Monday, July 24, 2006
Teams you love to hate but will occasionally root for
by F-Bomb
From time to time the average college football will fill his day with other games while waiting for their game to come on. So when we sit down to watch a rivalry game like that of Michigan and Michigan State, we must pick someone to root for, but who? I say to this we must root for MSU. Despite the fact that ND has suffered at the hands of MSU a ton over the past several years, we must pull for them. This all stems from the history of MSU and Michigan. Basically Michigan tried to blacklist MSU from joining the Big Ten conference prior to 1950. Often Michigan looks at MSU as the bastard step child while U of M is the prim and proper heir to the throne of everything. So rooting for MSU is rooting for the underdog everywhere. It’s the same as rooting for Rocky or Rudy. So once again we find ourselves rooting for those we hate.
This occurs with other Notre Dame opponents as well.
When you see the famed winged helmets of Michigan hatred brews from deep within.
Being Notre Dame Alums, we hate Michigan like no other team on our schedule. We can all point to one game or another over the years where Michigan has just killed ND in terms of score or their spirit. However lately I have found myself rooting for the Maize and Blue. This is blasphemous for sure but it’s the lesser of two evils when they play those Scarlet and Gray wearing Hellions from Columbus. So here we are, as the title of the article suggests, rooting for a team we love to hate.
You can even root for Purdue but that is solely out of pity for them.
Now, from year to year the balance may swing from one team to the other. These choices for teams to root for are not concrete. Years when Ohio St. is down and Michigan is up then we switch but I really dislike OSU.
You may ask yourself if it’s ever alright to root for USC or Ohio State and the short answer to that is as long as they are winning this much, then NO.
So in the end its alright to root for ND opponents.
Sunday, July 23, 2006
On the Bandwagon
OK, so I didn't buy an XBox 360. But I did finally break down and buy a PS2. It's one of the newer, "slimline" models, and it's pretty nice. Babbage's had quite a few copies of NCAA Football 07 in a locked display case. I held my breath when I asked for it, though, as the salesperson easily could have handed me a copy with a Brutus Buckeye cover [PDF]. I also picked up MVP NCAA Baseball 06 (ping!) and NCAA March Madness, featuring the back of Bill "D-Day" LaFleur's head.
My blog productivity has been poor as of late, and these purchases certainly won't help. Which reminds me - before I go on vacation, guest columns are due by 5 PM Eastern this Wednesday.
Oh, and if I decide to get Madden this year, I already have an image picked out for the custom cover:
Yes Andy, I do have to talk like that.
I hope your fiancee can protect you.
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
NBA Draft "Never Heard of Him": Year 2
A few weeks back, I posted this year's "Never Heard of Him" poll results. Now that the draft is done, it's time to crunch numbers.
For each of our pollster's names, a 1 indicates that that person has heard of the player. A 0 means they have never heard of the player.
For the Round, -1 indicates the player later withdrew from the draft. 0 means they remained draft eligible but went undrafted. I included only players who went to American colleges, since I apparently did the same thing last year. I know the formatting sucks, but just bear with me please.
For those of you who like pretty pictures, here's the graphical evidence, including only those players who left school early.
This year's results break down thusly:
Combined with last year's numbers, you get results like this:
As you can see, the difference between being taken in the second round and not being taken at all is still slim. But some trends are beginning to form. If close to half of the people polled have heard of you, you should get drafted. If 60% or more have heard of you, you have a good chance at the first round.
Well, that's it for this year. Perhaps next year I can incorporate the following things:
By the way, I'd like to say hello to His Eminence Cardinal Tauran, Vatican Archivist and Librarian, who Googled himself and came across my "Who Will be the Next Pope?" column.
For each of our pollster's names, a 1 indicates that that person has heard of the player. A 0 means they have never heard of the player.
For the Round, -1 indicates the player later withdrew from the draft. 0 means they remained draft eligible but went undrafted. I included only players who went to American colleges, since I apparently did the same thing last year. I know the formatting sucks, but just bear with me please.
| Player College | Andy | Dave | Ellen | Hatton | Kanka | Klondike | Tara | Total | Pick | Round | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akbar Abdul-Ahad Idaho State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| Arron Afflalo UCLA | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| LaMarcus Aldridge Texas | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Morris Almond Rice | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| Renaldo Balkman South Carolina | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 20 | 1 | 20 |
| Larry Blair Liberty | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| Will Blalock Iowa State | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 30 | 2 | 60 |
| Jahsha Bluntt Delaware State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| Josh Boone Connecticut | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 23 | 1 | 23 |
| Ronnie Brewer Arkansas | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 1 | 14 |
| Bobby Brown Cal State-Fullerton | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| Shannon Brown Michigan State | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 25 | 1 | 25 |
| Derek Burditt Blinn College (TX) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| LeRoy Dawson Emporia State (KS) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| Travis DeGroot Delta State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Guillermo Diaz Miami (FL) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 22 | 2 | 52 |
| Cem Dinc Indiana | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| Quincy Douby Rutgers | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 19 | 1 | 19 |
| Mike Efevberha Cal-State Northridge | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Carl Elliott George Washington | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| Jordan Farmar UCLA | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 26 | 1 | 26 |
| Nick Fazekas Nevada | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| Thomas Gardner Missouri | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rudy Gay Connecticut | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 1 | 8 |
| Reggie George Robert Morris College (IL) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| Daniel Gibson Texas | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aaron Gray Pittsburgh | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| LeShawn Hammett St. Francis (PA) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brandon Heath San Diego State | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| Tedric Hill Gulf Coast CC (FL) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Clarence Holloway IMG Academy (FL) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| Ekene Ibekwe Maryland | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| Donald Jeffes Roxbury CC (MA) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alexander Johnson Florida State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 45 |
| David Johnson Clinton JC (SC) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Trey Johnson Jackson State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| Coby Karl Boise State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| Mark Konecny Lambuth University (TN) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kyle Lowry Villanova | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 24 | 1 | 24 |
| Aleks Maric Nebraska | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| Japhet McNeil East Carolina | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| Paul Millsap Louisiana Tech | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 2 | 47 |
| Matt Mitchell Southern University-New Orleans | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Adam Morrison Gonzaga | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| Patrick O'Bryant Bradley | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 9 |
| Evan Patterson Texas Wesleyan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| Danilo (J.R.) Pinnock George Washington | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 28 | 2 | 58 |
| Leon Powe California | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Richard Roby Colorado | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| Rajon Rondo Kentucky | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 21 | 1 | 21 |
| Blake Schilb Loyola University (IL) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| Mustafa Shakur Arizona | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| Cedric Simmons North Carolina State | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 1 | 15 |
| Marcus Slaughter San Diego State | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Curtis Stinson Iowa State | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tyrus Thomas LSU | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| P.J. Tucker Texas | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 35 |
| Jontae Vinson Cal State- Los Angeles | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| Ian Vouyoukas St. Louis | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| Darius Washington Jr. Memphis | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Albert Weber Connors State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
| Marcus Williams Connecticut | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 22 | 1 | 22 |
| Shawne Williams Memphis | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 17 | 1 | 17 |
For those of you who like pretty pictures, here's the graphical evidence, including only those players who left school early.
This year's results break down thusly:
| Type | Total "Heard of Hims" | Players | Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Withdrew | 32 | 26 | 1.230769231 |
| Undrafted | 16 | 15 | 1.066666667 |
| Round1 | 68 | 16 | 4.25 |
| Round2 | 11 | 6 | 1.833333333 |
| Drafted (Combined) | 79 | 22 | 3.590909091 |
Combined with last year's numbers, you get results like this:
| Type | Total "Heard of Hims" | Players | Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Withdrawn | 62 | 40 | 1.55 |
| Undrafted | 25 | 20 | 1.25 |
| Round1 | 106 | 32 | 3.3125 |
| Round2 | 18 | 13 | 1.384615385 |
| Drafted (Combined) | 124 | 45 | 2.755555556 |
As you can see, the difference between being taken in the second round and not being taken at all is still slim. But some trends are beginning to form. If close to half of the people polled have heard of you, you should get drafted. If 60% or more have heard of you, you have a good chance at the first round.
Well, that's it for this year. Perhaps next year I can incorporate the following things:
- Breaking down the first round into lottery/non-lottery picks.
- Comparing Big East players to non-Big East players (since all people polled to date have been Notre Dame fans, and therefore more familiar with the Big East).
- Include foreign players.
- See what affect CBS's annual "Tournament Human Interest Story about a Guy With a Very Cool Name" has on name recognition.
By the way, I'd like to say hello to His Eminence Cardinal Tauran, Vatican Archivist and Librarian, who Googled himself and came across my "Who Will be the Next Pope?" column.
Monday, July 17, 2006
What We're Working On
...or at least thinking of working on.
KankaManiacs can also look forward to the following events (which I may or may not have made up):
Last, pop quiz: Separated at birth?
- NBA Draft "Never Heard of Him" results. No, really - I have the numbers somewhere.
- A massive Transaction Wire, coming right after the MLB trade deadline, and including thoughts on the trade of Gerome Sapp to the Ravens, Jeff Samardzija's callup to Low A Peoria, and ND baseball's coaching situation.
- A "best case scenario" look at current and former Cleveland Indians still active in the majors.
- First-person reporting from Browns training camp!
- Guest columns galore! (Hint, hint.)
KankaManiacs can also look forward to the following events (which I may or may not have made up):
- Kanka's 2007 Midwest Barnstorming Tour
- Notre Dame Bloggers Tailgate, possibly coinciding with the band reunion/Third Kankaversary celebration Stanford weekend.
- Win a Date with Kanka Contest (Those currently engaged to fellow KankaManiacs are inelligible.)
Last, pop quiz: Separated at birth?
Monday, July 10, 2006
Breaking Down the MLB All Star Voting
I broke each position down four ways. First is the actual fan voting winner, followed by the guy with the best statistical season. Next is the Peter Gammons-friendly choice, a young up-and-comer (or an old up-and-comer), or a veteran come back from the dead. Finally is the name I put down on the ballot. Now, I'm not afraid to say that I'm an Indians fan, and I'm not afraid to vote that way. I don't always vote along party lines, but I have no qualms with voting for a Clevelander who's got a legitimate argument.
By the Numbers: Joe Mauer
Gammonsesque Pick: Mauer
My Pick: Victor Martinez
Pudge won a close vote against Mauer by virtue of being a guy that people have heard of. With a .378 average and 7 steals, Mauer is playing more like a young Kirby Puckett (or even a young Tony Gwynn) than a young Matt Walbeck. He'll get to backup Rodriguez.
Martinez has the edge over Rodriguez in most offensive categories. He has more homers and RBI than Mauer, and trails only Roberto Hernandez among AL catchers in those categories. Arguably, Hernandez is another AL snub.
By the Numbers: Ortiz
Gammonsesque Pick: Justin Morneau
My Pick: Travis Hafner
This is one of a few AL positions with a Red Sock and a Yankee in the top two in votes. Ortiz and Jason Giambi are deserving to some extent. But if Paul Konerko or Hafner (who finished third and fourth, respectively) were beneficiaries of the East Coast Bias, they would probably be in Pittsburgh on Tuesday night. (Well, Konerko is, but that's another story.)
By the Numbers: Tad Iguchi
Gammonsesque Pick: Jose Lopez
My Pick: Lopez
Yet another position where Boston and New York finished 1-2. Robinson Cano was leading the voting for a while, probably until his injury. However, his numbers are nothing spectacular. Loretta is having a decent season, and he's always been a solid ballplayer. Still, you have to wonder how many Boston fans who voted for him were saying "who is this guy?" at the beginning of the season.
Lopez, who was selected as a backup, and Iguchi have a definite argument here. I'll let the numbers speak for themselves.
By the Numbers: Rodriguez
Gammonsesque Pick: Troy Glaus
My Pick: Glaus
You'll never guess who finished second: Boston's Mike Lowell. Lowell is having a decent season, and is a legit contender for Comeback Player of the Year.
Arguments about Joe Crede and his defense aside, there isn't a young up-and-coming AL third baseman with a legitimate argument for the All Star team. So, the Gammonsesque pick goes to Glaus, on whom the Angels gave up several years ago. His average is mediocre (.241), but he does have 23 HR, 60 R, and 60 RBI. Glaus will backup A-Rod and participate in the Home Run Derby.
By the Numbers: Jeter/Miguel Tejada
Gammonsesque Pick: Michael Young/Orlando Cabrera
My Pick: Tejada
This one's basically a tossup. Jeter has better stats as a tablesetter, batting 30 points higher than Tejada with 14 more SB. But Tejada, who's no slouch with a .315 average, his 12 more HR, 4 more R, and 10 more RBI.
Michael Young is having a typical Michael Young year, so he's barely Gammonsesque any more. Cabrera, typically a role player, deserves some credit for his best numbers since his final season in Montreal.
Tejeda and Young will backup Jeter while Cabrera stays home.
By the Numbers: Ramirez, Vernon Wells, Grady Sizemore
Gammonsesque Picks: Raul Ibanez, Jermaine Dye, Mags Ordonez
My Picks: Sizemore, Wells, Ibanez
Well, you can't argue with the numbers of the top three guys. But Wells is having a great season. Toronto fans have been waiting for years for him to break out and become a superstar; it looks like he's finally made that leap. Sizemore is a star on the rise that gives his all on every play. He'll end up a #3 hitter some day, but for now he's doing a great job in the leadoff spot. He's first in the AL with 71 runs and is on pace for 30 homers. Plus, he's a Web Games staple.
The Gammonsesque picks pay tribute to some veterans who have shown some longevity and endurance. Ibanez has quitely become a "stat sheet stuffer" over the past few years in Seattle. This season he has 20 homers and 70 RBI already. And, even with Jim Thome on his team, I don't know how Dye hasn't been getting more press with a .318 average and 25 HR and 68 RBI of his own. Ordonez, meanwhile, looks like the Ordonez of old with a .312 average and 62 RBI.
Dye, Sizemore, Wells, and Ordonez will be the backup outfielders, along with Texas' Gary Matthews, Jr., who is also having a solid season. (And did you see that catch?)
By the Numbers: Johnny Estrada/Michael Barrett
Gammonsesque Pick: Brian McCann
My Pick: McCann
Estrada and Barrett are neck-and-neck numbers-wise, but Lo Duca gets the edge thanks to a large city fanbase and a the Mets' spectacular record.
McCann, Lo Duca's backup, is essentially Mauer's NL counterpart. The 22-year-old was leading the NL in hitting before an injury. He's still batting .343. Not bad for a guy who was supposed to lose his job to fellow prospect Jarrod Saltalamacchia this past spring.
By the Numbers: Pujols
Gammonsesque Pick: Nomar Garciaparra/Ryan Howard
My Pick: Pujols
Well, it's Albert Pujols. Duh. Garciaparra and Howard both put up numbers worthy of making the NL team, but for different reasons. Garciaparra is leading the NL with a .358 average, while Howard has 27 HR and 72 RBI. Lance Berkman, also having a stellar season, will be in Pittsburgh as a first baseman/outfielder/Home Run Derby participant.
By the Numbers: Utley
Gammonsesque Pick: Dan Uggla
My Pick: Uggla
This solidifies Utley's star status, as if the .312 average, 16 HR, and 71 runs weren't enough. Uggla has been a very pleasant suprise on a Florida team that wasn't supposed to do anthing this year. Uggla will backup Utley.
Hometown star Jose Castillo finished second in the voting, but unfortunately didn't make the roster. Castillo keeps getting his name in the news, both for his glove and his bat. I'm really starting to like this kid. His future is very bright and he's sure to be an All Star one day.
By the Numbers: Wright
Gammonsesque Pick: Garrett Atkins/Freddy Sanchez/Ryan Zimmerman
My Pick: Wright
Wright is another young player whose star status was cemented by this year's All Star voting. It's hard to pick between Wright, Miguel Cabrera, and Scott Rolen, so the NL squad took all three.
Also on the team is local star Freddy Sanchez, who is percentage points behind Nomar with a .358 batting average. The former top Red Sox prospect will certainly be an asset to the Senior Circuit team, as he can play all three infield positions. The Rockies, like the Marlins, are playing well when no one expected them to. One of the reasons why is Atkins, who is hitting .306 with 11 HR and 55+ runs and RBI.
Zimmerman is an especially Gammonsesque player. A year out of college, everyone knew he was already Gold Glove caliber defensively. But most didn't think he was anywhere near the Major League level as a hitter. He's silenced critics so far with a .287 average, 12 HR, and 59 HR. With Wright, Cabrera, and Zimmerman all under the age of 25, NL fans will enjoy quality hot corner plays for the next decade at least.
By the Numbers: Reyes
Gammonsesque Pick: Hanley Ramirez/Bill Hall
My Pick: Reyes
Reyes leads all of baseball with 75 runs and 39 steals, with a .300 average to boot. Hard to argue with that.
Ramirez and Hall have put up decent numbers, but perhaps not All Star quality. Ramirez, another former Red Sox shortstop prospect, is having a decent rookie season with 69 runs and 26 steals. Utilityman Hall has 17 HR and has played well defensively at a number of positions.
By the Numbers: Beltran, Matt Holliday, Carlos Lee
Gammonsesque Picks: Bay, Beltran, Soriano
My Picks: Bay, Beltran, Holliday
Carlos Beltran has faced some heavy criticism over the past few years. Twenty-five homers, 12 steals, 66 runs, 68 RBI, and a .279 average should do well to silence those critics. Bay's 21 HR and 66 RBI are enough to legitimize the hometown poster boy's spot in the starting lineup. Soriano may not be a leadoff hitter, but he is on pace for a 40-40 season in homers and steals.
Holliday is another surprise out of Colorado, with a .337 average (hoo hoo), 16 HR, and 61 R. Carlos Lee is having an average year by his standards, with a .290 average, 26 HR and 73 RBI. They'll be joined on the bench by Andruw Jones, who has 20 RBI and 75 RBI. Jones continues to develop into a solid all-around hitter, instead of just an all-or-nothing guy.
American League
Catcher
Fan's Pick: Pudge RodriguezBy the Numbers: Joe Mauer
Gammonsesque Pick: Mauer
My Pick: Victor Martinez
Pudge won a close vote against Mauer by virtue of being a guy that people have heard of. With a .378 average and 7 steals, Mauer is playing more like a young Kirby Puckett (or even a young Tony Gwynn) than a young Matt Walbeck. He'll get to backup Rodriguez.
Martinez has the edge over Rodriguez in most offensive categories. He has more homers and RBI than Mauer, and trails only Roberto Hernandez among AL catchers in those categories. Arguably, Hernandez is another AL snub.
First Base
Fan's Pick: David OrtizBy the Numbers: Ortiz
Gammonsesque Pick: Justin Morneau
My Pick: Travis Hafner
This is one of a few AL positions with a Red Sock and a Yankee in the top two in votes. Ortiz and Jason Giambi are deserving to some extent. But if Paul Konerko or Hafner (who finished third and fourth, respectively) were beneficiaries of the East Coast Bias, they would probably be in Pittsburgh on Tuesday night. (Well, Konerko is, but that's another story.)
Second Base
Fan's Pick: Mark LorettaBy the Numbers: Tad Iguchi
Gammonsesque Pick: Jose Lopez
My Pick: Lopez
Yet another position where Boston and New York finished 1-2. Robinson Cano was leading the voting for a while, probably until his injury. However, his numbers are nothing spectacular. Loretta is having a decent season, and he's always been a solid ballplayer. Still, you have to wonder how many Boston fans who voted for him were saying "who is this guy?" at the beginning of the season.
Lopez, who was selected as a backup, and Iguchi have a definite argument here. I'll let the numbers speak for themselves.
| AVG | R | HR | RBI | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loretta | .305 | 44 | 3 | 37 |
| Iguchi | .287 | 57 | 10 | 40 |
| Lopez | .280 | 48 | 9 | 58 |
Third Base
Fan's Pick: Alex RodriguezBy the Numbers: Rodriguez
Gammonsesque Pick: Troy Glaus
My Pick: Glaus
You'll never guess who finished second: Boston's Mike Lowell. Lowell is having a decent season, and is a legit contender for Comeback Player of the Year.
Arguments about Joe Crede and his defense aside, there isn't a young up-and-coming AL third baseman with a legitimate argument for the All Star team. So, the Gammonsesque pick goes to Glaus, on whom the Angels gave up several years ago. His average is mediocre (.241), but he does have 23 HR, 60 R, and 60 RBI. Glaus will backup A-Rod and participate in the Home Run Derby.
Shortstop
Fan's Pick: Derek JeterBy the Numbers: Jeter/Miguel Tejada
Gammonsesque Pick: Michael Young/Orlando Cabrera
My Pick: Tejada
This one's basically a tossup. Jeter has better stats as a tablesetter, batting 30 points higher than Tejada with 14 more SB. But Tejada, who's no slouch with a .315 average, his 12 more HR, 4 more R, and 10 more RBI.
Michael Young is having a typical Michael Young year, so he's barely Gammonsesque any more. Cabrera, typically a role player, deserves some credit for his best numbers since his final season in Montreal.
Tejeda and Young will backup Jeter while Cabrera stays home.
Outfield
Fan's Picks: Manny Ramirez, Vlad Guerrero, Ichiro!By the Numbers: Ramirez, Vernon Wells, Grady Sizemore
Gammonsesque Picks: Raul Ibanez, Jermaine Dye, Mags Ordonez
My Picks: Sizemore, Wells, Ibanez
Well, you can't argue with the numbers of the top three guys. But Wells is having a great season. Toronto fans have been waiting for years for him to break out and become a superstar; it looks like he's finally made that leap. Sizemore is a star on the rise that gives his all on every play. He'll end up a #3 hitter some day, but for now he's doing a great job in the leadoff spot. He's first in the AL with 71 runs and is on pace for 30 homers. Plus, he's a Web Games staple.
The Gammonsesque picks pay tribute to some veterans who have shown some longevity and endurance. Ibanez has quitely become a "stat sheet stuffer" over the past few years in Seattle. This season he has 20 homers and 70 RBI already. And, even with Jim Thome on his team, I don't know how Dye hasn't been getting more press with a .318 average and 25 HR and 68 RBI of his own. Ordonez, meanwhile, looks like the Ordonez of old with a .312 average and 62 RBI.
Dye, Sizemore, Wells, and Ordonez will be the backup outfielders, along with Texas' Gary Matthews, Jr., who is also having a solid season. (And did you see that catch?)
National League
Catcher
Fan's Pick: Paul Lo DucaBy the Numbers: Johnny Estrada/Michael Barrett
Gammonsesque Pick: Brian McCann
My Pick: McCann
Estrada and Barrett are neck-and-neck numbers-wise, but Lo Duca gets the edge thanks to a large city fanbase and a the Mets' spectacular record.
McCann, Lo Duca's backup, is essentially Mauer's NL counterpart. The 22-year-old was leading the NL in hitting before an injury. He's still batting .343. Not bad for a guy who was supposed to lose his job to fellow prospect Jarrod Saltalamacchia this past spring.
First Base
Fan's Pick: Albert PujolsBy the Numbers: Pujols
Gammonsesque Pick: Nomar Garciaparra/Ryan Howard
My Pick: Pujols
Well, it's Albert Pujols. Duh. Garciaparra and Howard both put up numbers worthy of making the NL team, but for different reasons. Garciaparra is leading the NL with a .358 average, while Howard has 27 HR and 72 RBI. Lance Berkman, also having a stellar season, will be in Pittsburgh as a first baseman/outfielder/Home Run Derby participant.
Second Base
Fan's Pick: Chase UtleyBy the Numbers: Utley
Gammonsesque Pick: Dan Uggla
My Pick: Uggla
This solidifies Utley's star status, as if the .312 average, 16 HR, and 71 runs weren't enough. Uggla has been a very pleasant suprise on a Florida team that wasn't supposed to do anthing this year. Uggla will backup Utley.
Hometown star Jose Castillo finished second in the voting, but unfortunately didn't make the roster. Castillo keeps getting his name in the news, both for his glove and his bat. I'm really starting to like this kid. His future is very bright and he's sure to be an All Star one day.
Third Base
Fan's Pick: David WrightBy the Numbers: Wright
Gammonsesque Pick: Garrett Atkins/Freddy Sanchez/Ryan Zimmerman
My Pick: Wright
Wright is another young player whose star status was cemented by this year's All Star voting. It's hard to pick between Wright, Miguel Cabrera, and Scott Rolen, so the NL squad took all three.
Also on the team is local star Freddy Sanchez, who is percentage points behind Nomar with a .358 batting average. The former top Red Sox prospect will certainly be an asset to the Senior Circuit team, as he can play all three infield positions. The Rockies, like the Marlins, are playing well when no one expected them to. One of the reasons why is Atkins, who is hitting .306 with 11 HR and 55+ runs and RBI.
Zimmerman is an especially Gammonsesque player. A year out of college, everyone knew he was already Gold Glove caliber defensively. But most didn't think he was anywhere near the Major League level as a hitter. He's silenced critics so far with a .287 average, 12 HR, and 59 HR. With Wright, Cabrera, and Zimmerman all under the age of 25, NL fans will enjoy quality hot corner plays for the next decade at least.
Shortstop
Fan's Pick: Jose ReyesBy the Numbers: Reyes
Gammonsesque Pick: Hanley Ramirez/Bill Hall
My Pick: Reyes
Reyes leads all of baseball with 75 runs and 39 steals, with a .300 average to boot. Hard to argue with that.
Ramirez and Hall have put up decent numbers, but perhaps not All Star quality. Ramirez, another former Red Sox shortstop prospect, is having a decent rookie season with 69 runs and 26 steals. Utilityman Hall has 17 HR and has played well defensively at a number of positions.
Outfield
Fan's Picks: Jason Bay, Carlos Beltran, Alfonso SorianoBy the Numbers: Beltran, Matt Holliday, Carlos Lee
Gammonsesque Picks: Bay, Beltran, Soriano
My Picks: Bay, Beltran, Holliday
Carlos Beltran has faced some heavy criticism over the past few years. Twenty-five homers, 12 steals, 66 runs, 68 RBI, and a .279 average should do well to silence those critics. Bay's 21 HR and 66 RBI are enough to legitimize the hometown poster boy's spot in the starting lineup. Soriano may not be a leadoff hitter, but he is on pace for a 40-40 season in homers and steals.
Holliday is another surprise out of Colorado, with a .337 average (hoo hoo), 16 HR, and 61 R. Carlos Lee is having an average year by his standards, with a .290 average, 26 HR and 73 RBI. They'll be joined on the bench by Andruw Jones, who has 20 RBI and 75 RBI. Jones continues to develop into a solid all-around hitter, instead of just an all-or-nothing guy.
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