Brewer All-Star Candidates

[Jenkins5]

The way Villar has been playing really has me wondering if he should be an All-Star this season. As I debated that, I started to think overall, what Brewers deserve to be All-Stars (despite record, solely based on performance.

 

Ryan Braun despite injuries is having one of the best seasons in baseball & still carries a 1.000 OPS. Hitting .350 with 9 Hrs looks great so far as well. NL OF is pretty stacked right now, he is only 13th in WAR.

 

Lucroy is back! #1 War catcher in NL. Hitting .300 & has blasted all 9 bombs in May. He is leading in HRs, RBIs, and Runs.

 

Villar is 3rd for NL SS's in WAR. While he doesn't have the power numbers of the other top SS his OBP of .410 is crushing the rest! He leads all NL with 19 SBs, his slugging is still not far behind his competition, RBIs are up there, and overall he is having a fantastic season!

 

Jeffress & Nelson could be options but their overall numbers aren't elite. Jeffress only has 7 k/9 & Jimmys FIP isn't overally impressive.

[jerichoholicninja]

Not quite on topic but can someone explain to me how Ramon Flores is on the ballot? Broxton was the opening day CF and I guess since he was sent down right after it makes sense that he isn't but why Flores over Kirk?

 

On topic, Lucroy, Villar, and Braun are the only ones at all worthy of consideration. If Jeffress is able to rack up a bunch of saves maybe he can get in but the majority of this team has been terrible.

[MrTPlush]

I think Lucroy(lock at this point) and Braun should make it. Though I wouldn't be surprised if Braun misses enough time to fall out of the running.

 

Jonathan Villar is a hard one to figure out. He will have to be a coaches selection and who knows how that will shake out. His numbers are very strong and deserving up to this point. If he has a good month of June and keeps his numbers similar to what they are now I think he gets in. He will face stiff competition though. Seager/Crawford are locks and Cozart/Story/Russell all get more attention than Villar.

[dacrew101]

Id love to see Villar get in, would be great to see Lucroy make an all star game as his last year as a Brewer.

 

Braun obviously just needs to stay healthy

 

Otherwise, no one else really deserves it

[DR28]

Id love to see Villar get in, would be great to see Lucroy make an all star game as his last year as a Brewer.

 

Braun obviously just needs to stay healthy

 

Otherwise, no one else really deserves it

 

Johnny still has an option for 2017... Besides who is going to replace him... Nottingham is not ready.

[Outlander]

Id love to see Villar get in, would be great to see Lucroy make an all star game as his last year as a Brewer.

 

Braun obviously just needs to stay healthy

 

Otherwise, no one else really deserves it

 

Johnny still has an option for 2017... Besides who is going to replace him... Nottingham is not ready.

Doesn't really matter who replaces him on a rebuilding team. However, I will guess Lucroy isn't traded by the All-Star game and represents the Brewers along with Braun. Villar deserves it but I think he gets snubbed.

[dacrew101]

Lucroy and Villar aren't even in the top 5 for all star voting in their positions.. Braun is no.5 outfielder... a whole bunch of cubbies, even jorge soler is sitting pretty at no.6 lol

 

[And That]

I know why he's in the 6th place, but...

 

... Jorge Soler is in 6th place. Yikes.

 

The shortstop voting is pretty bizarre as well.

[jerichoholicninja]

And the voting is a joke as always.

[JohnBriggs12]

Lucroy, Braun, and Villar are deserving. With a great June, Nelson could at least get considered.

 

It saddens me that with 3 deserving All-Stars, that two could be gone within weeks of the All Star game. I just will never understand how a team can't both build for the future and compete in the present when it has 3 All Star caliber players in its lineup.

[JackNicholson1974]

Because the voting is a joke I advocate for making it full-blown joke. Every ballot I submit will be all Cubs and all Royals. I would love to see that just because the fan voting is completely ridiculous.

[FVBrewerFan]

I just will never understand how a team can't both build for the future and compete in the present when it has 3 All Star caliber players in its lineup.

 

Yes you can, you just can't help fighting what your mind is telling you. Why can't they be competitive while they rebuild? Maybe it's because Guerra, Davies, Anderson are the #2-4 starting pitchers. No production in CF or 2B. So are you suggesting they should have spent another $50MM+ this season on Garza/Lohse types to be "competitive" yet nowhere near the Cubs, Nationals, and other teams?

 

What would be the point of being competitive, yet still not have a realistic chance to get to the WS and win it? The alternative is to maximize the window when they CAN have that realistic chance. How do you maximize? Get the most talent you possibly can for the players who won't be a part of that window.

 

I really believe you know all of this, not sure why you're fighting it so hard. Unless all you want is a competitive team every year, and the WS is not your goal. If that's the case, can't say you're wrong, it's just want you want to see as a fan.

[Outlander]

Pretty impressive showing by Braun, ahead of name guys like McCutchen, Pence and Stanton. Even with the Cubs vote I think he will pas Heyward but getting in the top three will be mighty difficult.

[jerichoholicninja]

I just will never understand how a team can't both build for the future and compete in the present when it has 3 All Star caliber players in its lineup.

 

Yes you can, you just can't help fighting what your mind is telling you. Why can't they be competitive while they rebuild? Maybe it's because Guerra, Davies, Anderson are the #2-4 starting pitchers. No production in CF or 2B. So are you suggesting they should have spent another $50MM+ this season on Garza/Lohse types to be "competitive" yet nowhere near the Cubs, Nationals, and other teams?

 

What would be the point of being competitive, yet still not have a realistic chance to get to the WS and win it? The alternative is to maximize the window when they CAN have that realistic chance. How do you maximize? Get the most talent you possibly can for the players who won't be a part of that window.

 

I really believe you know all of this, not sure why you're fighting it so hard. Unless all you want is a competitive team every year, and the WS is not your goal. If that's the case, can't say you're wrong, it's just want you want to see as a fan.

 

He's made it pretty clear in multiple posts over the offseason that he wants to have a competitive team every year no matter what because he's old and wants to see a world series before he dies and because every year is special.

[FVBrewerFan]

Well, ok. I'm old too, but I realize trying to be more "competitive" this year won't result in a WS. While not guaranteed by any means, chances are much better to build for the next window when hopefully they have multiple years as true contenders.

[reillymcshane]

I just will never understand how a team can't both build for the future and compete in the present when it has 3 All Star caliber players in its lineup.

Because you have a roster of 25 - not 3. Plus you can expand that to 30 or so when you add in depth, it's even more difficult.

 

All-stars can carry a team to a degree, and you can hide weak players to a degree, but winning in baseball rarely happens when a team carries lots of crappy players.

[reillymcshane]

And the voting is a joke as always.

It seems to be getting worse every year.

[stalton]

 

All-stars can carry a team to a degree, and you can hide weak players to a degree, but winning in baseball rarely happens when a team carries lots of crappy players.

 

This conversation reminds me of when Kotsay started in CF in the playoffs (bad decision aside)

[CheezWizHed]

I just will never understand how a team can't both build for the future and compete in the present when it has 3 All Star caliber players in its lineup.

Because you have a roster of 25 - not 3. Plus you can expand that to 30 or so when you add in depth, it's even more difficult.

 

All-stars can carry a team to a degree, and you can hide weak players to a degree, but winning in baseball rarely happens when a team carries lots of crappy players.

 

And if teams like the LAA, Cubs and NYY that have far more resources ($$$) than the Brewers can't field a competitive team every year, I'm not sure what makes us think we can.

[tmwiese55]

I just will never understand how a team can't both build for the future and compete in the present when it has 3 All Star caliber players in its lineup.

 

One word: Pitching. you can have all the All-star position players but if you don't have pitching you don't have much.

[reillymcshane]

Villar will be tough (but not impossible) to get in because a) he's from Milwaukee, and b) he'll only have 1/2 a season of good play (assuming he keeps up his good play), and c) Milwaukee will probably already have representation with Lucroy and/or Braun, and d) there are a lot of solid shortstops in the NL, and e) if Russell gets voted in there will be an undeserving SS in the game, taking up a spot.

 

It'll be easy for the NL to pass on him. Diaz, Crawford, Seager, Cozart, Trevor Story - those are all okay picks. With each team requiring a rep, a club such as Cincy might get Cozart named to the team due to the fact he's one of their few decent players this year.

 

Still, it's not impossible. There's a solid month of play for people to fade or improve. And who knows about a guy like Braun - he may take the time off to heal his aching (insert body part).

[markedman5]

#Brewers Ryan Braun is batting .308/.381/.528 with 101 R, 37 2B, 3 3B, 29 HR, 104 RBI, & 28 SB over his last 162 games played.

[Jenkins5]

Villar is just going off right now! Since fans are clueless hopefully managers know what they are doing for voting.

[adambr2]

Villar not being in the top 5 SS is an absolute joke. Addison Russell can't hold Villar's jock this year and he leads by a mile, but that goes to show what a joke AS voting is.

 

Is there something that fans have against voting for, you know, the best players? Wouldn't we want to see the NL have the most competitive team as possible? Especially Cub fans, who have legitimate WS aspirations, wouldn't that HFA be, you know, kind of important?

[jerichoholicninja]

Villar not being in the top 5 SS is an absolute joke. Addison Russell can't hold Villar's jock this year and he leads by a mile, but that goes to show what a joke AS voting is.

 

Is there something that fans have against voting for, you know, the best players? Wouldn't we want to see the NL have the most competitive team as possible? Especially Cub fans, who have legitimate WS aspirations, wouldn't that HFA be, you know, kind of important?

 

No. All those Chicago fanboys care about is seeing their Cubbies in the All Star game. I mean, they've been huge fans for almost a full calendar year now. It's about time they get to see their team get some love.