Red Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi should not be the final All-Star
By Rick McNair
The Boston Red Sox will have Andrew Benintendi in the final mix as an All-Star appointee. If I voted Benintendi would not be my first choice and neither would Giancarlo Stanton.
The final All-Star vote has commenced with Boston Red Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi listed as one of the five finalists. I do believe the swimsuit competition is no longer appropriate. I also searched through the Federalist Papers to see if Hamilton opined on this popularity contest. Essentially it will filter down to Benintendi versus Giancarlo Stanton of the Yankees.
As much as my Red Sox pedigree would have me go and vote for Benintendi, I will not. In fact, for full disclosure, I have never voted using the online All-Star ballot so my venture into baseball democracy is a moot point. What I will say is of the five representatives presented for ballot box stuffing Benintendi is close, but not worthy.
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Stanton will inevitably get the nod since home runs are sexy in today’s game. Benintendi or “Benny Biceps” is no slouch, but Stanton is the reigning home run slugger in the game by having 59 disappear in 2017. And it is not the number, but the sheer brutality that Stanton dispenses vis a vis the baseball. Distance and exit velocity sell.
For the sake of attempting to create an article, my voting pattern would be a bit different. I would omit Stanton in favor of others that have been honored with this popularity contest. Unfortunately near the bottom of my list would be our local entry – Benintendi. I will also go out on a prediction limb and state with full confidence that Benintendi will probably have ten All-Star nods by the time his uniform number is retired.
The Twins Eddie Rosario is piecing together an excellent season. Defensively the left-hand hitting outfielder may be no Mookie Betts, but a 5.5 UZR/150 is excellent. Rosario has a 3.3 fWAR and a traditional line that is 18/58/.301. For the metrics bloodhounds Rosario comes in at 136 wRC+ compared to Benintendi’s 141 wRC+. A nice choice, but not my favorite.
Jean Segura has put together a nice season and a solid run at a batting title with a .330 average. Sequera has limited power in today’s game with seven home runs and 47 RBI. His 3.1 fWAR and 130 wRC+ are weighed down by a -0.2 UZR/150. I would give our local hero a nod over Segura and probably a coin flip on Rosario.
Pitchers value defense – everyone values defense. Otherwise, Jackie Bradley would be in Pawtucket (AAA). That brings to the surface my choice in the best glove in the game at short – Andrelton Simmons. Simmons has a tasty 16.8 UZR/150 and is the best glove either metrics or eyeball.
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A great glove and a rubber bat take some spin-off proselytizing for a player so what does Simmons do with his war club? A 6/39/.307 traditional line with a 126 wRC+ and a 3.5 fWAR. Simmons is my guy with Stanton second, Rosario a pick ‘em with Benintendi and Segura waiting until next year.