MLB All-Star Game 2011: Why Ron Washington Got the AL Team Wrong

One of the unlikely pitfalls an All-Star manager has is when the fans do such a good job picking the starters they leave him to make 25 or so difficult decisions among non-starters.

The fans did a great job with the American League starters—the only possible problem being Derek Jeter over Asdrubal Cabrera at shortstop. And that really can't be viewed as wrong, considering Jeter is about to join the 3,000-hit club.

Ron Washington could easily identify the players who should be their team's lone All-Star, like the Oakland Athletics' Gio Gonzalez, Kansas City Royals' Aaron Crow and Minnesota Twins' Michael Cuddyer.

Still, the Texas Rangers skipper made several questionable choices to join him in Phoenix on June 12.

Bullpen

Was Ron Washington set on taking four closers to Phoenix? It's a down year in the Junior Circuit for closers—really only Mariano Rivera (21 saves, 1.69 ERA) is the lone certainty. Washington added Cleveland's Chris Perez (19, 2.37 ERA), Seattle's Brandon League (21 saves, 3.48 ERA) and Detroit's Jose Valverde (19 saves, 3.09 ERA), plus setup man Aaron Crow (eight holds, 1.36 ERA).

Crow was the only Kansas City Royal having a bona fide All-Star-type season, though his eight holds rank 20th in the AL. Setup men are having much better seasons than closers, especially in the American League.

Valverde and League have high ERAs for closers, while setup men like David Robertson (17 holds, 1.08 ERA) and Daniel Bard (17 holds, 2.25 ERA) were far more deserving of invitations to Phoenix.

Robertson has been one of the main reasons why the Yankees are in first place and is just starting to get the recognition he deserves for ably spelling injured setup men Joba Chamberlain and Rafael Soriano. He's allowed 23 hits in 33 innings with 53 strikeouts. And he doesn't even get nominated for the final vote?

That's a mistake. Plain and simple.

Washington's task is to think outside the box, but he was far too limited in his thinking when it came to the bullpen.

Starting Pitchers

Ron Washington had a bunch of no-brainers in including Justin Verlander, Josh Beckett, Jered Weaver, Felix Hernandez and James Shields on the pitching staff, which left him with three other positions to fill.

He went with Gio Gonzalez (7-5, 2.38 ERA), David Price (8-6, 3.43 ERA) and C.J. Wilson (8-3, 3.14).

Gonzalez filled out the Oakland requirement, while Price and Wilson were selected over CC Sabathia (11-4, 3.05), Michael Pineda (7-5, 2.65) and Alexi Ogando (8-3, 2.86 ERA).

Both Price and Wilson are worthy All-Stars and could have replaced some of those mediocre closers that somehow made the list (see previous slide). But leaving Sabathia off is unjust. He's tied for the major league lead with 11 wins, has a solid ERA and is the best starter on the best team in the league.

Yes, he's scheduled to start on the Sunday prior to the game, which means he'll be scratched from appearing, but nevertheless, he deserves the honor. "King" Felix and "Big Game" James are also slotted to start next Sunday, so that's not a logical reason to exclude someone with Sabathia's credentials.

It's tough to blame Washington for rewarding his boy Wilson, who was instrumental in leading the Rangers to the American League championship last season. But is he even the best pitcher on his team? Ogando has slightly better numbers, even though he's a rookie.

Catcher and Infielders

Washington's job was made tougher by the game's top catcher, Minnesota's Joe Mauer, missing so much time due to a leg injury. Mauer has struggled so much to get his timing back, batting just .244 in 86 at-bats.

Detroit's Alex Avila got a late surge from the fan voting to capture the starting nod. He's having a good season, hitting .298 with 10 homers and 46 RBI. New York's Russell Martin (.224, 10 HR, 34 RBI) and Baltimore's Matt Wieters (.262, 7 HR, 33 RBI) were taken as backups, and neither is deserving of All-Star accolades. Then again, the catching spot in the AL doesn't really have any lead-pipe locks as All-Stars.

Martin was chosen by the players. Wieters could have been left off, and the Baltimore requirement could have been filled by Adam Jones (.288-13-46), who is having a much better year.

Miguel Cabrera was an obvious choice to play behind Boston's Adrian Gonzalez at first base, but Chicago's Paul Konerko (.317, 21 HR, 62 RBI) should have earned a closer look. Yankee Mark Teixeira has a league-leading 25 bombs, but his .244 batting average justifiably has him resting next week, along with NL regular All-Star Ryan Howard.

Howie Kendrick (.307, 8 HR, 26 RBI) joins starter Robinson Cano at second base for the AL. Kendrick is the only regular second-sacker to be hitting over .300.

Asdrubal Cabrera (.291, 14 HR, 49 RBI) is having a breakout season in Cleveland and is Jeter's backup at short. Detroit's Jhonny Peralta (.311, 14 HR, 48 RBI) should be on the team somehow, and mysteriously isn't even on the "Final Vote" ballot, while Tampa's Ben Zobrist (.256, 9 HR, 40 RBI) is.

Adrian Beltre will replace starter Alex Rodriguez at third base. Beltre's numbers (.265, 14 HR, 61 RBI) aren't eye-popping, but he's been a key RBI man for Washington and the first-place Rangers. No other player at the position has had a memorable season, as Mark Reynolds (.225, 18 HR, 46 RBI) and Kevin Youkilis (.271, 11 HR, 56 RBI) are having down years.

Outfield

Josh Hamilton, Curtis Granderson and Jose Bautista deservedly made the starting lineup in the outfield, ahead of some others putting up All-Star-caliber numbers.

Washington chose Jacoby Ellsbury, Matt Joyce, Carlos Quentin and Michael Cuddyer as backups.

Quentin (.253, 17 HR, 49 RBI) and Cuddyer (.286, 11, HR, 32 RBI) filled out the team requirement, while Ellsbury (.300, 9 HR, 40 RBI) and Joyce (.300, 11 HR, 40 RBI) were proper additions. Others who garnered strong consideration included Kansas City's Alex Gordon (.301, 10 HR, 46 RBI), Baltimore's Adam Jones (.288, 13 HR, 46 RBI).

Again, regular All-Stars were suffering from down years, including Ichiro Suzuki (.268, 1 HR, 22 RBI), Torii Hunter (.239, 8 HR, 39 RBI) and Vernon Wells (.212, 11 HR, 28 RBI).

It seems like Konerko would have been the worthier All-Star to fill the White Sox requirement, and Quentin's outfield spot would have been better suited for Jones, who could have replaced Wieters to fulfill the Orioles' lone selection.

Both Gordon and Jones made the "Final Vote" ballot.

DH Michael Young (.313, 7 HR, 54 RBI) was the players' choice to make the team behind starter David Ortiz.

Washington's Grade: D

Overall, too many worthy All-Star candidates got left off, and too many players with averages below .270 are included on this team.

CC Sabathia, Adam Jones and David Robertson should be on this team somehow, some way. If Russell Martin and Carlos Quentin made the team by player vote, perhaps there needs to be a change in that procedure in the future, because they quite frankly don't deserve to be All-Stars this season.

I applaud the initiative of including player opinions, but there has to be a better way, and Washington will take much of the blame for being hamstrung by the inclusion of those two players in particular.

That still does not answer why Sabathia and Robertson are not heading to Phoenix. Sabathia could have easily been named and later replaced because he is starting next Sunday.

Plus, DHs like David Ortiz, Michael Young and Victor Martinez are all deserving—Ortiz and Young are already there and Vic can make it through the "Final Vote" ballot. It's unclear how they will factor in the game itself.

All in all, it's a pretty lackluster American League squad this year.