It’s no wonder the end of last week was “miserable” for Jim Leyland.
The Detroit Tigers manager had the job of filling out the American League all-star roster, a responsibility that’s both a privilege and a chore.
Leyland made it clear that he’s honoured to manage the AL team against Bruce Bochy of the San Francisco Giants and the National League team. Leyland and Bochy earned the right to manage this year’s mid-summer classic by reaching the 2012 World Series.
However, managers must work with MLB to fill out the all-star roster, ensuring that all teams are represented. Not only does the process involve considerable extra work, it’s inevitable that some deserving players are left off the team.
“You might as well make up your mind,” Leyland said before the rosters were officially announced. “There’s going to be some people not on the all-star team that deserve to be on it. That’s just the way it goes.”
Despite the best efforts of Leyland and Bochy, many qualified players were snubbed from the 2013 rosters.
The roster below is comprised entirely of players who will not be making trips to New York City next week. Here is Sportsnet’s 2013 all-snub team:
(Note that players on MLB’s Final Vote ballot are not included below)
CATCHER
Russell Martin, Pittsburgh Pirates – Martin has a .354 on-base percentage and 24 extra-base hits. On defence, he has caught 21 would-be base stealers to lead the National League. Add it up and you have a player who has been world 3.3 wins above replacement.
FIRST BASE
Josh Donaldson, Oakland Athletics – Donaldson might be the most productive player you’ve never heard of. He has 15 home runs and is hitting .319/.388/.536. Though he’s not a first baseman, he has played the position and there were more snubs at third than at first this year.
SECOND BASE
Howie Kendrick, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – Kendrick made the all-star team two seasons ago, but not in 2013, even though he’s having the best year of his career. The 29-year-old is hitting .312/.354/.472 in 87 games.
SHORTSTOP
Jed Lowrie, Oakland Athletics – Lowrie has played both middle infield positions for his new team and he’s hitting .301 with a .798 OPS.
THIRD BASE
Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays – This may be the most glaring omission of the year. Longoria played well enough to earn an all-star berth with 17 home runs and a .289/.366/.525 batting line. He ranks seventh in MLB in wins above replacement (4.3 WAR) and should be going to Citi Field.
Adrian Beltre, Texas Rangers – Third base in the American League is loaded with talent this year, so it’s tough to fault Leyland here. But Beltre is having an all-star calibre season with 18 home runs and an .874 OPS.
Kyle Seager, Seattle Mariners – Seager is another casualty of the strong class of third basemen in the American League. He has an .826 OPS in pitcher-friendly Safeco Field — no easy feat.
OUTFIELD
Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston Red Sox – Ellsbury has a .364 on-base percentage and 36 stolen bases in 39 attempts as the starting centre fielder for a first-place team.
Shin-Soo Choo, Cincinnati Reds – Choo doesn’t hit lefties and he probably shouldn’t be playing centre field. But he ranks third in MLB with a .418 on-base percentage and should definitely be an all-star.
Dexter Fowler, Colorado Rockies – Fowler, who has never made an all-star team, has 10 home runs and 12 stolen bases. The switch-hitter has an above-average .291/.390/.473 batting line.
Starling Marte, Pittsburgh Pirates – Marte has an .808 OPS and has added value with his defence and baserunning (27 stolen bases in 36 attempts).
Colby Rasmus, Toronto Blue Jays – Rasmus leads MLB centre fielders with 16 home runs, plays strong defence and has an .800 OPS.
STARTING PITCHERS
Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals – Strasburg ranks sixth among all qualified starters in earned run average. ERA is by no means a perfect stat, but the right-hander has more strikeouts than innings pitched and would appeal to fans.
Derek Holland, Texas Rangers – Holland has a 3.13 ERA in 112 innings with nearly four times as many strikeouts as walks.
Mat Latos, Cincinnati Reds – Latos has pitched 116 innings of 3.18 ERA ball while striking out 120. Teammate Homer Bailey gets an honourable mention for his season, which includes a no-hitter and a respectable 3.57 ERA.
Shelby Miller, St. Louis Cardinals – The Cardinals rookie has a 2.80 ERA while striking out more than one batter per inning.
Ervin Santana, Kansas City Royals – Santana has cut down on walks and increased his strikeout rate on his way to a 2.90 ERA in 118 innings.
RELIEF PITCHERS
Greg Holland, Kansas City Royals – Holland, 27, has a 1.91 ERA with 56 strikeouts and 11 walks in 33 innings. The right-hander has a career-best strikeout rate in 2013 to go along with 20 saves.
Mark Melancon, Pittsburgh Pirates – The right-hander has a 0.85 ERA and an 11:1 strikeout to walk ratio. If that doesn’t merit an all-star berth, what does?
Drew Smyly, Detroit Tigers – Smyly has a 2.08 ERA with 54 strikeouts in 52 innings as Leyland’s multi-inning relief ace. The left-hander’s future is likely in the rotation, but he has earned an all-star berth with his relief work.
Snubbed from the all-snub team: Daniel Nava, Jay Bruce, Gerardo Parra, Carlos Santana, Hiroki Kuroda, Jeff Samardzija, James Shields, Rafael Soriano.
