All-Star Game - AL Catcher

[Isaiah4110]

How is Stephen Vogt not even close to leading the vote total here? He is 5th in the MLB in OPS, behind only Bryce Harper, Paul Goldschmidt, Nelson Cruz and Adrian Gonzalez. That's some pretty elite company. He leads all MLB catchers in HRs, RBIs, AVG, OBP and SLG... and it isn't even close in most of those categories.

I realize I'm an A's fan here, but can this guy get a little love in the voting box?

 

[navamind]

How is Stephen Vogt not even close to leading the vote total here? He is 5th in the MLB in OPS, behind only Bryce Harper, Paul Goldschmidt, Nelson Cruz and Adrian Gonzalez. That's some pretty elite company. He leads all MLB catchers in HRs, RBIs, AVG, OBP and SLG... and it isn't even close in most of those categories.

I realize I'm an A's fan here, but can this guy get a little love in the voting box?

Because fan voting is a joke.

Vogt's been fantastic though.

 

[obxyankeefan]

because the all star vote is a popularity contest. And right now the Royals are the popular choice.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Because fan voting is a joke.

Vogt's been fantastic though.

I've seen enough nonsense in the ASG to where I am just rooting for chaos at this point. The way it's going, it's shades of 1957.Maybe stuffing the ballot boxes gets Manfred's attention.

On a serious baseball note, Perez is an excellent catcher, but it'd take some mental gymnastics to put him over Vogt as of right now. Ethereal Catcher data or not.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Last I checked Morales and Hosmer were both gaining on Cruz and Cabrera, respectively

 

[mr.hockey4242]

Last I checked Morales and Hosmer were both gaining on Cruz and Cabrera, respectively

And rios moved up to 5th in outfielders voting.

Also infante second place lead for 2B is just ridiculous.

 

[romeo212000]

Because, fuck the A's.

 

[navamind]

And rios moved up to 5th in outfielders voting.

Also infante second place lead for 2B is just ridiculous.

Rios has played 8 games this season.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Rios has played 8 games this season.

I just want chaos, I promise.

 

[tducey]

Yeah, fan voting is awful at times. Got to think league heads would step in and tweak it a lot.

 

[Isaiah4110]

Yeah, fan voting is awful at times. Got to think league heads would step in and tweak it a lot.

Don't you feel like it is a product of the national sports media though? I mean, no one would have heard of Salvador Perezif it weren't for all the hype he got last year. Yes, he has good defense behind the plate, yes he hit 17 HRs as a catcher (though not in the typical 135 starts most catchers end up with), yes he made 143 starts at catcher and played in 150 games, but really, were his stats all that impressive?

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Don't you feel like it is a product of the national sports media though? I mean, no one would have heard of Salvador Perezif it weren't for all the hype he got last year. Yes, he has good defense behind the plate, yes he hit 17 HRs as a catcher (though not in the typical 135 starts most catchers end up with), yes he made 143 starts at catcher and played in 150 games, but really, were his stats all that impressive?

He has generally flown under the radar prior to 2014, but has actually put up some excellent defensive numbers and that's generally reflected when his war or contract is brought up; oft referred to some as the "Yadi of the AL." ( watch an I-70 game and the comparison will be brought up 2-5 times) His offense is 1000% overrated (very average total package) at this point though- you are right about that. No amount of generosity based on gamecalling or pitch framing justifies Perez over Vogt based on production so far, at least for this 1st half.


I would just say two things-

The ASG is a popularity contest- Perez is a very well thought of defensive catcher, overrated bat, and highly charismatic. Put all 3 together combined with national exposure and a high profile club, it's going to equal a lot of votes.

Make no mistake, Perez is an awfully good catcher- primarily because of his defensive prowess, and has been since he got called up, but he's obviously not better than Vogt thus far in 2015.

 

[mr.hockey4242]

Don't you feel like it is a product of the national sports media though? I mean, no one would have heard of Salvador Perezif it weren't for all the hype he got last year. Yes, he has good defense behind the plate, yes he hit 17 HRs as a catcher (though not in the typical 135 starts most catchers end up with), yes he made 143 starts at catcher and played in 150 games, but really, were his stats all that impressive?

Umm have you been living in a hole?

This isn't Perez first All Star go around. He really shouldn't be leading this year but he is probably the last Royal that is a product of last years World Series hype people have voted for him in the past.

Now infante, rios, Cain, morales, Hosmer, Moose and Gordon are World Series hype vote getters even though some of them are having very worthy years of being on the team.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Umm have you been living in a hole?

This isn't Perez first All Star go around. He really shouldn't be leading this year but he is probably the last Royal that is a product of last years World Series hype people have voted for him in the past.

Now infante, rios, Cain, morales, Hosmer, Moose and Gordon are World Series hype vote getters even though some of them are having very worthy years of being on the team.

Well, he's not really wrong about his relative anonymity prior to 2014. Lot of WS hype voters it looks like. It took a huge surge of offense in the 1st half of last year to get Sal to start the ASG. Which is ironic, because he is more of an iron man defensive catcher that hits adaquetly.

 

[mr.hockey4242]

Well, he's not really wrong about his relative anonymity prior to 2014. Lot of WS hype voters it looks like. It took a huge surge of offense in the 1st half of last year to get Sal to start the ASG. Which is ironic, because he is more of an iron man defensive catcher that hits adaquetly.

Yes. But he's already been selected to two games so people have voted for him pre royals World Series.

Vogt should be winning but Perez is far from the issue. Once players get in they become popular in the fans eyes.

All these other royals are not repeat All Stars outside Gordon who really has been selected as a defensive replacement last pick addition type.

Perez was probably going to be leading the voting regardless of the Royals hype. Guys like Cain and moose? No.

 

[da55bums]

I am a Royals fan and voted Vogt (of course he is on both my fantasy teams), I am more than ok with Perez as the back up.

Oakland population much larger than KC, got to vote

 

[navamind]

I am a Royals fan and voted Vogt (of course he is on both my fantasy teams), I am more than ok with Perez as the back up.

Oakland population much larger than KC, got to vote

They're too busy robbing and murdering each other.

 

[da55bums]

They're too busy robbing and murdering each other.

see your point, the computer actually has to be plugged in

 

[Isaiah4110]

Here's my current ASG ballot (who I would pick as starters if it were up to me and the game happened based on yesterday morning's offensive stats). I hate he whole "let me stuff the ballot box with my team members" mind-set. I would much rather see the best in the AL against the best in the NL than see the A's starters against the best in the NL.


Honestly I think they should not open the voting until the second half of June. These aren't the "vote at the stadium or don't vote at all" day on the 90's and before. Everything is online, so they don't really need time to tabulate the votes. I fully expect to replace Semien at SS (for some reason I think his cold streak will continue a little longer) with Jose Iglesias in about 2 weeks. the OF stats and a couple other races were pretty close as well, so I wouldn't be surprised to see a couple other positions change at the same time. 3 weeks ago none of the Giants players were hitting well enough to make my NL Roster.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

As of right now, I'd probably have this as my AL AST starters:

LF: Gordon
CF: Cain
RF: Trout
3B: Donaldson
SS: Weak class, drawing blind from Iglesias, Semien (wish he was a 2B) or A. Escobar.
2B: Kipnis
1B: Miggy
C: Vogt
DH: Cruz
P: Gray