The All-Star voting has come and gone with the only real snub anyone mentioned a Cuban-born phenomenon named Puig, who many felt didn’t even belong in the first place. There was another snub, however, that bears note.
The other morning, I overheard some ESPN analyst preaching that the voters and managers “pretty much got it right this year.”
I beg to differ.
Prior to Thursday afternoon, a scorching hot Tampa Bay Rays team, winners of fourteen of their last sixteen games, had one lone representative in this week’s All-Star festivities: Ben Zobrist.
Matt Moore’s name was nowhere to be found.
All Matt Moore did in the first half of this season to warrant inclusion was win 13 games (tops in the Majors!) with 108 strikeouts and a 3.44 ERA, all of which rank first among what is generally considered one of the best rotations in baseball. When David Price was lost to a triceps injury and Alex Cobb took a line drive off the noggin, an injury from which he has yet to return, Moore became the Rays’ workhorse and did so with flying colors. He started off the season 8-0 and after a brief, rough patch, has won his last five starts. There’s no way he should have been left off an All-Star staff for guys like either Justin Masterson (10-7, 3.72 ERA) or Justin Verlander who is having a very unVerlander-like season (9-6, 3.71 ERA). I guess name recognition and your boss managing the All-Star Game goes a long way in getting the unworthy nod.
Think Moore was miffed about being excluded from the initial roster? After the names were announced, he took the mound to throw a no-hitter through 5 2/3 innings, striking out ten batters, all of them swinging, en route to his 13th win of the season.
The game was not televised that afternoon but any Rays fan who was paying attention was glued to his iPhone to see if Moore could throw only the second no-hitter in Rays history. His stuff was that commanding. About an hour after the victory was sealed, word was released that he had, in fact, been added to the All-Star roster thanks to a Hu Darvish injury, one outing too late in my mind. Moore deserved to be on that initial rotation.
Only his second full season in the league, I’m sure Moore will proudly accept the honor to spend the early part of the week with his All-Star colleagues. It is his first official nomination but that doesn’t change the fact that he shouldn’t have been an afterthought.
It’s okay though. Rays players accept certain things about being on this team. It’s not New York and it’s not L.A. They’re not going to get rich nor will they grab national headlines. But they are going to play for an organization that is dedicated to winning. Moore will have plenty more chances to be an All-Star. And if he continues to pitch the way he’s capable, he and his teammates might just make it to baseball games that really matter… in the post-season.
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Chris
Scherzer and Matt Moore have been by far the best two pitchers in the AL this season . Were it not for te injury to Yu Darvish , ten we might be talking tree of the best pitchers in the AL this season .
Crazy situation with the San Francisco Giants . The night after Lincecum`s no-hitter in a 9-0 victory over San Diego . The team gets shellacked by the Padres 10-1 .
The NL West is a really bad division this season.
tophatal ………..
Make a believer out of me
Good for Matt, he deserves to be an all-star. As for the Rays, is it still to early to talk manager of the year?
Al…
Lincecum’s fun to watch. Ya’ never know what you’re gonna get. The guy’s tiny as hell too. Pedro Martinez’s size. You gotta root for guys like that.
Scherzer’s been insane although it helps to have some bats behind you.
Aer…
I’m not so sure I give Maddon the nod in that vote. After all, he was supposed to win with this team.
I imagine they’ll probably give it, at least if the season ended today, to Boston’s John Farrell who took over what most perceived to be a chicken-wing eating, beer-drinking and highly dysfunctional clubhouse and turned them into the best team in the division record-wise.
Also, keep in mind, Joe Maddon’s already got two of those awards under his belt.
Judging by the numbers, Matt Moore should have definitely been an All-Star this season. But you’re right, name recognition and politics can get a deserving candidate shut out of the process.
Chris
If Selig does make an announcement concerning any projected long-term suspensions over the players associated with the Biogenesis scandal . How do you see this all playing out ?
Teams in the second-half of the season , have to be wary as to what this could all do their competitive edge in terms of the divisional and wildcard berth races . The union (MLBPA) has pretty much said that they will seek to challenge the veracity of the evidence in the league`s possession and how it was obtained . Could that group be anymore stupid than they already appear to be ?
MWP (Ron Artest) joining the Knicks ………… misery loves company !
Left you a response concerning my latest piece .
Lincecum as been a terrific pitcher since his entry into the Majors . Already , he is a two-time Cy Young Award winner as well as a two-time World Series winner with the Giants .
Also given the season ( MLB player batting stats) that the Orioles` Chris Davis is now having . Are you suspicious that he could be using an illicit substance ? Bear in mind that until last season , he had never hit more than 30 HR`s in a season .
Rumor has it that Brady Anderson has been providing Davis with advice on hitting and a great many other things . In 1996 , Anderson`s best year , he hit 50 home runs . Subsequent to that , he could not hit his way out of a wet paper bag .
If the Tigers can`t win that team , then there is something seriously wrong within the organization from a coaching standpoint .
tophatal ……………………
Mo…
It’s definitely a popularity contest, which I guess I’m okay with since it’s supposed to be for the fans.
But if that’s the case, I’m surprised they didn’t push Puig in. I guess there’s more purists out there than I thought.
Selig continues his stance, Al, that Major League Baseball has the strictest drug testing procedures. Who does he think is buying that load of crap? How does this guy sleep at night?
To be perfectly honest, I don’t see what value Artest adds to the Knicks. The only bright spot is that he doesn’t require the ball on offense so ‘Melo can take that many more shots.
Re: Chris Davis and steroid accusations, Al, I have literally spent zero minutes of my lifetime wondering whether he is on the juice, since as Phil Collins once sang, “I don’t care anymore.”
Aw, man…Buck got Matt and Ben confused when he announced them during the ASG…or did Matt and Ben not get the memo on how to line up?
This MLB season can`t be devalued anymore than it already has been , whether or not Selig comes to a sensible decision . It now appears that he is leaning towards making a decision once the postseason (possible multi-game suspensions -minimum 100 games) is over and done with . Does Bud Selig actually possess a backbone to begin with ?
It appears that the commissioner would rather appease the owners and the union , rather than doing what is ethically and morally right . Bud Selig continues to show that his continued greed and stupidity are in fact intertwined .
tophatal …………….
Chris
I would like to see how Artest and Jason Kidd can get along , given their respective temperaments !
US track star Tyson Gay , who recently tested positive for a banned substance , states that he placed his faith in someone in whom , he thought he could trust to help him with his dietary needs and fitness regimen. I guess, Gay learned nothing from the Ben Jonson fiasco ? LOL,LOL,LOL !!! The failings and lack of true contrition of the US athletes , are now truly astounding . A complete lack of intelligence and moreover seeking to blame on someone else for their own acts of self-indulgence and gross stupidity .
Dee Dee…
I didn’t have volume where I was watching? What did he say? Nice to see Moore have a solid outing.
I hear Tim McCarver is retiring from the booth. Any idea who Buck’s new sidekick is gonna be? He can’t be any more annoying. Or can he?
Al…
Did you catch Selig on Letterman the other night? Dave was grilling him on when we were going to have an answer to all the BioGenesys crap. Selig just kept avoiding the subject. Weasel.
I don’t see what value Artest brings to the Knicks but at least they didn’t pay a lot for him.
And yea, surprising news about Gay. I can’t believe track athletes are still using these days with everything their fallen stars have experienced.
Hello Triple SC, I know there are many of us doing happy dances that McCarver is retiring! LOL!
The camera was zoomed in on Matt, and Buck announced him as Ben Zobrist, and then the camera went to Ben, and Buck announced him as Matt Moore. Their faces were so funny, truly such good sports, but I was disappointed that it happened.
No baseball until Friday…Geez, what’s a gal gonna do?
Ya know, D, I was gonna play the whole small market team gets no respect card but I decided against it. I didn’t want to come off as whiny, however, it’s true.
And now Selig thinks the organization does a shitty job attracting fans? How about getting his old decrepit ass down here and helping us out with some ideas.
I’d rather Selig retire before McCarver. Or better yet, send ’em both off on a boat somewhere never to be heard from again.