There are four Dodgers being sent to the 90th midsummer classic being played at Progressive Field in Cleveland. Cody Bellinger is the lone position player (he’ll be starting) and there are three pitchers (Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, Hyun-jin Ryu) Representing the Dodgers at the all-star game. However you can make an argument that there should be more, or at least one additional Dodger at the all-star game.
It’s quite common around this time of season for there to be a few snubs. There are only so many all-star roster spots on each league’s squad, so not everyone can be selected. There is one man that should absolutely be all-star worthy. That player is Max Muncy.
The beloved Dodger slugger is not only one of the most productive hitters on the Dodgers, he’s one of the most productive hitters in the National League. He’s having another terrific season. So far in 2019 Muncy is slashing .279/.380/.544 with 20 home runs, 58 runs driven in and an OPS of .924. He’s drawn 48 walks while striking out 76 times, which is good for a 140 OPS+, in addition to notching 79 hits across 334 plate appearances.
Last season Muncy blasted 35 home runs and posted a .391 OBP while drawing 79 walks. He’s batting .319 against left handed pitching and has driven in 35 runs with runners in scoring position. He’s hitting .290 and posted an .850 OPS at Dodger Stadium during his career.
Those numbers rank him amongst the top 20 or 25 players in the National league. His .380 OBP ranks him 21st in all of MLB. He also ranks in the top 20 in home runs, runs batted in, walks, and slugging percentage. His .924 OPS is the seventeenth best in the majors.
He’s doing all of this while playing multiple positions and moving up and down the batting order. In addition to all of that, he pissed off Madison Bumgarner. That of course makes him even more loveable. Despite all of his reliability, he rarely ever gets much credit. I am here to say, and many on this site that it’s time to recognize Max Muncy. It’s time to send him to the all-star game. I know that there would have to be an injury to one of the current selections, or possibly a pitcher that is unable to pitch to get him on the roster. I hope that somehow Dave Roberts is able to figure out a way to get the dependable Muncy to the all-star game where he obviously deserves to be.
Muncy does deserve a spot, but unless someone calls in sick he is not going
Stay and get some rest
I have never cared for All-Star Games, as you all know, just an opportunity to get injured or not to get any rest during a long season, with half the games left to go. Besides, I believe the Dodgers have a long history of getting bombed or being the outright goat in previous ASGs. The game only exists to make money for the owners and really has very little to do with honoring the top players (if that is even the case is debatable).
I hope Roberts is smart enough to not extend his own players, give them each one at bat and sit them down. If Roberts is capable of giving his hitters the day off when they are swining a hot bat, he surely can sit them down in a meaningless game.
As you know, I will not be watching the ASGs, I haven’t seen an ASG in at least 20 years.
They have been nothing more than an exhibition for years. But Dodger players have not always been the goat. Stripling got the loss last year, but in 1974 Steve Garvey was the All Star game MVP, and it boosted his profile enough that he went on to win NL MVP. Drysdale and Koufax had pretty good numbers for the game. A lot of the money raised goes to charity’s and the players pension fund. Since only Bellinger is a position player on the team, he will probably get 2 shots at hitting and then be replaced. That’s the way the starters are treated since they are voted in by the fans. Ryu will get 1 or 2 innings. Kersh and Buehler maybe an inning apiece. Depending on how the game goes. The home run derby is what most fans like to see. No Dodgers in it this year. Bellinger declined. The game itself does not really cause slumps to happen, and the only real major headline injury ever was when Dizzy Dean was hit in the toe by a line drive off the bat of Earl Averill. Dean changed his delivery because of the toe, hurt his arm, and never was the same pitcher again. I have not watched the game in years either. But kids love it, and the players themselves are doing nutty things on the field like the selfy that Machado took of him and Matt Kemp last year when Kemp was on 2nd base.
I am not crying because Max did not make it, neither did Turner. Verdugo should have gotten some votes, but he did not either. Good, they can rest up and be ready for Boston on the 12th. Pollock is spending the break in Arizona tuning up for his return to the lineup. Maybe over the break, AF can swing a deal for a reliever and strike first like he did with Machado, who also did not make the all star team, last year.
Michael, true that Dodgers have not always been the goat. But in recent ASG Dodger pitching, has given up some HR’s (CK, Greinke when he was here) and of course Stripling , who gave the AL the win last year with giving up those 2 HR’s. Also, I am not sure when the last Dodger hitter got a hit in the ASG.
Matt Kemp, last year.
OH, and thanks for that. But it was amazing to see Kemp sort falling out of grace so to speak in last year’s 2nd half. I recall he indicated it was part of thus being platooned a lot after the ASG. He didn’t get much in the way of consistent AB’s if I recall then.
For some reason DR started not using Matt a whole lot after the break. I thought he was nuts because he was tearing the league up. He had slumped a little, but was still the most consistent hitter they had.
If you have time during a walk/workout or whatever, give the Effectively Wild podcast a listen.
The latest episode has an extended guest, the Dodgers’ Ross Stripling.
It’s a great, great listen.