Odd Man Rush

All-Star voting ends in just over a week, so now seems as good a time as any to evaluate how the fans are voting.  Are they actually choosing the best players at their positions.  The stats will tell the tale, at least on this blog.  Voting totals and statistics are current as of 6/24.

American League

Catcher 

Current Vote Leader: Joe Mauer (1,178,360 votes)
Other Contenders: Jason Varitek (1,133,855 votes)

Stats Comparison
Mauer: 69 GP, .331 AVG (5th in MLB), .417 OBP (6th), 2 HR, 29 RBI, 0 SB, .995 FPCT
Varitek: 63 GP, .231 AVG, .306 OBP, 7 HR, 25 RBI, 0 SB, .996 FPCT

Conclusion: Mauer and Varitek don’t even belong in the same conversation, as Mauer has been the best catcher in either league hands-down while Varitek continues to be overrated.  ‘Tek is a career .265 hitter with only 636 RBI in 10 1/2 seasons, yet here he is in second place in the All Star voting.  The Texas Rangers have three catchers in the minor leagues that I would rather have on my team.

First Base 

Current Vote Leader: Kevin Youkilis (1,482,011 votes)
Other Contenders: Justin Morneau (1,214,603 votes)

Stats Comparison
Youkilis: 71 GP, .304 AVG (26th), .376 OBP (32nd), 13 HR (39th), 47 RBI (25th), 3 SB, 1.000 FPCT
Morneau: 76 GP, .305 AVG (22nd), .362 OBP, 11 HR, 59 RBI (7th), 0 SB, .999 FPCT

Conclusion: Morneau seems to be slightly outperforming Morneau, although the margin is about as close as the margin of votes.  Either one could be the starter and it wouldn’t cause an outrage from me.

Second Base 

Current Vote Leader: Dustin Pedroia (1,286,962)
Other Contenders: Ian Kinsler (1,120,439) 

Stats Comparison

Pedroia: 78 GP, .284 AVG, .330 OBP, 7 HR, 34 RBI, 8 SB, .986 FPCT
Kinsler: 75 GP, .303 AVG (26th), .360 OBP, 12 HR (45th), 47 RBI (25th), 19 SB (9th), .968 FPCT

Conclusion: Kinsler is clearly the best second baseman in the AL, the only one who shows up in the Top 50 in our categories.  If Pedroia makes it as a starter, he is only taking a deserving player’s spot.

Third Base

Current Vote Leader: Alex Rodriguez (1,940,827 votes)
Other Contenders: none 

Stats
Rodriguez: 57 GP, .324 AVG (7th), .402 OBP (14th), 14 HR (29th), 41 RBI, 9 SB (36th), .961 FPCT

Conclusion: This makes sense.  Even with A-Rod’s DL stint, he is outperforming the other third basemen in the league.

Shortstop 

Current Vote Leader: Derek Jeter (1,988,251 votes)
Other Contenders: Michael Young (1,140,258 votes)

Stats Comparison
Jeter: 71 GP, .278 AVG, .337 OBP, 4 HR, 32 RBI, 5 SB, .978 FPCT
Young: 74 GP, .278 AVG, .335 OBP, 6 HR, 39 RBI, 5 SB, .988 FPCT

Conclusion: Jeter and Young are so close (and mediocre), it’s ridiculous.  Neither one deserves to start, but there’s not really any competition.  Imagine saying that about AL shortstops 10 years ago.  By the way, compare the AL’s infielders with those in the NL.  Can we stop saying the NL is inferior now?

Designated Hitter

Current Vote Leader: David Ortiz (1,982,786 votes)
Other Contenders: Hideki Matsui (1,207,892 votes)

Stats Comparison
Ortiz: 54 GP, .252 AVG, .354 OBP, 13 HR (39th), 43 RBI (40th), 0 SB
Matsui: 69 GP, .323 AVG (8th), .404 OBP (11th), 7 HR, 34 RBI, 0 SB

Conclusion: Matsui has a significant advantage in AVG and OBP, while Ortiz takes HR and RBI.  Personally, I’d take Matsui over Ortiz on my team.

Outfield

Current Vote Leaders:
Manny Ramirez (1,917,207 votes)
Josh Hamilton (1,791,623 votes)
Ichiro Suzuki (1,120,279 votes)
Other Contenders:
Vladimir Guerrero (933,191 votes)
Bobby Abreu (908,935 votes)

Stats Comparison
Ramirez: 73 GP, .295 AVG (42nd), .384 OBP (27th), 15 HR (22nd), 49 RBI (19th), 1 SB, .988 FPCT, 4 OA
Hamilton: 76 GP, .310 AVG (17th), .355 OBP, 19 HR (6th), 76 RBI (1st), 2 SB, .977 FPCT, 4 OA
Suzuki: 77 GP, .288 AVG, .348 OBP, 3 HR, 20 RBI, 33 SB (3rd), .995 FPCT, 4 OA
Guerrero: 71 GP, .290 AVG, .349 OBP, 13 HR (39th), 43 RBI (40th), 1 SB, 1.000 FPCT, 4 OA
Abreu: 75 GP, .273 AVG, .336 OBP, 9 HR, 46 RBI (32nd), 9 SB (36th), .993 FPCT, 6 OA

Conclusion: This is where it starts to get interesting.  Hamilton and Ramirez are clearly deserving, but the next three vote-getters are in the next tier.  A more deserving player that comes to mind is Magglio Ordonez.  By the way, even with all the press he gets, Manny Ramirez is perhaps one of the most underrated players in the game today.  He’s easily the second best outfielder in the AL, and this is a down year for him.  Josh Hamilton is your First Half AL MVP.

National League

Catcher

Current Vote Leader: Geovanny Soto (1,497,579 votes)
Other Contenders: Brian McCann (917,607 votes)

Stats Comparison
Soto: 70 GP, .275 AVG, .360 OBP, 12 HR, 43 RBI (40th), 0 SB, .996 FPCT
McCann: 73 GP, .305 AVG (23rd), .378 OBP (29th), 14 HR (29th), 44 RBI (38th), 1 SB, .994 FPCT

Conclusion: Geovanny Soto started the year strong, but Brian McCann has been more consistent over the first half.  Soto should still get consideration for ROY.

First Base

Current Vote Leader: Lance Berkman (1,682,362 votes)
Other Contenders:
Derrek Lee (1,153,519 votes)
Albert Pujols (1,116,626 votes)

Stats Comparison
Berkman: 75 GP, .358 AVG (2nd), .442 OBP (4th), 21 HR (3rd), 62 RBI (5th), 12 SB (26th), .997 FPCT
Lee: 76 GP, .294 AVG (43rd), .357 OBP, 15 HR (22nd), 48 RBI (21st), 4 SB, .989 FPCT
Pujols: 65 GP, .347 AVG (3rd), .475 OBP (2nd), 16 HR (16th), 42 RBI, 2 SB, 1.000 FPCT

Conclusion: Berkman would be your favorite for the MVP award if it weren’t for Chipper Jones.  It’s nice to see the fans reward him for the year he’s having.  Lee and Pujols also belong on this list and in the All-Star game.  It will be interesting to see if they get invites given the "every team gets represented" rule, as well as the mess in the NL Outfield.

Second Base

Current Vote Leader: Chase Utley (2,179,006 votes)
Other Contenders: none 

Stats
Utley: 76 GP, .291 AVG, .379 OBP (28th), 22 HR (2nd), 63 RBI (4th), 6 SB, .982 FPCT

Conclusion: Utley is playing out of his mind, and is your third candidate for MVP.  Dan Uggla is playing well enough to get a few more votes, however.

Third Base

Current Vote Leader: Chipper Jones (1,916,829 votes)
Other Contenders: Aramis Ramirez (1,111,901 votes)

Stats Comparison
Jones: 70 GP, .395 AVG (1st), .487 OBP (1st), 16 HR (16th), 46 RBI (32nd), 2 SB, .954 FPCT
Ramirez: 73 GP, .301 AVG (30th), .405 OBP (10th), 14 HR (29th), 54 RBI (15th), 1 SB, .952 FPCT

Conclusion: Jones is well-deserving, but Ramirez is having a killer year as well.  I hope he gets some consideration for a reserve spot.

Shortstop

Current Vote Leader: Hanley Ramirez (1,123,516 votes)
Other Contenders:
Miguel Tejada (1,052,852 votes)
Ryan Theriot (915,954 votes)

Stats Comparison
Ramirez: 75 GP, .294 AVG (43rd), .387 OBP (24th), 16 HR (16th), 33 RBI, 19 SB (9th), .966 FPCT
Tejada: 76 GP, .291 AVG, .331 OBP, 16 HR (16th), 43 RBI (41st), 5 SB, .981 FPCT
Theriot: 71 GP, .313 AVG (13th), .388 OBP (23rd), 1 HR, 22 RBI, 13 SB (22nd), .970 FPCT

Conclusion: Ramirez blows these other 2 guys out of the water.  Perhaps more deserving of 2nd place is Jose Reyes, who isn’t getting any love from the fans.

Outfield
Current Vote Leaders:
Alfonso Soriano (1,736,434 votes)
Kosuke Fukudome (1,454,257 votes)
Ken Griffey, Jr. (1,417,019 votes)
Other Contenders: Ryan Braun (1,241,843 votes)

Stats Comparison
Soriano: 51 GP, .283 AVG, .332 OBP, 15 HR (22nd), 40 RBI, 7 SB, .978 FPCT, 3 OA
Fukudome: 74 GP, .299 AVG (32nd), .404 OBP (11th), 6 HR, 33 RBI, 7 SB, .994 FPCT, 3 OA
Griffey: 72 GP, .245 AVG, .353 OBP, 8 HR, 32 RBI, 0 SB, .963 FPCT, 3 OA
Braun: 76 GP, .287 AVG, .324 OBP, 20 HR (5th), 57 RBI (9th), 8 SB (45th), 1.000 FPCT, 5 OA

Conclusion: Soriano doesn’t belong on this list as he has been on the DL twice.  Griffey is obviously a sentimental favorite, but doesn’t need to be in the conversation at all.  Ryan Braun, Matt Holliday, Corey Hart, and the three Pirates outfielders (McLouth, Nady, and Bay) have been among the NL’s best.  Fukudome is understandable, but he’s getting more votes than he’s earned.

Overall

For the most part, the fans are rewarding players having good years, although some Red Sox and Yankees players have been getting undue attention in the AL.  Apparently when it comes to the outfield, All-Star voters lose any good judgment they may have demonstrated elsewhere on the ballot.  Maybe it’s the plethora of choices that leads the voter to cast a ballot without thinking, but regardless, each league’s outfield is a mess.