2024 MLB All-Star Game Thread

[zambonir]

We may as well have one (versus discussing in the Phillies season thread).

I voted again today (just the 2nd time) and what I noticed was it now tells you who is first and second in the voting, which I reckon also affects people's votes (makes it easy to just pick one of them when it's a spot where you don't have strong feelings/knowledge).

And the Orioles are basically getting the same support as the Phillies, with even fewer brand names (but probably more deserving individual players).

Online also really highlights how many bad players, or at least players having bad seasons, are just on the ballot by default. In the old paper ballot days you didn't have access to their stats right in front of you (on the ballot itself or otherwise).

https://www.mlb.com/news/2024-mlb-all-star-ballot-second-update

[andyb]

I saw some misleading story that implied the Phillies would have 6 position starters where they are only really leading in 2 (Harper and Bohm). There is a second stage of the process like runoffs but I find it hard to believe guys like Marsh and Castellanos and even Trea will get voted in (Trea would have to beat Mookie - though I guess the injury could be a factor).

The Phillies will probably have 5 or 6 there. I guess Trea's stats are good enough even playing half the time and Suarez, Wheeler, and at least 1 reliever will probably make it.

[zambonir]

I'm assuming that was the story posted in the season thread that I didn't click on. Trea is certainly deserving but the injury and the fact that there are so many deserving pitchers on the Phillies makes it hard for him. In normal circumstances If he gets in, one of the pitchers probably loses out to someone from a team that only gets one rep, but you are right, he is probably going to be Mookie's replacement. Marsh is obviously not getting in but he deserves where he's getting voted, even if that says more about the weak OF pool than him. Casty not so much.

There are also other layers to the selection process, no? Players, league office, Lovullo? That's where someone like Strahm (or any of the relievers) would have had a better shot with Thomson managing.

[VoteForKalas]

I always hope that none of our guys get voted in or selected so they can have that time off and avoid the risk of injury in.a meaningless game.

I understand it is an honor for the players and several of ours deserve that honor, but I always think bigger picture.

[andyb]

It was some story from a blog that shows up on my home page. Not really from a credible source. I just don't expect the votes to change order so much in the second round though I guess Turner playing and Mookie not playing makes that possible. There is just no way Marsh or Castellanos makes it even if people above them are not great.

[andyb]

Marsh is obviously not getting in but he deserves where he's getting voted, even if that says more about the weak OF pool than him. Casty not so much.

Not sure Marsh deserves to be 5th. He is 11th in the NL in OPS among outfielders (just ahead of Yelich who is in the top 3 but missed 25 games). Jackson Merrill and Bryan Reynolds are behind Marsh in the voting and having better seasons and there really are another half dozen guys in the same range as Marsh. OPS leader is Heliot Ramos now but he has only played 42 games so could be a SSS anomaly.

[zambonir]

At the time the ballot came out I think he actually was 5th or 6th in OPS. He's gotten worse since then. I'm not saying he really deserves it, but it's also not a situation where a bunch of stupid/blindly loyal Phillies fans are elevating a completely unworthy player (that describes Nick a litttle more, but I think that has more to do with his brand name than Phillies enthusiasm. Heck he's played in more All-Star games as a Philles player than Harper!)

[zambonir]

Just got latest Phillies email reminding me to vote

The leading vote-getter in each league during Phase 1 will receive an automatic spot in their team's starting lineup. Beyond those two players, the top two vote-getters at every position, and the top six outfielders, will advance to Phase 2 of the voting, which begins Sunday.

[BostonRoss]

The NL outfield is pretty thin. Most of the good hitters this year play other positions or DH. Jurickson Profar is having the best year. And most of the iconic outfielders have changed positions (Harper, Betts, even Schwarber). I would love to see Andrew McCutchen selected.

[zambonir]

Yeah I feel like they could just take 3 or 4 OFs and let some of the other guys get in the game that way (though Betts is out and Schwarber won't make it and of course Ohtani can't play the field). The voting will be largely irrelevant after this round I'd think.

[BostonRoss]

I used to like the fan voting, but not anymore. Encouraging what could be hundreds of votes by some people is a marketing ploy, not a gauge of fan interest. And steering votes through posting stats and current vote leaders is even worse. When someone steps into the voting booth in California this November, should they receive updates on how Biden and Trump are doing back east before they cast their votes?

[zambonir]

yeah after I voted today I got an email asking me if I'd "forgotten" to vote four more times

[andyb]

Trea won the SS runoff so we get 3 starters.

Three Phillies infielders headline All-Star starters

Have to be at least 2 and as many as 4 pitchers also. Predicting Wheeler, Suarez, Hoffman at the moment.

[zambonir]

Thomson was lobbying for Stott, talking about how the entire Braves IF was there last year and he managed to get them in the game at the same time. But seems unlikely. Would also be hard to get that fourth pitcher, yeah.

Then of course we'll start talking about who might actually play. There's no doubt Harper is going to play if he's off the IL by then. All the pitchers, maybe not. Obviously Suarez has to pitch if he can.

[andyb]

I was a little unclear if the manager was supposed to take all the 2nd place finishers because that might get Marsh in too and realistically Stott and Marsh don't deserve it. Schwarber might but health might preclude him getting selected too.

[zambonir]

I don't think there are any obligations, and it's the league office as much as the manager from here (though it appears there's no longer a player vote, nor, a last man in thing?) I would think the one player per team rule as well as any toss-ups will favor non-Phillies.

Hoffman still might have a tough time once they finish picking all the SPs and traditional closers, especially if they also need a few lefties.

[bkox]

Alec Bohm will be entering the HR derby.

[bkeich]

Alec Bohm will be entering the HR derby.

That is a very odd choice. He doesn’t have much power

[zambonir]

He has the power to hit cookies. Why not? I doubt it will change his approach, maybe it will knock something loose. And the other two guys have been injured. It's a fun thing for a first-time all-star to participate in and if he doesn't go very far, more the better (I'm sure that's part of it too, it's not always easy to get people for it).

[zambonir]

So long as we're worrying about our players getting injured in games that are only for entertainment: local Tyrese Maxey is playing in the celebrity softball tournament.

2024 MLB All-Star Celebrity Softball Game: Tyrese Maxey, Terrell Owens and Pedro...