All-Star Update: The Indians need your votes

by drerikbrady on May 27, 2008 4:19 PM EDT

From my email...

Your Indians are in the race, but you need to vote for them to keep them there!

The 2008 All-Star Game is in New York, and the only way to send Indians designated hitter Travis Hafner is to vote him in as the American League's first baseman. Competition is tough - Pronk and the rest of the Indians need your help!

As of today's American League ballot update, Pronk is in fifth place among designated hitters - behind Gary Sheffield of the Tigers. VOTE PRONK. Victor Martinez is in fifth place among catchers. VOTE VICTOR. Grady Sizemore is still in the running among outfielders, in eighth place. VOTE GRADY.

5th place? Are you serious? What reason would I have to vote Pronk for all-star? Have I been on Jupiter or something?

0 recs | Comment 26 comments

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I don’t understand why MLB continues to play along with the farce that is all-star voting. With world series play and (to a much lesser extent) eventual HOF voting somewhat dependent on who is voted in to the all-star game, does MLB not have a duty to make all-star voting as efficient as possible? Or is the devotion to the bottom line too strong (I presume the thinking is that having an all red-sox and yankee starting lineup is beneficial to ratings. I don’t believe that would really be true)?
Or, get rid of the stupid WS homefield rule.

In terms of the HOF voting I brought up, it just seems to me that players’ careers are often judged by, among other statistics, the number of all star games he made. With the voting in its current state, there are always deserving players who are left off and undeserving players who make it.

You have no idea the physical toll that three vasectomies have on a person

by jakesinger777 on May 27, 2008 4:26 PM EDT 0 recs

You know, I think I’m going to just start going for the All-Hottie Ballot henceforth.

They’re never going to make All-Star voting not a farce (even if they eliminate fan-voting, there are always going to be unbearable snubs), so I think at some point we’re just going to have to wrap our heads around All-Star appearances meaning nothing but being popular in a big market.

Hard truth: Your eyes lie.

by AngG on May 27, 2008 4:34 PM EDT 0 recs

To say nothing of the fact that any conscientious Indians fan could never cast a vote for Pronk this year. Victor and Grady, okay, sure I’ll cast a vote there. But they lead the story with Pronk, which just solidifies the notion that it’s just a popularity contest.

Why not just trot Pronk out there in a superhero outfit with a big “P” on his chest. Children everywhere will cast their votes for Pronk because he “looks cool.”

Kid 1: “I heard he can destroy bathrooms with his bare hands!”

Kid 2: “Oh yeah, I heard he can throw Pablo Ozuna from second base to home by bouncing him off someone standing on third base!!”

Kid 3: “Well that all I need to hear, clearly a man that can do those things should be an all-star DH this year!!!”

-Erik

by drerikbrady on May 27, 2008 4:51 PM EDT up 0 recs

Yeah. I think I voted for Victor at least (I forget if I voted for Grady. I was angry at him when I was at the game where I voted), but Pronk? Seriously? But, I mean, he couldn’t make it in 2006. I’m not going to get angry about people pity voting him now.

Hard truth: Your eyes lie.

by AngG on May 27, 2008 4:59 PM EDT up 0 recs

Grady Sizemore deserves to be on the AL All-Star team?

by odradek on May 28, 2008 10:57 AM EDT up 0 recs

...and the only way to send Indians designated hitter Travis Hafner is to vote him in as the American League’s first baseman.

Is that even true? I thought I saw a DH section on the at-the-game ballots.

by Brick. on May 27, 2008 5:01 PM EDT 0 recs

Nope, that’s straight up recycled from last year’s story.

Burn on, big river, burn on...

by Turkmenbashi on May 27, 2008 5:24 PM EDT up 0 recs

Let’s face it, the way he’s playing, the only way we can send Pronk to the All Star Game is if we pool our money and buy him a ticket.

"It's hard to win when you don't score." Cliff Lee, 9/28/05.

by Harry Doyle on May 28, 2008 12:31 AM EDT up 0 recs

None of these bums deserve an All-Star vote this year.

Cliff Lee and Victor will be the only reps as of now. Maybe…maybe CC.

by Tribe Alive on May 27, 2008 5:01 PM EDT 0 recs

At this rate, Aaron Laffey, too.

by odradek on May 28, 2008 10:58 AM EDT up 0 recs

z

I’m surprised no on has mentioned this delightful bit of ridiculousness.:

As of today’s American League ballot update, Pronk is in fifth place among designated hitters – behind Gary Sheffield of the Tigers.

If voting for Pronk will prevent Gary “I’m hitting .213” Sheffield.

by gahnki on May 27, 2008 5:29 PM EDT 0 recs

then I’m all for it.

by gahnki on May 27, 2008 5:29 PM EDT up 0 recs

Whew! Had me hanging there by teasing us with a sentence fragment.

by tabler84 on May 27, 2008 6:08 PM EDT up 0 recs

Even then the sentence doesn’t really make sense. I corrected my fragment with more confusion.

by gahnki on May 27, 2008 7:04 PM EDT up 0 recs

I can’t even argue for one of our hitters to make the All-Star game, even Vic (great average, but nothing else).

Amazingly enough, the man has been on base 55 times and only scored 9 times. That is how pathetic the middle/bottom of our lineup has been.

by talonk on May 27, 2008 6:35 PM EDT 0 recs

Other not-so-fun stats, the Tribe is ….

14th in AB, H, 3B, and AVG
13th in Runs and SLG
12th in OBP
10th in HR
9th in SB
8th in 2B, BB
2nd in Ks (yay!)
1st in HBP (only reason our OBP isnt dead last)

and 13th in OPS+ at 85 (only KC is worse at 83)

In pitching though ….

1st in SHO
2nd in CG
3rd in RA
4th in ERA, BB
7th in Hits
8th in IP
9th in K
10th in HR
13th in Saves

and 4th in ERA+

by talonk on May 27, 2008 6:47 PM EDT up 0 recs

If the title of this FanPost were a comment, I would nominate it for post of the week.

by fleerdon on May 27, 2008 11:27 PM EDT 0 recs

All-Star Update: The Indians need your votes

You have no idea the physical toll that three vasectomies have on a person

by jakesinger777 on May 27, 2008 11:57 PM EDT up 0 recs

Fishing for recs >:(

Hard truth: Your eyes lie.

by AngG on May 28, 2008 10:58 AM EDT up 0 recs

I’m sensing some animosity..

You have no idea the physical toll that three vasectomies have on a person

by jakesinger777 on May 28, 2008 11:42 AM EDT up 0 recs

give her post of the week and instantly she’s mike schmidt on the veterans committee. it’s almost as big as andrew. guy gets a few posts promoted to the front page and he starts questioning every rec given to a fanshot. the pair makes mario look like the new user welcome wagon.

by Brick. on May 28, 2008 11:51 AM EDT up 6 recs

You. Out of our club.

Hard truth: Your eyes lie.

by AngG on May 28, 2008 12:03 PM EDT up 0 recs

rec

by Jay on May 28, 2008 1:22 PM EDT up 0 recs

Cliff, Jake, CC, Laff, Fausto, and Byrd should all go to NY, and the entire offense should be relegated to sno-cone duty at the Strongsville Little League All-Star festivities during the break.

You know Selig? Ombudsman.

by rolub on May 28, 2008 8:52 AM EDT 1 recs