FanPost

ASG Voting

While I know that a lot (perhaps the majority) of the denizens of this site don't see fit to muddy their boots with voting for the ASG, I do. It's an exhibition for the fans, and that means I'm going to vote for who I want to see. No, Dbacks, that doesn't mean I ever voted #Tuffy.

I'm glad to see that Goldy has passed the million vote mark, and Anthony Rizzo. No knock on Rizzo, or leading first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, but Goldy is easily the best first baseman in the NL, and maybe the best all-around player (statistically, the best player not named Bryce Harper.) Considering Goldy made up 200,000 votes in a week, there's a decent chance of his passing Gonzalez, I think. But he'll be in Cincinnati regardless.

I'm going to encourage everyone to vote for a player who likely won't be there, but seems deserving. This player is tied for second among NL outfielders in hits despite playing fewer games than many of the leaders. He is third among NL outfielders in runs scored. He's tied for second in stolen bases. He's fourth in batting average, 8th in OBP, and 10th in OPS. And he is not among the top 15 receiving votes. This player trails John Jay (11th in voting despite being out most of the year), Hunter Pence (ditto), Jason Heyward (hitting .251), and Andrew McCutcheon (great player having a rough season so far).

A.J. Pollock is clearly one of the top-15 outfielders in the National League this year. I'd argue that he is one of the top-five, particularly since his defense is superior to pretty much everyone above him on any of the above offensive categories. But he has been spectacularly overlooked by ASG voters (including the majority of those voting for Goldy). And (much like Aaron Hill in 2012) he is unlikely to get there without a push from the voters.

So if you deign to vote for players, please vote for Pollock. I don't think he'll be voted in, but maybe if the fans at least put him into the top-ten Bochy would think about including him. And we could then at least complain about the process when Hunter Pence gets voted in and he doesn't.