Blake Snell Not Making the AL All Star Team Has To Be One of the Bigger Snubs of All Time
There’s snubs, and then there are SNUBS. Blake Snell has an argument to be starting the 2018 MLB All Star Game, and that’s coming from a Yankee fan who should obviously be siding with Luis Severino. Snell is a goddamn monster and has been unstoppable this season. For Christ’s sake he leads the AL in ERA at 2.09! He’s the first AL pitcher to be leading the league in that category and get snubbed in the last 17 years, with the last guy being some bum named Pedro Martinez. In 116 innings so far, Snell has 132 strikeouts and 44 walks. Over his last nine starts he’s actually been even sillier, going 7-1 with a 1.10 ERA in 57.1 innings striking out 71 in the process. Those starts have come against teams like the Red Sox, Mariners, Astros (twice), Nationals, and Yankees. He’s not facing the Royals and Orioles every time out. He’s faced major league baseball’s best and dominated them all…except the Yankees who have actually hit him hard twice, but I’m not here to brag about that.
Advertisement
Who made it over him? Well, because of the flawed MLB system where every team has to have a representative, J.A. Happ of the Toronto Blue Jays got the nod. Happ has a 4.44 ERA and should absolutely not be in D.C in two weeks. What is this rec baseball when we were 12? Why does every team need to have a player? It honestly makes zero sense.
Now this is probably a lot to be upset over because Snell will likely find his way onto the roster. You would have to imagine he’ll be the first pitcher swapped in for someone who is throwing the weekend before the game. That doesn’t stray away from the point that this guy should be in consideration for starting the game, never mind just sneaking his way in. I just don’t get how you can look at his numbers and think he doesn’t deserve a spot on the team. Snell shouldn’t have to rely on a pitcher backing out of the game. That’s just stupid.
Chris Archer and Justin Verlander voiced their anger with the system after the teams were announced and they’re obviously 1000% right. Get your shit together MLB.
You mean to tell me Major League Baseball, the same sports association that has zero idea how to grow their sport on social media, doesn’t have players vote on their phones for the reserves? No way. I for one am shocked. They actually send in their votes via the fucking mail? Who sends mail anymore? How is there not an electronic way to cast your vote and make it not out of date like this? Only Major League Baseball would be so archaic.