Fukudome an All-Star?
July 6th, 2008I never cease to be amazed at how much baseball fans can screw up when it comes to selecting the All-Star team. This year’s case-in-point is Kosuke Fukudome, who’s hitting .285 with seven HR and 35 RBI.
Here’s are some of the outfielders who are far more deserving of a starting spot than Fukudome:
Carlos Lee
Pat Burrell
Xavier Nady
Matt Holliday
Rick Ankiel
Jason Bay
Ryan Ludwick
Nate McLouth
Carlos Beltran
You might even argue that Fukudome’s teammate Mark DeRosa is more deserving of a starting All-Star position than Fukudome is. But Fukodome is a novelty, which to baseball fans is apparently more important than actual performance.
A novelty in what way? As a successful Cub? Point taken. But the All-Star Game has been a joke ever since the fan vote began, and now on top of that it has important post-season ramifications. Go figure.
Aaron Rowand could be added to the list that trumps Fukudome.
Jason Varitek is the most egregious one - below-average defender, hitting .219 and he’s an All-Star? Gimme a break. Joe Crede over Evan Longoria is just about as bad.
I like the fact that half of the AL pitchers are closers. They should be able to shut down the NL offense after the 4th inning or so, ensuring that the Twins will have home field in the World Series.
No way does Fukudome deserve a spot on the All-Star roster, and DeRosa didn’t deserve to finish as high in the voting as he did. This was just a case of giddy Chicago fans backing their boys. Brandon Philips of the Cincinnati Reds is an All-Star, but he’ll be watching the game instead of playing.
I certainly hope that you aren’t referring to Fukudome as a “novelty” due to the fact that he is Japanese, Tim.
Doesn’t versatility count for anything? He has played in all 3 OF spots this season, something that no one else on that list has done. He has also hit from every lineup spot except 8th and 9th, I believe. Again, something that no one else on that list has done.
Hmm. Fukudome looked pretty all-star game-worthy in his first at-bat against the Cardinals Friday night.
As for who’s in/who’s out of the 2008 All-Star Game: What would people have to complain about this time of year if NOT for this event? If the event were renamed “The Game Featuring Players the (Voting) Fans Most Want to See Play,” would everyone be happier about it? Or should there even be any “voting” in the first place; perhaps players should be deemed all-stars based solely on stats … no matter how boring or relatively unwatchable a certain player might be?
I’m not a big fan of the all-star game in general, and it’s really a joke that it has an impact on home-field advantage … and that, apparently, the powers-that-be don’t believe in extra innings.
It should be Burrell starting.
the players voted for Varitek, not the fans. I think I’ll trust their judgement over who is worthy or not. I voted for Lee and Longoria for the last 2 spots.
the players voted for Varitek, not the fans. I think I’ll trust their judgement over who is worthy or not.
The players vote for the guys they like, just as the fans do. It’s not surprising that the players like Varitek better than A.J. Pyrzynski, but Pyrzinski is a better player and is more deserving of the All-Star spot. A guy hitting .219 is not an All-Star, even at catcher, no matter how many buddies he has around the league.
Skip Shumaker (sp) has better stats than Fukodome -
I wouldnt call being from Japan a novelty but it helps in the balloting -
novelty: state or quality of being novel, new, or unique
If y’all can name me another Japanese player who’s played for the Cubs, I’ll retract that description. I think it’s pretty accurate.
Doesn’t versatility count for anything?
Not anywhere near enough to make up for Fukudome’s mediocre stats.
Schumaker has played all three outfield positions too, and as Jason pointed out, may have better stats than Fukudome. Does Schumaker deserve to be on the roster?
Fukudome is a novelty due to the fact that he’s Japanese. The country of Japan stuffs the ballot box for him. They do the same for Ichiro, and they’d do the same for Dice-K if they were allowed to. Fukudome probably got several thousand votes from people who simply enjoy using his name as a verb with a fake Japanese accent. That’s what happens when you let the fans vote. Nothing wrong with telling it like it is.
Tim and Peter- you guys are spot on. Fan voting is a joke.
Fan voting is a joke, back when I was a kid living in the Bugrh. I would vote for every Pirate on the ballet. That may have worked for several positions in the 70’s and early 90’s but now that would be a joke.
So, what’s the definition of “all-star”? Is it a guy with huge stats that no one other than a hardcore fantasy league player really cares about, or is it a guy that fans throughout the world want to watch play?
So, what’s the definition of “all-star”?
One of the two or three best players in his league at his position, based primarily on performance to date in the current season.
schmaker stats:
.297 avg 6 hrs 31 rbis 7 sb .799 ops fielding % - .982 7 assists
fukodome
.287 avg 7 hrs 35 rbis 8 sb .811 ops fielding % - .992 3 assists
but for those who claim versatility -
schumaker has 46 games in lf 31 in rf 22 in cf
fukodome has play 78 in rf and 6 in cf
if we use di’s definition of an all-star “a guy that fans throughout the world want to watch play?” than it should be left off the hall of fame voters minds and not even brought up during induction, and it just becomes a popularity contest –
“schmaker stats:
.297 avg 6 hrs 31 rbis 7 sb .799 ops fielding % - .982 7 assists
fukodome
.287 avg 7 hrs 35 rbis 8 sb .811 ops fielding % - .992 3 assists”
Let’s just have a computer rank the All-Stars then if it’s only stats that matter. If it’s between a computer (a straight up stats comparison) and a popularity contest (intangible factors included), I’ll go with the popularity contest since at least that way people get to choose who they want to see play. Maybe you could choose baseball All-Stars like they do for NFL Pro-Bowlers, by players and coaches. But honestly, I don’t think they’d do any better than the fans.
Nobody here has said that “it’s only stats that matter.” Just that players with grossly inferior stats don’t deserve to be All-Stars.
Agreed. So, by your rationale there is really no debate between Fukadome and Schmaker since their stats are pretty close.
…meaning Fukadome is a deserving All-Star candidate compared to Schmaker..
…meaning Fukadome is a deserving All-Star candidate compared to Schmaker.
Yeah. What an achievement for Fukudome. He’s still NOT a deserving All-Star when compared to several of the players Tim named.
“Yeah. What an achievement for Fukudome. He’s still NOT a deserving All-Star when compared to several of the players Tim named.”
But… Tim specifically named Schmaker, Peter R.
“Not anywhere near enough to make up for Fukudome’s mediocre stats.
Schumaker has played all three outfield positions too, and as Jason pointed out, may have better stats than Fukudome. Does Schumaker deserve to be on the roster?” - Tim
So, when it comes to Schmaker vs. Fukudome, it appears you and Tim disagree.
I’m just saying the statistical comparison between these two players is too close to call. If you want to compare the two on a straight up stat to stat comparison, yeah Schmaker probably wins. But, you don’t need a person to determine that. Just plug the stats into a computer. I prefer the popularity contest (the fans choose) to the computer rankings.
But… Tim specifically named Schmaker, Peter R.
As a rebuttal to the silly “versatility” argument. Tim didn’t suggest that Shumaker should be an All-Star, nor did I.
So, when it comes to Schmaker vs. Fukudome, it appears you and Tim disagree.
No, I think we both agree that neither of them deserve to be All-Stars based on their on-field performance.
I’m just saying the statistical comparison between these two players is too close to call.
Fortunately, the statistical comparison between Fukudome and Schumaker is meaningless, since both of them are statistically inferior to several other NL outfielders.
I don’t like that it’s left totally up to fans. Just means that the teams in the bigger markets and the teams with the bigger attendance are more likely to vote for their guys at the stadiums.
What I despise is that fans with little or no knowledge of the game are having so great an impact on home field advantage in the world series.
“Fukudome and Schumaker is meaningless, since both of them are statistically inferior to several other NL outfielders.”
But that’s based on stats alone, just like Fukudome vs. Schumaker. You can have a computer chose the guys Tim named on that criteria. I prefer having the fans vote, flaws and all. They like Fukudome more than a computer does because it’s not entirely based on stats with them. For example, I don’t know exactly what Rick Ankiels stats are or how they compare. I know he has good stats but I’d vote for him more because of his story, not because of his stats.
And, as you pointed out Peter, Fukadome isn’t the worst example of this, Varitek is worse!
Don’t know how much you all are into sabermetrics, but one of the stats I like is runs created. Carrying that one step further is RC 27, which measures how many runs per game a team made up of 9 of the same player would score (Runs created per 27 outs).
In this measurement, Fukodome ranks 9th in NL outfielders. Schumaker ranks 19th. It should also be noted that Fukudome is 5th in OBP among NL outfielders, and tenth overall in the NL.
My point is that while he is definitely not worthy as a starter, he deserves some consideration as a candidate for the team.
You are all being so dignified.
Knock it off! Here’s the biggest problem as I see it…
There are way more Cubs on the roster than Cardinals. That’s just wrong…wrong, I say!
Thank you, Tony! I was just gonna say, it sounds like a like of “wa-ah, wa-ah”-ing by Cardinals fans!
How many votes DID Rick Ankiel get? He’s had some pretty great defensive plays this season (we won’t mention his latest game-winning hit).
Whether we like it or not, or whether it is fair or not, this game is about the fans and their voice is the one that matters. While I don’t always agree with the fan voting (only two of my Braves were selected) it is what it is. At least it provides food for discussion about this time every year.
I wonder how many people who voted actually looked at the statistics. Most people are casual fans of baseball, and you can expect casual fans to vote their hearts and not with their heads. I would like to see the fan vote removed altogether, and let the players and coaches select the team. At the very least, please have a weighted system where the fan vote has only a minimal impact. This year’s game is marred with more than an undeserving Fukodome. You could probably field a team that would be competative against either team voted on from guys who will not be selected at all. And by the way, the reason why the All-Star game is usually a low scoring affair is because the manager selects the best pitchers, and the fans don’t select the best hitters. Actually, let’s just drop the All Star game altogether, give the guys three days off, and get back to business.
Agreed, Brett.
It sounds like there are a few Cardinals fans who are still smarting from dropping 2 of 3 to the Northsiders at home last weekend.
And if Fukudome is only an All-Star because of the Japanese voting block, why wasn’t So Taguchi an All-Star last year when he played for the RedBirds?
When I vote (usually once every 2 or 3 years, depending on how interested I am), I vote for my favorite Cubs players who happen to be having decent seasons, and then for my favorite Cardinals players (for example, in previous seasons I voted for Pujols, Molina, Edmonds and Eckstein). My logic? These are the players I want to see play.
I never vote 25 times (maybe twice at most), and I very rarely vote for the American League all-stars because I can’t stand the AL. Although I have been known to throw in an occasional Ichiro or Derek Jeter vote.
My logic? These are the players I want to see play.
That’s fine. If MLB wants to have an annual “fan favorites” game, they should go right ahead. I’ll vote 25 times for Nick Punto.
However, if they’re going to call it the All-Star game, market it as a game between the best players in each league, and allow the outcome to decide home field in the World Series, maybe - just maybe - it should actually be a game between the best players instead of a popularity contest between Red Sox, Yankees, Mets, and Cubs fans.
I’m right with you, Peter R. With regard to why So Tagushi wasn’t ever voted in as Fukodome was is really pretty simple. So Taguchi was pretty much under the radar when the Cardinals signed him, and was a part time player on a team without a national TV audience. Fukodome is on WGN numerous times. He’s a much better player than Taguchi ever was, and in fact, I think he has the potential to be a bonafide All-Star. I wish the Cardinals had him. He has tremendous tools. But the bottom line is, he shoud not be a starting All Star based on his stats, nor a careful observation of his playing ability.
“instead of a popularity contest between Red Sox, Yankees, Mets, and Cubs fans.”
Is that what the All-Star Game usually is? Because I don’t recall the Cubbies having an abundance of players on the team, most seasons.