: Frazier, CIN
SS: Peralta, STL
C: Molina, STL
OF: Harper, WAS, Pederson, LAD, Stanton, MIA

But now I want to rescind my 35 Giancarlo Stanton votes after seeing something outrageous. Look at how Stanton was seen eating a KitKat Bar! His teammate Dee Gordon (who also got my ASG vote) took a picture of this travesty. As Big League Stew's Mike Oz writes, "Look at this face. It's the face of a man who doesn't care that he's just committed a crime against candy." Won't somebody think of the children?

As others have noted, there are rules for eating a KitKat Bar. You may remember how the catchy single says: "Gimme a break, gimme a break, break me off a piece of that KitKat Bar." That entails breaking one of the four pieces of the bar off. You are supposed to follow these rules, and eat each wafer of the bar separately. You cannot just bite into the KitKat willy-nilly. It is just not done.

Former Yankee Brandon McCarthy also chastised Stanton, writing on Twitter: "Just cause u hit baseballs like most hit a 4 iron doesn't mean u can eat candy however u wish. We're living in a society here." Exactly! Change your candy-eating ways now, Giancarlo!

My thoughts on the All-Star Game and Adam Wainwright's pipe shot to Derek Jeter

I totally called it. I was on my way home from Manhattan in the rain, listening to last night's All-Star Game on my Nano radio. And right after some very loud fan called Derek Jeter overrated at the game, Jeter seemed to shut him up with a leadoff double against Adam Wainwright. Squawker Jon texted me that Jeter got a double, and I texted back, "I heard Wainwright got tips from Denny McLain." (Back in the day, McLain grooved one to Mickey Mantle for the Mick's 535th career homer.)

I know people will call me a hater for saying that, but given the Mantle history, as well as the history of Chan Ho Park also grooving one to Cal Ripken, Jr. in Cal's last All-Star Game so he could have a home run, I wasn't the least bit surprised to hear that yes, Adam Wainwright did indeed give Jeter a big ol' cookie. After all, this was going to be Jeter's night, no matter what, from the Bob Sheppard introduction on. And a first-inning groundout just wouldn't do.

And well whaddaya know? My suspicions were right. During the game, Wainwright confirmed the cookie suspicions, telling a group of reporters the following thing:

"I was gonna give him a couple pipe shots. He deserved it," Wainwright said. "I didn't know he was gonna hit a double or I might have changed my mind."

So, the pitcher who shouldn't have been starting the game in the first place (Clayton Kershaw should have been the NL starter), but got the nod because his St. Louis Cardinals' manager, Mike Matheny, was the NL All-Star manager, grooves some "pipe shots" to Jeter, who, with his 2014 .647 OPS, was only in the game as a career honor, not for anything he actually did this season. And people call me cynical?

Of course, once word got out on what Wainwright did, he backtracked so fast there may have been skidmarks on the Target Field turf. So after Ken Rosenthal told All-Star viewers about the pipe shots, the FOX broadcast went into full damage control mode. Wainwright, with an assist from Erin Andrews, appeared on the broadcast, blamed social media for the brouhaha and claimed he was just joking. Oh, please. Nobody misquoted you, buddy, and social media had nothing to do with it. You said it, it got reported. Deal with it.

One of the more alarming things about this story was that fact that so many members of the media wanted Wainwright to have kept his mouth shut to keep up the illusion. The Newark Star-Ledger points out what some of them said on Twitter last night. Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News wrote: "Pretty classless move by Wainwright to say he was grooving pitches to Jeter. Either do it and keep quiet or don't do it at all." Eric Boland of Newsday wrote: "Don't know Wainwright's motivation in talking about grooving one to Jeter but doing ends up detracting from very moment he hoped to produce." And Kim Jones wrote "Dear Adam Wainwright: Pipe down."

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain, folks, is what these media people, who should know better, seem to be saying. Gee, and here I thought reporters were supposed to, you know, actually report, and not be cheerleaders for a particular storyline. How embarrassing.

Look, either the All-Star Game counts or it doesn't. If the game doesn't count, then the likes of Wainwright can do all the WWE-type moves he wants to show "Re2pect." (And don't get me started on that self-aggrandizing and downright weird ad campaign -- why would Jeter, the guy who supposedly doesn't like all the attention, agree to have everybody kiss his tuchis in that ad?) But if it does count, and home field advantage in the World Series is riding on it, then Wainwright has to, you know, actually do his job and try to help his team win. If the Cardinals make it to the World Series again this year, I guess they can "thank" Wainwright for his gift basket to Jeter when they don't have home-field advantage.

I did like the tribute to Jeter during the game, not just the cheers before his first at-bat, but when he got taken out at shortstop and saluted the crowd and his fellow players. But most of the rest of the stuff in the coverage last night was over the top. Every single player was not interviewed on any achievement they might have, but how they related to Jeter. Even All-Star MVP Mike Trout only seems to matter because he can replace Jeter as the new "face of baseball." (And how much do you wanna bet that Jeter was all set to get that trophy until Wainwright opened his trap?)

It is more than a little sad to me that Jeter got such a gift -- back in the day, he wouldn't have needed such help. But the problem isn't that Wainwright admitted it. The problem is that he would do so in a game that is actually supposed to be real. And that too many people in the media are okay with such fakeness being used to prop up an illusion.

Thoughts on the All-Star Game, Robinson Cano, Melky Cabrera, R.A. Dickey, and Tony LaRussa

It cracks me up to no end that two of John Sterling's catchprases -- "The Melkman delivers" and "The Melky Way" -- have become so identified with Melky Cabrera. And the Melkman did indeed deliver Tuesday as the MVP of the All-Star Game. I never expected that he would become the superstar he has, but I was against him being traded for Javier Vazquez from Day One. That was one of the many dumb Brian Cashman moves.

But what's up with Kevin Long feeling the need to justify the Yankees getting rid of Melky by talking about him drinking and being overweight and undisciplined as a Yankee?

“I know Melky stopped drinking completely,” Long said. “That was part of it. I’ve always said the future’s real bright for Melky, and I couldn’t be happier for where he is now. But when you lose your focus, and your lose the ability to stay in shape. “This game is a grind. To play every day, you have to be in phenomenal condition. You have to be sold out to the profession. I think in Atlanta, (Cabrera’s struggles) peaked, and after that season was over, he re-committed.’’

If Melky was so out of control, as Long is claiming, then where were the Yankees during this? At any rate, these comments are unnecessary and offensive. Let it go, Kevin.

Anyhow, Melky getting the MVP was one of two highlights for me -- the other was seeing R.A. Dickey pitch at all. I was bummed not just that the game was essentially over in the first inning, but with Tony LaRussa holding Dickey until the sixth inning. So much for his "promise" that he would pitch Dickey in the first half of the game.

It ticks me off that Dickey didn't start -- if Buster Posey is such a great catcher, then he should be able to figure out the knuckleball. LaRussa, as usual, has to be Mr. Controlling and go against what everybody else wants. Dickey's success is the top story in MLB this year, but instead of having him start the game, he doesn't get to pitch until the sixth inning, after 10 p.m., with an 8-0 score and most of America having already turned off the game. Way to go, LaRussa!

Squawker Jon and I were at Sparks Steakhouse on Monday to celebrate his birthday, so we missed the Robinson Cano Home Run Derby kerfuffle. It just goes to show, though, that Middle America has an undeserved reputation for niceness. You boo a player like he was caught running a dogfighting ring because he didn't pick Billy Butler for the HR Derby team, even though at the time Cano had to hand in his picks, Butler was not an All-Star? Ridiculous.

* * *

One other note regarding the Reggie Jackson brouhaha. Joe Torre weighed in on the subject, saying that "Reggie is still a Yankee," and that "they just asked him to step aside a while." Huh? Who is Torre to decide who is a Yankee or not? Not only did Torre disgrace the pinstripes between the way he left, and the nasty book he wrote, but he is supposed to be on MLB's payroll. He's not on the Yankee payroll anymore. It's not up for him to decide who is a Yankee or not. In fact, he's supposed to be objective in his current job. So much for that.

What do you think? Tell us about it!

Should Derek Jeter Attend the All-Star Game?

So, there's a whole media and fan kerfuffle over the fact that Derek Jeter is not going to the All-Star Game. Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports sez that it's because what has been described as "emotional and physical exhaustion."  And San Francisco Giants closer Brian Wilson complained about all the missing in action players at this year's All-Star Game, saying:

"I would say that you would show up, unless you need these three days to recover,” Wilson said. “You are representing your team, so it would be good to be here.” He also said that "it’s one of your duties as a player, out of respect, knowing that there was a guy that really wanted to be on the All-Star team, and his stats were right there, and he would have loved the chance to be here.” Wilson said that "whether you’re taking it for granted or just think it’s a grind, I always think about the pitcher who is better than me at this moment.”

Anyhow, I understand why a lot of fans are upset that Jeter isn't at least just showing up, the way the injured Jose Reyes is, especially since 1) Jeter is getting a reported $500K bonus for  being elected, and 2) Jeter got a lot of votes this year because of the 3,000 hit chase. But personally, it doesn't bother me, because I never thought his numbers deserved the All-Star nod in the first place this year. So why would I be upset that he didn't show up at an event that I thought he shouldn't have been elected to in the first place? Backhanded defense, I know, and I totally understand why others feel differently, but it doesn't really matter to me, and I can't be a hypocrite about it and say it does.

So, I want to hear what readers think -- I've already heard a lot on the subject on my Facebook page. What do you think? Should he have gone to the game or not? Tell us about it!

Squawker Jon's Critique of Squawker Lisa's All-Star Ballot

Lisa, at least you didn't vote for Derek Jeter, who is closing in on the "honorary All-Star captain" phase of his career. And you acknowledged that, while Russell may have muscle, as John Sterling likes to say, he also has a .230 batting average. But you've got to give the Red Sox their due.

Mark Teixeira beats Adrian Gonzalez in homers, 25-16, but that's it. And Teixeira hit 16 of them at homer-happy Yankee Stadium. Otherwise, Gonzalez is hitting .352 with 71 RBI, while Teixeira is hitting just .243 with with 63 RBI.

Travis Hafner may be hitting .336, but he missed a month of the season and has just seven homers. Meanwhile, David Ortiz, everyone else's All-Star DH, is hitting .305 with 17 homers.

We agree on Alex Avila, Robinson Cano, Asdrubal Cabrera, Alex Rodriguez, Jose Bautista and Curtis Granderson. But your last outfielder is Nelson Cruz, who has 18 homers, but is hitting just .237. I voted instead for Jacoby Ellsbury, who could end up with a 20-50 year - he has nine homers and 25 steals to go along with a .300 batting average.

In the National League, we agree on seven of the eight picks. We both voted for Brian McCann, Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks (though I nearly split my ballot with Brandon Phillips), Jose Jose Jose, Aramis Ramirez (thanks to his hitting five homers in the last week, he does have the best stats in this weak category), Matt Kemp and Ryan Braun.

Oddly enough, the only place we disagree is that you voted for Carlos Beltran and I didn't. Don't get me wrong - Beltran's been so valuable to the Mets that I don't want him to be traded even though it's in the best long-term interests of the team. But hitting .281 with 12 homers and 54 RBI in the first half might get you comeback player of the year, but there's another NL outfielder with 20 homers , 58 RBI and a .296 batting average. So my choice was Lance Berkman. The fact that the Yankees let him go at the end of last season is just icing on the cake.

Other NL outfielders who have put up stats equal to or better than Beltran, particularly because he doesn't run much anymore, are Carlos Gonzalez and Andrew McCutcheon. (There's also some guy named Shane that I refuse to include - I have my own biases. I will vote for Phillies, just not Victorino.)

So while I'd like to see Beltran named to the team, I don't hold out much hope (Hunter Pence is another good candidate, and he could end up being the Astros' representative). At one point, Dillon Gee and Francisco Rodriguez looked like possibilities, but now it appears that the only Met at the All-Star Game will be Reyes, making it that crazier for the Mets to allow their one All-Star to leave.

My All-Star Picks -- Or, Why I Voted for Four Yankees, Two Mets, and Zero Red Sox

So, I did my 25 All-Star votes online last night, just before the deadline. Here's who I voted for:

American League:

1B - Teixeira, Mark

2B - Cano, Robinson
SS - Cabrera, Asdrubal
3B - Rodriguez, Alex
C - Avila, Alex
DH - Young, Michael and Hafner, Travis (I voted some votes for each)
OF - Bautista, Jose
OF - Cruz, Nelson
OF - Granderson, Curtis

I got some grief on Facebook last night from Boston fans for choosing Mark Teixeira over Adrian Gonzalez. Sorry, I am not going to vote for Red Sox. Yes, I am biased that way. Same with David Ortiz -- he will not get my vote. I will root for the Sox as part of the All-Star Game that night, but that's as far as it goes!

Note that I voted for Alex Avila over Russell Martin for catcher. As much as I like Russell -- he's one of my favorite players this year, and I dig that one of his middle names is "Coltrane"! -- this was an easy choice, as Avila beats him in almost every category.

And no, I did not vote for Derek Jeter. Sorry, there is no justification for picking him for the All-Star team this year. After 2010 was the worst season of his career, he is having an even worse 2011. The flip play, and Mr. November, and the rings, and the dive into the stands should have nothing to do with making an All-Star ballot pick for this year.

National League:

1B - Fielder, Prince
2B - Weeks, Rickie
SS - Reyes, Jose
3B - Ramirez, Aramis
C - McCann, Brian
OF - Beltran, Carlos
OF - Braun, Ryan
OF - Kemp, Matt

On the other hand, Reyes highly deserves an All-Star starting slot. I gave Carlos Beltran my vote, too, something even Met fan Squawker Jon did not do!

I could have voted for Lance Berkman, but I didn't. It ticks me off that he didn't get into shape until it was time for a new contract. No wonder some people in Houston are peeved.

And please note that this is the first All-Star Game since 2007 that I did not vote for Yadier Molina for catcher. Four years of giving Squawker Jon the what-for on that was enough!

Who did you vote for in the All-Star Game? Tell us about it!

What the heck was Joe Girardi thinking in leaving A-Rod on the bench?

I am still irate over the end of the All-Star Game last night. Thanks for nothing, Joe Girardi. And for once, Squawker Jon and I are in agreement on something - Alex Rodriguez should have been in the game last night.

I wrote on Facebook in the ninth inning that if A-Rod were given the opportunity to do so, he would tie or win the game. For the Boss, of course. And I'm furious that Rodriguez never got the opportunity to make history.

Think about this for a second - you can bring the tying run to the plate with A-Rod. It's also the day George Steinbrenner died. You mean to tell me Alex, known for his flair for the dramatic, wouldn't have had a big moment if he were given the opportunity? C'mon now.

What the heck was Girardi thinking? As Squawker Jon noted, A-Rod only started the four-run rally against Jonathan Broxton last month. Why not bring in Alex to remind Broxton of that worst outing of his career?

Girardi's explanation, courtesy of MLB.com's Bryan Hoch, is even worse:

Asked for a particular reason he did not put Rodriguez in the game, Girardi said there was no injury-related concern with A-Rod, but rather with Beltre's left hamstring, which nearly prompted the Rangers' Michael Young to be added Monday as a replacement.

"We were talking about pinch-running [Rodriguez] in a situation," Girardi said. "We also had a little issue with Beltre and we were concerned about his hamstring, so if we get the tying run on, Al was going to pinch-run and then go in [to play third base]."

What the???? (Smacks forehead.) You're going to use A-Rod as a PINCH RUNNER to replace a gimpy Adrian Beltre? Are you freaking kidding me? Good grief. No wonder A-Rod looked so ticked off at the end of the game!

Yeah, if the Boss were in his prime, I think Girardi's head would have been on the chopping block - or he would have at least been the object of Steinbrenner's rage. And with good reason. Girardi not playing A-Rod isn't as bad as Torre batting him eighth, but it's still a huge misstep. What a nightmare.

What do you think? Tell us about it!

Who will get your All-Star Final Vote?

I've been busy voting - and voting and voting - for Nick Swisher in the AL All-Star Final Vote campaign. I also wrote a piece for The Faster Times about the battle between him and Kevin Youkilis for the spot.

But I'm wondering who Yankee fans are throwing their National League vote to. I would have voted for Joey Votto - he got robbed of a spot on the All-Star team in the first place - but then he had to form an evil alliance with Youk. So that's out.

So I decided to make my NL vote all about ticking off Squawker Jon. Initially, I voted for ex-Met Billy Wagner. The fact that the Mets lost two draft picks by trading him is something that still ticks Jon off. But then I thought I should also throw some votes Heath Bell's way, given that the Mets essentially traded him for a bag of balls, and he's turned out to be a great closer for the San Diego Padres. Now that Bell has been named to the team as an injury replacement, maybe Jon will have to deal with both Wagner and Bell as All-Stars!

My votes are all about getting Jon irate. Ever wonder why Met-killer Yadier Molina wins the catcher vote every year for the All-Star Game? It's my fault!

Who is Jon voting for on his Final Vote ballot? I dunno, but I heard he's going to announce it tonight in a prime-time special. Where do you think LeBron James got the idea?

Who are you voting for? Tell us about it!

The Squawkers vote for our All-Star Game picks

Squawker Jon and I are part of the Baseball Bloggers Alliance. This year, the BBA is making All-Star Game ballot picks, so we did picks for them to be included with the group.

I voted for the American League; Jon did the National League. So no, I won't get to do my annual Yadier Molina All-Star ballot vote that I do just to tick off Squawker Jon!

Jon and I both looked at the numbers and picked the best candidates, regardless of team affiliation - there are only two Yankees and two Mets on our ballots. And yes, I even voted for a Red Sox player!

Without further ado, here are our picks:

Lisa's American League All-Star Ballot

Catcher: Victor Martinez
First: Miguel Cabrera
Second: Robinson Cano
Third: Evan Longoria
Shortstop: Derek Jeter
Outfield: Josh Hamilton, Ichiro Suzuki, Carl Crawford
DH: Vladimir Guerrero
Starting Pitcher: David Price

Jon's National League All-Star Ballot

Catcher: Miguel Olivo
First: Adrian Gonzalez
Second: Brandon Phillips
Third: David Wright
Short: Jose Reyes
Outfield: Andre Ethier, Ryan Braun, Corey Hart
Starting Pitcher: Ubaldo Jimenez


What do you think? Tell us about it!

Mo wuz robbed! Mariano Rivera should have been the All-Star MVP

Yes, I know I'm biased, but I still think Mariano Rivera should have been picked as the MVP for tonight's All-Star Game.

I do think it's funny that Carl Crawford got that MVP award for saving Jonathan Papelbon - aka Cinco Dopo - from giving up a homer in the seventh inning. Even so, I would have liked to have seen Mo gotten the award. He set a record with his fourth-ever All-Star Game save, and he just happens to be the greatest closer of all time. If there was any night to give him that award, it was tonight, given that there was no clear-cut candidate for MVP.

And tonight, of course, meant it was the one time I rooted for the Red Sox and the rest of the American League. So while I normally would be hoping Papelbon would give up a homer, I was happy that Cinco Dopo was bailed out by Crawford. But even so, Mo should have been the MVP.

Anyhow, tonight's game, clocking in at two and a half hours, was a heck of a lot shorter than last year's fifteen-inning Yankee Stadium win. And a win is a win. It gives me more bragging rights against NL fan Squawker Jon, too.

A few other thoughts on the game:

* Red Sox Nation is peeved that Tim Wakefield didn't get to pitch. Too bad, so sad.

* Is there any event Sheryl Crow won't sing at? She'd perform at the opening of an envelope!

* What was up with Fox not showing where President Obama threw his first pitch to? Terrible, terrible camera work.

* Seeing Mo's teenage kids made me feel old!

* David Wright did a commercial for the game for "G-Force," the new movie about secret agent animals. So, Squawker Jon, since your man D-Wright endorsed the Disney film, that means you need to go with me! (Jon mocks me because my movie picks seem to consist of flicks with talking animals, mafia movies, and Tyler Perry films!)


What do you think? Leave us a comment!