2012 AL All Star Roster: Why Yu Darvish Deserves Final Roster Spot

Baseball fans, once again, will have their chance to solidify the final roster spot on the American League All-Star roster.

Yu Darvish, Jake Peavy, Ernesto Frieri, Jason Hammel and Jonathan Broxton are the five potential candidates.

Of these five candidates, Darvish deserves your vote. It's that simple. All five pitchers have had admirable campaigns, but Darvish has been simply dynamic in his first major league season.

The statistics for each pitcher are close. Darvish holds an advantage in some major spots, but he suffers in others. 

Let's take a look at why Darvish deserves a punched ticket to the All-Star festivities this year.

10 Wins

Wins are definitely one of the most overrated pitching statistics in existence, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be taken into account. Darvish's win total is good enough for third in the American League. 

Darvish has 10 victories this season, including three straight victorious decisions. He's earned a decision in 14 of 15 starts, and that speaks to his endurance as a top-end starter.

The other starting pitchers, Hammel and Peavy, up for the final roster spot have eight and six wins, respectively. Peavy's six victories are slightly misleading because of his otherwise stellar numbers, but it isn't enough to give him an edge. 

Darvish has been the best starter on, arguably, the best team in the American League. His win total speaks to that and that shouldn't be overlooked regardless of your feeling toward the statistic.

Rookie

Darvish, for all intents and purposes, is a rookie. Granted, he brings years of experience from his days in Japan, but that isn't the same. Hideo Nomo and Daisuke Matsuzaka have both showcased that in the past. 

Darvish's ability to adapt to the major leagues has been nearly seamless. He faced extremely high expectations with a contending franchise, and he has put all concerns to bed at this point.

Because of Dice-K's recent flop in Boston, this can't be stated enough.

Frieri is a rookie—and he should receive the same consideration—but he hasn't played the same role in his team's success. I'm not looking down on relievers, but Darvish's success is more sustained and more vital to his team's success.

The Rangers' pitching staff was shaky entering this season with the loss of C.J. Wilson, but Darvish provided an immediate foundation.

Sure, he's been shaky at times. That's expected, but it shouldn't diminish his All-Star resume.

Rangers' Success

I know the All-Star game is an individual accomplishment, but players on the American League's best team should garner more consideration. Texas has allowed the third-lowest run total in the AL this year, and Matt Harrison isn't the only starter who deserves to represent their pitching staff.

I'd even argue that Darvish deserves the bid over teammate Joe Nathan, but that's another issue. 

Harrison earned the bid with his 11 victories. Darvish has 10. His ERA, and WHIP, are higher, but not by a significant margin.

Darvish has thrown 10 fewer innings, but has also made one less start. Take a look for yourself, but the numbers are comparable. 

This doesn't justify Darvish's selection over the other four candidates but, in a way, it does. He's neck-and-neck with the best pitcher on the American League's best team.

That should count for something.