Pence an All-Star???

[RumpleForeskin]

Rookie center-fielder here in H-Town is just a little less than 2 weeks away from qualifying for enough ABs to be considered among the league leaders in batting avg. (.344) which would place him 2nd in the NL. He also would be 4th among outfielders with an OPS of .949. He has 6 HRs and 30 RBI with 6 SBs. Those numbers aren't gaudy by any means, but he is considered a 5 tool player. Pop, Speed, Gun, Fielding, & Hitting in his arsenal.

So, when he does qualify and is among the leaders in a couple of offensive categories come early July, should LaRussa give him the nod?

[War Wagon]

I picked him up for my fantasy team for about a week, and he sucked. Dropped him like a rock.

Nope, not All Star material.

Then again, he does play in the 'B' league, so maybe he does qualify in that regard.

[RumpleForeskin]

I picked him up for my fantasy team for about a week, and he sucked. Dropped him like a rock.

Just one week? You do realize that even players like Big Poppy can even have a bad week don't you?

[War Wagon]

Hey, when you're as buried in the standings as my team is, a week is long time. I can't afford that shit.

No smack on Pence, just the NL in general. He'll be a fine player someday soon, but I don't believe he's earned an All Star mention yet by any means.

[RumpleForeskin]

Fair enough. I guess getting to see him on a daily basis skews my view a little; however, numbers don't lie....and right now he is raking.

[jiminphilly]

Hey, when you're as buried in the standings as my team is, a week is long time. I can't afford that shit.

No smack on Pence, just the NL in general. He'll be a fine player someday soon, but I don't believe he's earned an All Star mention yet by any means.

Funny... the league with the pussy DH rule calling the NL a "B" League..

[Shoalzie]

If the Astros are going to have an All-Star outfielder this year, it's gonna be Carlos Lee. I just don't think there will be enough spots for Pence but he's definitely the leader for NL Rookie of the Year. Troy Tulowitzki and Josh Hamilton would be the runner-ups at this point.

Beltran, Griffey and Soriano are three leading vote-getters in the NL among outfielders. Beltran shouldn't be an All-Star but you can't stop the fans from voting certain guys in and Soriano might be an All-Star but isn't really worthy of being a starter.

You have to believe the Bonds will be named to the team because of the game being in 'Frisco and he might even make a late surge to get voted into the starting lineup. Lee and Matt Holliday are definite choices for alternates. For both times I've voted, I've had Lee and Holliday on my ballot. I voted for Bonds the first time and this last time, I voted for Griffey. Dunn leads the NL in home runs right now...he'd be another choice as an alternate. I'd also put Juan Pierre (NL leader in steals, 6th in hits among OF), Jason Bay (6th in RBI among OF, 10th in hits among OF) and Eric Byrnes (2nd in BA among OF, 6th in runs among OF) up for consideration. So needless to say, Pence is going to have a lot of competition to be an alternate.

[RumpleForeskin]

Yeah, I can't really argue with any of those picks as alternates, but Beltran as a starter makes me laff. Sometimes the voters don't get it right (see All-Star game at Safeco in 2001).

Pence is doing everything he can do make a case for himself. Last night he went 3-5, HR, 3 RBI. He might be leading the league in hitting by the time he qualifies which begs the question, when was the last time a player was leading their respective league in hitting and did not make the All-Star team?

Where is OCmike and his humpday file of questions to be asked?

[War Wagon]

Funny... the league with the pussy DH rule calling the NL a "B" League..

Have you checked the overall interleague record for say, the past 5 years? The AL routinely stomps the NL and that's a fact.

Hell, the fucking 100+ game losing Royals have a better than .500 record against the NL the past few years, and that's a fact also. What should that tell you?

a. That the NL sucks.
b. That the DH rule has nothing to do with relative league strength.
c. That you're a blithering idiot.
d. All of the above.

hmmm... I'll choose 'd'.

[rozy]

I'm in an NL city and I'll choose D also. Funny how the ONLY argument NL fans can try and pop up is the DH rule.

Anyhoo, Pence (thanks to Purpura) probably won't have enough stats and recognition to make it this time, but that's ok since he'll own it for the next decade. Imagine taking the tools and size of Jason Bay and combining them with the grit and effort of David Eckstein. You would have...Hunter Pence.

[Shoalzie]

Funny... the league with the pussy DH rule calling the NL a "B" League..

Have you checked the overall interleague record for say, the past 5 years? The AL routinely stomps the NL and that's a fact.

This year's interleague scoreboard entering play today: AL 114, NL 96

[jiminphilly]

Have you checked the overall interleague record for say, the past 5 years? The AL routinely stomps the NL and that's a fact.

Yes I have and apparently you didn't.
2006- 154-98 AL cleans house- 56 games
2005- 136-116 AL wins by 20 games.
2004- 126-126 AL wins by 1 game.
2003- 137-115 NL wins by 22 games
2002- 129-123 NL wins by 6 games

Based on those stats, I would hardly call that routine based on the prior 5 years. (and an 83 win team in the Cardinals beat a 95 win team in the Tigers in the 2006 WS. What does that say about the 56 game edge the AL had over the NL??)

Next time check your facts Whitey.

Hell, the fucking 100+ game losing Royals have a better than .500 record against the NL the past few years, and that's a fact also. What should that tell you?

It tells me nothing. You know why? The fucking Washington Nationals have a record just over .500 ever since interleague play started in 1997. The Royals are .434 over that same time period. I didn't even bother to check the individual record of the Royals over the past few years to see if you're spewing more bogus bullshit like you mentioned above.

Now to address this statement:

b. That the DH rule has nothing to do with relative league strength.

Really? I guess you've been watching substandard baseball for so long that you've forgotten how much strategy is essentially thrown out the window in the American League. Ever heard of the double switch? Does you even know what that means? If you do, please inform Charlie Manuel. The constant knock against him is his inability to adapt to the NL game because he either leaves his pitchers in too long or takes them out too soon because he can't figure out how to perform a double switch. As a result he blows through his bullpen like it's a post game buffet The game is a lot different when a pitcher is facing 7-8-9 in the lineup and the 9th batter is a pitcher hitting .083 than it is with a 9th hole hitter with a batting average (at least) at the mendoza line though most likely higher.

If you can't figure out how that factors into how NL and AL teams build their rosters than you're a bigger moron than I thought you were. I was at a season ticket holder even for the Phillies this past week and there was a Q & A session with Ruben Amaro the Phillies Asst. GM (behind Pat Gillick) and somone asked the question as to whether Amaro prefered the NL or AL game. He said he was a bit of a baseball purist and preferred the game that required more strategy. He also alluded to the fact that the AL has a slight advantage when it comes to roster space because of the DH.

That, Whitey, is an indisputible fact.

[rozy]

See what I mean? Straight to the DH rule. I love predictable morons.

[RumpleForeskin]

Look, the NL is the clear cut better league simply beacuse of the fact that one of their ballparks has a hill and a flagpole in the field of play.

Need I say more?

[jiminphilly]

See what I mean? Straight to the DH rule. I love predictable morons.

So in other words you have nothing substantial to offer?

I love predictable morons.

Clearly. Who else would love a vacant, No-take shitstain like yourself?

[War Wagon]

Based on those stats, I would hardly call that routine based on the prior 5 years.

Ok, so it's only been for the past 3 years (including this year), not 5, that the AL routinely stomps the NL.... by a whopping 94 games. Yeah, you really showed me.

(and an 83 win team in the Cardinals beat a 95 win team in the Tigers in the 2006 WS. What does that say about the 56 game edge the AL had over the NL??)

It says the Tards were a fluke, that's what it says. It also says the Tigers were just happy to be there, and took 'em too lightly.

The fucking Washington Nationals have a record just over .500 ever since interleague play started in 1997.

What an incredibly assinine statement.

umm, the Nationals have only existed for 2 or 3 years, dumbass. And no, you can't include the franchise's record in Montreal with their stats in this comparison. Totally different scenario.

The Royals are .434 over that same time period. I didn't even bother to check the individual record of the Royals over the past few years to see if you're spewing more bogus bullshit like you mentioned above.

After dropping the last 2 games at St. Loser this week, they now stand 28-23 against the 'B' league since 2005. But don't take my word for it. Read this amusing excerpt from an article in the KC Star a few days ago>

Look: This year, the Royals have the second-worst record in the American League. But, after Monday’s win against the Cardinals, they are now 9-4 against National League teams. That’s a 112-victory pace if you are calculating at home.

There’s a definite pattern, too. Last year, the Royals lost 100 games, but they had a winning record against the National League. That meant something. They didn’t have a winning record in any other category — not at home, not on the road, not on turf, not on grass, not in June, not at noon, not on a boat, not with a goat. Two years ago, the Royals lost a team-record 106 losses. They had a 9-9 record against the National League.

Over the last three seasons, the Royals are 119-227 against the American League, which is sensationally bad. But against the National League, they are 28-21, a winning record and them some. It’s a .571 winning percentage — higher than any team in the National League Central right now.

Fluke? Statistical glitch? Luck? Maybe. Then again, maybe not. There’s something that became blatantly obvious watching the Royals beat the Cardinals on Monday night — that was their third victory over the Cardinals in four games and their fifth in the seven against the World Series champs. The obvious thing is this:

The Cardinals are not very good. That whole league is not very good.

Ever heard of the double switch? Does you even know what that means?

Does I even know?

Is that like where you and Marley decide to swap wifes for the night, and your wife doesn't want to come back the next day after finding out what a real man does for her?

Yes, you insufferably obtuse moron, I know what the double switch is in baseball. Save your stupid questions for somebody like Shoalzie. He suffers fools more gladly than I do.

[RumpleForeskin]

Bump.


Shoalzie had mentioned Dunn making a case for himself this year as an alternate for the All-Star Game. I tell you what, even if his slot bumps Pence's chance of making the squad, Dunn would be entertaining to watch for the Home Run Derby. With Dunn's power, McCovy Cove would be raining baseballs.


Oh yeah, Pence still conitnues to mash and now he is about 20 ABs short of qualifying for the league leaders. Dude went 4-6 with a HR and 4 runs scored last night.

[jiminphilly]

Based on those stats, I would hardly call that routine based on the prior 5 years.

Ok, so it's only been for the past 3 years (including this year), not 5, that the AL routinely stomps the NL.... by a whopping 94 games. Yeah, you really showed me.

Going back 6 years the NL and AL have split the WS title down the middle. (that's 3 and 3 in case you can't add). The year the AL had it's biggest winning margin for interleague play they lost in the WS.

And your grand reply is:

It says the Tards were a fluke, that's what it says. It also says the Tigers were just happy to be there, and took 'em too lightly.

That's it? That's all you got? Jealous of the success of your cross state rivals?

The fucking Washington Nationals have a record just over .500 ever since interleague play started in 1997.

What an incredibly assinine statement.

umm, the Nationals have only existed for 2 or 3 years, dumbass. And no, you can't include the franchise's record in Montreal with their stats in this comparison. Totally different scenario.

How so? Both Washington DC and Montreal are brutal places to play baseball. Both teams have shown to be the celler dwellars of the NL East. Neither team can keep decent talent around. It's the same shitty team no matter what you call them.

The Royals are .434 over that same time period. I didn't even bother to check the individual record of the Royals over the past few years to see if you're spewing more bogus bullshit like you mentioned above.

After dropping the last 2 games at St. Loser this week, they now stand 28-23 against the 'B' league since 2005. But don't take my word for it. Read this amusing excerpt from an article in the KC Star a few days ago>

Look: This year, the Royals have the second-worst record in the American League. But, after Monday’s win against the Cardinals, they are now 9-4 against National League teams. That’s a 112-victory pace if you are calculating at home.

There’s a definite pattern, too. Last year, the Royals lost 100 games, but they had a winning record against the National League. That meant something. They didn’t have a winning record in any other category — not at home, not on the road, not on turf, not on grass, not in June, not at noon, not on a boat, not with a goat. Two years ago, the Royals lost a team-record 106 losses. They had a 9-9 record against the National League.

Over the last three seasons, the Royals are 119-227 against the American League, which is sensationally bad. But against the National League, they are 28-21, a winning record and them some. It’s a .571 winning percentage — higher than any team in the National League Central right now.

Fluke? Statistical glitch? Luck? Maybe. Then again, maybe not. There’s something that became blatantly obvious watching the Royals beat the Cardinals on Monday night — that was their third victory over the Cardinals in four games and their fifth in the seven against the World Series champs. The obvious thing is this:

The Cardinals are not very good. That whole league is not very good.

So in other words the Royals' beat writer is trying to put some sort of positive spin on yet another dreadful Royals season?

Check.

Ever heard of the double switch? Does you even know what that means?

Does I even know?

Is that like where you and Marley decide to swap wifes for the night, and your wife doesn't want to come back the next day after finding out what a real man does for her?

Yes, you insufferably obtuse moron, I know what the double switch is in baseball. Save your stupid questions for somebody like Shoalzie. He suffers fools more gladly than I do.

Whitey, a great many of us have unfortunately seen your picture. I imagine the only reason you're still breathing is because the abortion vacuum was broken that day. So the notion that your married can only mean 1 of 2 things- your wife is either blind, deaf, and dumb or she's your sister and she feels sorry for you.

Nice job avoiding the DH issue, btw.

[RumpleForeskin]

Pence qualified today. His BA is .346 which ranks second in the NL (Holliday). He's also in the top 5 in Slugging, OPS, and Triples. Obviously he is way behind in HRs (11) and RBI (40) considering he has played 17 games less than everyone else, but just by eye-balling the numbers and if we could add those 17 games to his play-time retroactively, then I think he would have 14 HR and 51 RBI. Not bad at all. Hell, for a rookie, he could end up with 25 HRs 90 RBI and a .340 BA. Not the power numbers of Pujols during his rookie year, but respactable to say the least.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Nice job, Foreskin. I like how this thread died so quickly.