It was announced Friday by NL All Star team manager Clint Hurdle, also the manager of the Colorado Rockies, that New York Mets third baseman David Wright has been named to the all star team as a replacement for injured Cubs' outfielder Alfonso Soriano. This year's MLB All Star Game is being held at Yankee Stadium in New York, the same city in which Wright's Mets play. hmm….
David Wright in no way deserves to be named as an all star. Wright currently ranks 18th in the NL in home runs with 17, tied for third in the league in RBIs with 70, and 26th in the league with a .288 average.
Those numbers are fairly impressive, sure, especially his RBIs. But lets take a moment to look at who is ahead of him. Ahead of Wright in RBIs are Ryan Howard (83) and Carlos Lee (72). Howard (27) and Lee (21) are also both ahead of Wright in home runs, as is Pat Burrell with 22. Lee (.293) also has a better batting average than Wright.
Most people would assume I think that Howard or Burrell should be named as all stars and since they weren't, that's why I'm ragging on Wright. I do think that Howard and Burrell should have made the all star game, but I also think that Lee should have made it. And I very much think that Wright should not have.
I understand that every team sends one player to the Mid Summer Classic (ala Nate McLouth, Pittsburgh) and that means that some deserving players won't get the call. But some players don't, like Ryan Ludwick of the St. Louis Cardinals and Wright. Neither does recently elected Corey Hart, but that has more to do with fan favorites than anything else.
The numbers just aren't there for Wright. I could understand if the debate was between Burrell and Wright, their numbers are fairly close and I could see giving Wright the edge because he plays in New York and the All Star game is an exhibition game at heart, regardless of whatever stupid junk Bud Selig adds to it to try and make it more legitimate.
But when compared to Howard and Lee, Wright pales in comparison. Wright certainly has a better batting average than Howard, whose average is a dismal .234. But as much as Howard strikes out, his on base percentage (.383) is only .005 percentage points lower than Wright's (.388). And he has 10 more home runs and 13 more RBIs than Wright. Lee has more home runs, RBIs, a better average, and a higher slugging percentage.
The point is that David Wright in no way deserves to be on this year's National League All Star team.
David Wright in no way deserves to be named as an all star. Wright currently ranks 18th in the NL in home runs with 17, tied for third in the league in RBIs with 70, and 26th in the league with a .288 average.
Those numbers are fairly impressive, sure, especially his RBIs. But lets take a moment to look at who is ahead of him. Ahead of Wright in RBIs are Ryan Howard (83) and Carlos Lee (72). Howard (27) and Lee (21) are also both ahead of Wright in home runs, as is Pat Burrell with 22. Lee (.293) also has a better batting average than Wright.
Most people would assume I think that Howard or Burrell should be named as all stars and since they weren't, that's why I'm ragging on Wright. I do think that Howard and Burrell should have made the all star game, but I also think that Lee should have made it. And I very much think that Wright should not have.
I understand that every team sends one player to the Mid Summer Classic (ala Nate McLouth, Pittsburgh) and that means that some deserving players won't get the call. But some players don't, like Ryan Ludwick of the St. Louis Cardinals and Wright. Neither does recently elected Corey Hart, but that has more to do with fan favorites than anything else.
The numbers just aren't there for Wright. I could understand if the debate was between Burrell and Wright, their numbers are fairly close and I could see giving Wright the edge because he plays in New York and the All Star game is an exhibition game at heart, regardless of whatever stupid junk Bud Selig adds to it to try and make it more legitimate.
But when compared to Howard and Lee, Wright pales in comparison. Wright certainly has a better batting average than Howard, whose average is a dismal .234. But as much as Howard strikes out, his on base percentage (.383) is only .005 percentage points lower than Wright's (.388). And he has 10 more home runs and 13 more RBIs than Wright. Lee has more home runs, RBIs, a better average, and a higher slugging percentage.
The point is that David Wright in no way deserves to be on this year's National League All Star team.
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