Well with June right around the corrner, the All-Star voting should really start to heat up. It looks like the Astros should have some more representation this season than in the past few years. Here are my shoe ins: 1B: Berkman (leads 1B in Avg, HR, RBI, OPS, SLG, Hits, Doubles, Runs, even freaking SB) SS: Tejada (leads SS in Avg, RBI, doubles, Hits, Runs) CL: Valverde (Save leader) What do you guys think about others like Lee? I think that is a pretty good chance..to have at least 3 Astros. I don't think any pitchers but Big Pappa make it. What do you guys think?
i dont think being saves leader is enough to get valverde in. he's gonna have to drop the ERA to have a shot. that's like saying bourn should be an allstar because he's the stolen base leader. if pence can continue his tear and get to around .320 with 10+ hrs, he'd have a shot.
It would be nice if we could get all of Clutchfans voting. That should help get several Astros in the All Star game. Berkman for sure Tejada, Pence and Lee are all legitamate choices to vote for. It would be great to see Valverde there also.
Berkman & Tejada are no-brainers. Berkman should start at first, but I'd take Hanley Ramirez by a nose over Tejada at short. Pence & Valverde have been great recently, but IMO neither have gotten sufficiently out of the huge holes they dug early to merit an All-Star nod. Lee shouldn't even be in the conversation - there are a dozen outfielders having better years so far. There's still some games to be played before the teams are picked, though.
Really? From the looks of it, I only see McLouth having a way better year than Lee in the NL. So I'd really like to see these dozen or so NL outfielders doing better.
Lee is only on pace to hit 34 homers, 43 doubles, and drive in 139 runs. He may not be hitting .390 or .330 like Berkman and Tejada, but Berkman isn't driving in these runs by himself.w The outfielders I'd have ahead of him so far are (in no particular order) Ludwick, McClouth, Bay, Nady, Braun, Burrell, and Holliday. Lee isn't that far behind any of them. With time to play as well as the inevitable injuries, Lee certainly has to be in the conversation.
Ludwick, McLouth, Burrell, Bay, Dunn, Holliday, Rowand, Church, Nady, Soriano, Ankiel, Braun - that's a dozen right there.
In no way are Burrell, Bay, Dunn, Holliday, Rowand, Ankiel, and Braun having a better year than Carlos, even if they were he's still up there with them.
Geez, Rick Ankiel and Aaron Rowand as guys doing better than Carlos Lee? He doesn't even belong in the conversation?? Put down the pipe. There are a number of guys who belong "in the conversation", including guys you listed. That doesn't mean that Lee isn't one of those guys. He may not get in, but that could be said of any one of the guys on the list except McLouth, who looks like a lock so far.
I'm just saying he merits considerations for being a big part of one of the leagues best offenses on a surprising astros team. He's put up comparable numbers and the 'stros offense is the reason we have a better record than the mets, pirates, reds, giants, and rockies.
Rowand has a SLG almost 30 points higher than Lee's, and an OBP more than 80 points higher. Ankiel has a similar SLG to Lee and his OBP is 50 points higher. I would consider both to be having far better seasons than Lee. If a player is not even in the Top 10 outfielders in your league, then I don't really consider him as belonging in the conversation.
And being enough of a threat that pitchers pitch to your teammates. And being able to avoid striking out, so that you have a chance to drive in runs (the most-underrated skill in baseball), and knowing how to sacrifice.
