I AM NOT OKAY WITH THIS. Everything about Richards' season screams All-Star. It's a damn shame he's not going to get that recognition this year, but hopefully he'll have a bunch in his future to make up for it.

This All-Star substitution thing has really gotten out of hand. By the time the game happens, half the players are different than the ones originally announced. Is it just me, or has this phenomenon grown exponentially in the last few years?

I don't care about Richards as much as I do the pattern of replacing an elite starter with a reliever.

Tanaka bows out, Uehara gets added. Price is out Rodney gets added. That's two roster spots just given to relievers for nothing while other starters are on the outside looking in.

Tanaka bows out, Uehara gets added. Price is out Rodney gets added. That's two roster spots just given to relievers for nothing while other starters are on the outside looking in.

One wonders is sale hadn't won the last man thingy if he would have been chosen instead.

I don't care about Richards as much as I do the pattern of replacing an elite starter with a reliever.

I assume that the manager gets a lot less pushback from other organizations when using a closer for one inning with the next two days off as opposed to using a starter.

The problem I have with stories like this is that while Richards would be a very reasonable All Star choice so would the guys whose spot he would take. Scanning the rosters quickly there is no one that I see as a "holy crap what an outrage" inclusion or exclusion.

I AM NOT OKAY WITH THIS. Everything about Richards' season screams All-Star. It's a damn shame he's not going to get that recognition this year, but hopefully he'll have a bunch in his future to make up for it.

By scream, you mean he's between the 7th best choice and the 10th best choice, provided you only care about half a season of data, and no relievers?

By scream, you mean he's between the 7th best choice and the 10th best choice, provided you only care about half a season of data, and no relievers?

Right. I don't care about half of this season since this is THIS SEASON's All-Star Game, and no relievers since there are already plenty on the roster. And you're also crazy and insane and probably have some sort of rash on your body.

And you're also crazy and insane

Weren't you the guy arguing he should be selected ahead of Sale?

Yes, because Sale, by virtue of being on the Chicago White Sox, is a bad person. I wouldn't be surprised if he turns out to be CFB.

Right. I don't care about half of this season since this is THIS SEASON's All-Star Game, and no relievers since there are already plenty on the roster. And you're also crazy and insane and probably have some sort of rash on your body.

I'm guessing you have already dipped into the beverages for tonight?


The all star game is for all stars, not two month great start of the season stars. (Imo) If we have a time machine and are able to look at the end of the season and make our all star picks then I could see saying it's all about the current year, but since we can't, it's beyond stupid to ignore the second half of last year or projections over the rest of this season.

I just do not get why people only want to have it be about a 2 month start of the season. Sure tie breakers and all, but there is not one starting pitcher on the roster that Richards has a unimpeachable case as being more deserving. ##### about too many relievers, that is fine, but acting like Richards is being stiffed to the same degree that someone like Aybar got stiff, is ridiculous. (Yes I realize Aybar eventually made it on the roster, the point is he should have probably already been on the original roster)

Yes, because Sale, by virtue of being on the Chicago White Sox, is a bad person. I wouldn't be surprised if he turns out to be CFB.

Wow??? just being a total douche nozzle today? Just because someone doesn't agree with your idiotic opinion that the all star game is strictly, and 100% about 2 month start to the season?

Considering I was one of the people saying that Sale probably didn't deserve a spot on the initial roster(if one was stupid enough to use only half a season of data at least) , that is pretty much a stretch.

Dude, I was so obviously joking. Calm yo tits.

Self note: Do not try to have fun with CFB.

Dude, I was so obviously joking. Calm yo tits.

The joke's on you - CFB is Chris Sale.

I AM NOT OKAY WITH THIS. Everything about Richards' season screams All-Star.

Are you his agent? Best Friend? Blood Relative?

I mean 2013-2014 he's 25th in the AL in WAA (22nd in WAR)

sure this year he's 5th in WAR, 14th in IP, 7th in ERA+, 5th in ERA, 5th in FIP, 8th in Ks

looking SOLELY at this year he'd be a reasonable choice, not an OMG he has to be on or the game's a farce choice, but a reasonable one.

looking at the past year and a half or more, no he doesn't look like an all star, he's a guy who's had a hot half season:

P Dellin Betances (72)
P Mark Buehrle (8)
P Yu Darvish (5)
P Sean Doolittle (73)
P Felix Hernandez (3)
P Greg Holland (20)
P Scott Kazmir (26)
P Jon Lester (11)
P Glen Perkins (56)
P David Price (14)
P Chris Sale (1)
P Max Scherzer (2)
?P Masahiro Tanaka (25)
P Koji Uehara (10)

Sure he blows away 3 of the relievers by WAR
but what about starters, you can make an argument for Richards over Kazmir or Tanaka
but what about Iwakuma?
Anibal Sanchez?

Sure he blows away 3 of the relievers by WAR

... And that's all I'm saying. Like [3] pointed out, two starters bow out, and they're replaced with two relievers. Where's the point in that? I get why Sale (popularity contest) and Uehara (his manager makes the pick) get on, but Richards is obviously more deserving than the mess of relievers left to pick from for this latest opening slot yet someone who's only thrown a quarter as many innings as him gets picked. If it'd been Iwakuma or Sanchez, then maaaaaaaaaaaybe I see the argument, but it was Rodney. I'm not okay with that, and I don't think anyone on this particular site is going to mount a strenuous statistical defense of Rodney over Richards for this season.

but it was Rodney. I'm not okay with that, and I don't think anyone on this particular site is going to mount a strenuous statistical defense of Rodney over Richards for this season.

1: he leads the league in saves :-)
2: He has a longer track record of being an effective MLB pitcher than Richards
3: If you are only going to have guys go 1 IP what's the evidence that Richards would be better?

2012-2014
Al pitchers by ERA+


1 Koji Uehara 297
2 Darren O'Day 210
3 Greg Holland 204
4 Fernando Rodney 199
5 Casey Janssen 179

Sure, if it was up to me, I would have picked Richards or Sanchez or Iwakuma to replace Price

but there are atrocious all star game selections all the time, Rodney over Richards is barely a blip compared to many other choices

If it'd been Iwakuma or Sanchez, then maaaaaaaaaaaybe I see the argument,

I kind of doubt it, considering the hissy fit you threw when Sale won the last man vote over Richards.

but there are atrocious all star game selections all the time, Rodney over Richards is barely a blip compared to many other choices

Yes, but Richards is on MY FAVORITE TEAM. That counts for something with me! Just because we're THINKING fans doesn't mean we're not passionate ones! And besides, is there anyone who would have looked at a Richards selection over Uehara or Rodney and thought, "My GOD, that's terrible!"? I seriously doubt it.

If you are trying to win the game, you should probably go heavy on excellent one-inning relievers, because:

1) they are more likely to be available to pitch that night, and
2) they are demonstrably good at pitching one inning at a time.

If MLB wanted people to start caring about the quality of play in the ASG, then they shouldn't be surprised that the rosters will reflect this.

3: If you are only going to have guys go 1 IP what's the evidence that Richards would be better?

Can't support that, or this.

If you are trying to win the game, you should probably go heavy on excellent one-inning relievers, because:

1) they are more likely to be available to pitch that night, and
2) they are demonstrably good at pitching one inning at a time.

This time it counts is a marketing gimmick, it doesn't mean anything more than saying taste great, less filling. It's marketing. The choice of all star should still be based upon current season, track record and other factors, but who will be best in the game shouldn't matter. (If the AL team happened to have 7 lefty pitchers, are you justified in passing over a more qualified left handed bat for a right handed bat that hits lefties better?)

I have no problem with Rodney, generally the saves leader should be a serious candidate, but the fact that he might be better than Richards over 1 inning, should not factor into the decision making process in the slightest.

If you already have 35 guys on the roster, you don't need to replace anyone for injury or unavailability. It wouln't be a great shame to have to play a game with only 29 players.