All-Star voting is a popularity contest, we know this much. While it’s nice to think that the All-Star Game is about skill and showing off who is best of the best, the reality is that it’s often a chance to spotlight the best-loved players as opposed to perhaps the most deserving. Without a complete overhaul of how the system works, though, that’s not going to change anytime soon. What that means is that Dillon Dingler, perhaps one of the most deserving catchers in the game, and most certainly the most deserving player on the Tigers,
won’t make it to the All-Star Game on popular voting alone.
We look at that below, as well as news on the return of Justin Verlander (soon!) and much more. So let’s just jump right into today’s news.
Detroit Tigers News
- Justice for Dillon Dingler, who should be in the top 2 AL catchers.
- The staff over at MLB dot com broke down some of the tightest races in All-Star voting and singled out the top four in the AL catcher category. Of Dingler, they specifically said:
Dingler entered the season with a deserved reputation as one of the best defensive catchers in baseball. Now, he’s added legitimate power to his game (16 HR, .525 SLG), transforming his offensive profile. FanGraphs has Dingler (3.0 fWAR) as the most valuable catcher in baseball.
AL Central News
MLB News
- A look at baseball’s nepotism issues. ($)
- Speaking of family connections, a spotlight on Striker Pence (what a name for a pitcher) the nephew of Hunter Pence, wonders if he could be the American answer to Shohei Ohtani.
- Hall of Famer Tom Glavine is anxious that labor disputes might cause a repeat of the 1994 season.
- It’s hard to bunt a curveball.
- The Dodgers’ pitching rotation is back on top.
- JJ Wetherholt reunited with his 5th-grade teacher, who once asked her glass to predict their dream jobs, and he selection MLB player.
- Is Drew Rasmussen the best starting pitcher you haven’t heard of?
- Trying to predict the All-MLB team.
- These are some of the best home run celebrations in baseball this season.
- How have the standards for catchers been changing?
- Is Pete Crow-Armstrong the most slept-on All-Star candidate?
- Elly De La Cruz is heading for a rehab stint this weekend.
- The Yankees are getting clarity on how to handle Jose Caballero’s pitch-count routine. ($)
- What would it look like to redraft the prospect class of 2016. ($)
- Impressive.
- Dang, Kyle.
- Mookie Betts and his daughter built an entire lineup out of Toy Story characters.
