Lowell for All Star 3B?

[TonyK]

I think Mike Lowell has a shot at making the All Star team. He leads AL 3B in EBH'S, is second in AVG to Blalock (.327 to .328), and his fielding has been good. With A-Rod only hitting .273 and Glaus .258, his competition is mainly Blalock, Mora, Crede, Chavez and A-Rod. He probably won't start, but could come in off the bench?

[efin98]

It would be nice if he represented the team in his first year.

[DoubleX]

Chances are, A-Rod will be voted the starter by the fans, which means that Lowell will have to compete with the rest for the one or two backup spots available.

[efin98]

Chances are, A-Rod will be voted the starter by the fans, which means that Lowell will have to compete with the rest for the one or two backup spots available.

Nothing wrong with that, he rightfully deserves the starting spot over Lowell.

[Mike D.]

He's been getting some press lately, both locally and nationally, about his "comeback", so his name will at least be fresh in the minds of the people making those decisions.

[pesky6]

He's been getting some press lately, both locally and nationally, about his "comeback", so his name will at least be fresh in the minds of the people making those decisions.

I agree. ARod will most likely get the nod, mainly because he plays in the biggest market (don't think that helps? Think again.). I'll be sorely disappointed if Lowell isn't in the mid-summer classic--provided that he keeps his current pace.

[DoubleX]

I agree. ARod will most likely get the nod, mainly because he plays in the biggest market (don't think that helps? Think again.). I'll be sorely disappointed if Lowell isn't in the mid-summer classic--provided that he keeps his current pace.

Not necessarily. Look at last year when Jeter and Matsui were on the final 5 for the fan vote for the 30th spot. I was sure Jeter was going to get that spot, but it went to Scott Podsednik. I think as much as there is a New York bias out there, I also believe there is a genuine anti-New York bias out there.

Are the reserves still picked by the manager, or has baseball implemented a new system where the players vote? If the manager still picks, Guillen might pick his own guy, Joe Crede, over Mike Lowell.

[Kdub Red Sox Fan 4Life]

As long as there's no significant drop off in his play, he should be on the All-Star team period.

[Kdub Red Sox Fan 4Life]

stupid computer. LOL

[YankeesAreGods]

As long as there's no significant drop off in his play, he should be on the All-Star team period.

I agree Ken

[JohnGelnarFan]

I already voted for him on Monster.com's online ballot. He very well could be the comeback player of the year.

[DoubleX]

I already voted for him on Monster.com's online ballot. He very well could be the comeback player of the year.

He'd get my vote for comeback player of the year. He was absolutely terrible last year. I thought at Fenway he'd improve a good amount, but never thought he'd be a +.300 hitter.

[JohnGelnarFan]

And the doubles are ridiculous! Gotta love him!

He'd get my vote for comeback player of the year. He was absolutely terrible last year. I thought at Fenway he'd improve a good amount, but never thought he'd be a +.300 hitter.

[RedSoxVT92]

I hope he gets on the All-Star team and A.L. Comback player of the year if he keeps it up. He deffiently deserves it

And the doubles are ridiculous! Gotta love him!

Thats why I like to refer to him as "Mr. Double". He leads the majors with 21 doubles and at one point he had 8 straight hits that were all doubles.

[JohnGelnarFan]

8 straight hits for doubles? Do you know if that's a major league record?
What part of Vermont are you from? My mother's family is from Newport on Lake Memphremagog.

I hope he gets on the All-Star team and A.L. Comback player of the year if he keeps it up. He deffiently deserves it



Thats why I like to refer to him as "Mr. Double". He leads the majors with 21 doubles and at one point he had 8 straight hits that were all doubles.

[brsox2445]

He deserves to go not just for his 2Bs and other stats but also his defense and how well he has adjusted to playing in Boston.

[DoubleX]

He deserves to go not just for his 2Bs and other stats but also his defense and how well he has adjusted to playing in Boston.

Why should how well a player has adjusted to playing in Boston be a factor? That would give all players that are new to Boston an unfair advantage over their peers throughout the league.

[Jager]

Why should how well a player has adjusted to playing in Boston be a factor? That would give all players that are new to Boston an unfair advantage over their peers throughout the league.

If you don't believe that players in NY and Boston don't have advantages then you are crazy. The bigger the stage the more exposure, the more exposure, the more advantage you have. That's just how it works.

[Blackout]

Mike Lowell would make a great back-up 3rd basemen for this year's all-star team.

[Jager]

Anytime I hear that from a Yankees fan they are of course thinking of their players first. Lowell diserves it more than ARod this year.

[Blackout]

Lowell: .320/7 homers/29 RBI's/29 Runs/16 BBs

A-God: .298/13 homers/44 RBI's/48 Runs/34 BBs


hellllll no.

[DoubleX]

If you don't believe that players in NY and Boston don't have advantages then you are crazy. The bigger the stage the more exposure, the more exposure, the more advantage you have. That's just how it works.

I don't think a player should be rewarded for playing in New York and Boston. I believe that voting for the All-Star game should be done as objectively as possible and that any type of hometown bias should not be accounted for. Simply, the player who is having the best season at his respective position should be on the squad, irrespective of what city that player plays in. The fact that a player has "adjusted nicely" to New York or Boston should not be a factor, IMO.

[DoubleX]

How are the backups chosen? Still by the manager or is it by a players vote now? If it's by the manager, then Ozzie Guillen will be picking, and even though Lowell is making a good case for himself, I can't see him pick Lowell over his own guy, Joe Crede, who is also having a very nice season (assuming that neither player is voted the starter). It is also conceivable that the Oakland A's could only send one representative this year, and that could very well be Eric Chavez (or Nick Swisher), and that would further diminish Lowell's chances.

Also, I just want to point out that I'm not saying Lowell is not deserving, I'm just approaching this from a logic standpoint. The All-Star game, unfortunately, is usually not about the best and most deserving players, but about fan preference and how to get a representative from every team, often at the expense of more qualified players.

[DoubleX]

Here's how the best AL 3Bman compare as of today (ranked in each of the triple crown categories and in OPS); it's a very tight race:

Batting Average
1) Mike Lowell: .320
2) Hank Blalock: .306
3) Joe Crede: .298
4) Alex Rodrigez: .292
5) Melvin Mora: .291
6) Eric Chavez: .272
7) Troy Glaus: .267

Homeruns
1) Troy Glaus: 17
2) Alex Rodriguez: 13
3) Eric Chavez: 12
4) Joe Crede: 9
t5) Hank Blalock: 8
t5) Melvin Mora: 8
7) Mike Lowell: 7

RBI
1) Troy Glaus: 45
2) Alex Rodriguez: 44
t3) Eric Chavez: 41
t3) Hank Blalock: 41
5) Joe Crede: 37
t6) Mike Lowell: 29
t6) Melvin Mora: 29

OPS
1) Troy Glaus: 0.963
2) Alex Rodriguez: 0.935
3) Mike Lowell: 0.929
4) Eric Chavez: 0.888
5) Hank Blalock: 0.860
6) Joe Crede: 0.828
7) Melvin Mora: 0.808

Average Ranking Here
t1) Troy Glaus: 2.00
t1) Alex Rodriguez: 2.00
3) Hank Blalock: 3.75
4) Eric Chavez: 4.00
5) Mike Lowell: 4.25
6) Joe Crede: 4.50
7) Melvin Mora: 5.75

[Jager]

Lowell: .320/7 homers/29 RBI's/29 Runs/16 BBs

A-God: .298/13 homers/44 RBI's/48 Runs/34 BBs


hellllll no.

The RBI's and Runs have alot to do with where they are batting in the order. Lowell has usually been batting 6th or 7th where Arod has been batting cleanup. He should have more RBI's, but Lowells average is still alot higher, and he leads the league in doubles, so that should definetely count.