Week 14 MSSSMRMoW - The Final Vote

The final 5 vote is the
Mike Shaw Subaru Super Mo Replay Matchup of the Week 13.

But wait, Commish, you say, there are only supposed to be 4 recaps and then a Super Mo recap.  Yes, I say, but this week shall be different by Commishal decree.  With the All-Star game looming and the rosters revealed last night, this week's Mike Shaw Subaru Super Mo Replay Matchup of the Week is the final 5 voting in both the American and National League.

First, the AL because, well, the AL is where the pitchers arent men enough to hit.
The Candidates:
SP/RP Dallas Keuchel (Les Moles) - Dallas from Houston isnt even good enough to start on his fantasy baseball team in the Tater Tot league.  He is therefore removed from consideration and shall be burned in effigy.  (FYI: Google searching "Flaming Dallas Keuchel" does not return any picture worthy images.)

SP Chris Sale (Bobs ATers) - Sale is one of the top pitchers in the AL and should have made the team without any of this FINAL vote crap.  If he hadnt missed a chunk of the season with an injury, he would already be on the team.  He wrapped up this past week with a complete game on America's birthday against the Mariners in which he gave up 1 run on 6 hits with no walks and 12 strikeouts.  Sale's season numbers: 87 1/3 ip 2.16 ERA 0.87 WHIP 96 K...quite simply, he would be on the leader board for most pitching categories if he hadnt missed time.  He is a stud at the peak of his career and should be in the game. Plus his pitching motion is terrifying.

SP Rick Porcello (NOT ON A TEAM) - As outlined in last week's leaderboard, Porcello is the MLB co-leader in wins.  His other numbers arent that impressive, and I watched his start last night against the Rays and came away unimpressed.  He is a sinker heavy pitcher who lives and dies with his ability to keep the ball down in the zone and have it run towards the knees on nearly every pitch.  This is a tried and true method to pitching success until you have trouble locating the ball like Porcello did last night, which leads to lines like 5 2/3 ip 11 hits 7 earned 1 BB 2 K and 2 HR allowed.  Porcello is in the midst of a solid year, but he isnt an All Star.

SP Corey Kluber (MTMTAS) - Its a shame that only one of these guys is going to make the All Star team and that it isnt going to be Kluber (the Indians fan base isnt exacly "large").  Kluber is in a breakout year and continued it with 1 W 15K 1.20 ERA 0.80 WHIP in 1 QS last week.  Kluber has struck out 137 batters in 125 2/3 innings to go along with a 1.18 WHIP.  He is a great building block for both Tyler and the Tribe, and probably is more deserving of a spot than Jon Lester (though Lester is the only Red Sawks rep?  WTF happened to Red Sawks Nation?  I know they are having a down/horrendous season in Bean Town, but the fans usually turn out to vote an undeserving Big Papi or Dustin Pedroia into the starting lineup) but he shouldnt get the nod here.  Hopefully there is a need for replacements due to pitching schedules and Kluber gets the call.

SP/RP Garrett Richards (MBHB) - Is there any doubt who I would be voting for if I was allowed to vote using any method other than Twitter?  I mean, seriously...you have to sign up for fucking Twitter (no offense Uncle Jimmy...I know you love the Twatter and thats cool) in order to vote?  I dont want to live life 140 characters at a time.  Anyways, Richards had 2 starts last week, won 2 games (2 QS) struck out 20 with a 2.35 ERA and 0.72 WHIP.  He now has 10 wins, a 2.71 ERA and 1.07 WHIP as well as 119 strikeouts in 116 1/3 innings. If you take away (I know you cant, but screw off) his 2 out, 5 run, 8 baserunner implosion against Oakland back in May (which caused me to temporarily break up with him) his WHIP drops to about 1.00 even.  Richards is a 26 year old coming into his prime.  He deserves to be in the game, but likely wont be unless there are injuries or schedule problems.  If he keeps developing, he will be in numerous AS games to come.

He fields is own pitches..screw catchers.

Now onto the NL where the pitchers arent men enough to hit well (except Madison Bumgarner)-
The Candidates:
1b/3b Casey McGehee (NOT ON A TEAM) - McGehee is a great story (and MLB LOVES stories), but the entire league is waiting for the Casey McGehee who wasnt good enough to stick in the bigs to show back up instead of the one that terrorized the league back in 2009 and 2010.  This year's version is somewhere in between.  He has 53 RBI already for the season and is hitting .320 with a .389 OBP, but he has 1 (!!!!!) HR in nearly 375 plate appearances.  I'm sorry Casey, on my All Star team you have to be capable of hitting the ball out of the yard more times than Billy Hamilton and Dee Gordon.  There are NO Casey McGehee GIFs online.




1b Justin Morneau (BySs) - Morneau was just added via the wire and is in the starting lineup for the first time this week.  Sorry Morney, no starty in fantasy = not deserving of a spot on the real AS team.

1b Anthony Rizzo (Bobs ATers) - So here is where I have to bend my rule (and it is not because of Cubs homerism).  Rizzo should be seriously considered for this spot depsite Bob not starting him (he has been rotating Rizzo with AL AS/Cuban Missile Crisis Jose Abreu).  Rizzo has blossomed in his 3rd year with the Northsiders, turning into the hitter that Theo drafted in Boston then traded for from San Diego.  Rizzo has elite on base skills and a perfect power stroke for the warm nights at Wrigley.  Currently sporting a 276/384/487 line with 17 HRs would be a perfect fit for the NL team that has only Freddie Freeman as a lefty power bat off the bench.  Rizzo should run away with this vote based on fan base size alone, but Cubs fans will likely be too hipster to #Rizzo.

This GIF is called Anthony Rizzo hitting meatballs.

2b/3b Anthony Rendon (Bobs ATers) - Rendon has been a jack of many trades for the Nats this year, spending time at both 2b and 3b to fill in for injured teammates.  His defense has been above adequate, but he has really improved as a hitter.  The 6th pick in the 2011 draft and former top prospect arrived in Washington last year and struggled to a roughly league average offensive season.  This year, he has shown what all the hype was about with a 282/340/483 slash line with 12 HRs and 8 SBs (in 9 attempts).  This past week he finished 292/346/500 with 8R 4 RBI and 2 SB.  With Matt Carpenter, Todd Frazier, Dee Gordon and Daniel Murphy all capable of playing multiple positions and all already on the team, Rendon might be left out for a more specialized player or a better hitter.

OF Justin Upton (BySs) - Upton is the rare #1 overall pick who lives up to the billing.  This year he is hitting 273/349/503 with 17 HRs and 7 SBs (in 8 attempts) and recently finished the past week at 211/385/421 3R 4RBI 1 SB.  If he were also dating Justin Verlander, he might be the most successful Upton in the news these days.  But, like his brother BJ, there always seems to be something missing from JUpton's game.  Dont get me wrong, he is a fantastic player and should be on the team 10 times before Josh Harrison's name is spoken by anyone for consideration, but I dont think he wins this vote unless the Barves fans turn out in droves.