Phil, man you got run production all wrong.

[Dadawg_77]

Phil on his AL All Star team at http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=rogers_phil&id=1824112


Designated hitter
With the game in Houston, the designated hitter is not on the fan ballot but that doesn't mean it's fair to ignore the position.





http://espn.go.com/i/mlb/profiles/players/4527.jpgThomas



Frank Thomas (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?statsId=4527) deserved a spot on the 2003 team at the White Sox' U.S. Cellular Field, and is likewise worthy for this year's game. His league-leading walk total limits his run-production totals (17 homers, 43 RBI) but have boosted him to the top of the OPS rankings (1.087), ahead of players like Ramirez and Guerrero. Boston's David Ortiz (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?statsId=5909) is also playing like an All-Star.
OBP and SLG are much more imporant to run production then RBI and HR. Thomas is sixth MLB, 2nd al, in Slugging at .627 and fourth MLB, 1st AL in OBP at .458. If that doesn't make someone a starting All Star then the game is more of a shame then ever before. You would have to put Thomas over any other first baseman right now for the AL.

[Randar68]

Phil on his AL All Star team at http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=rogers_phil&id=1824112


OBP and SLG are much more imporant to run production then RBI and HR. Thomas is sixth MLB, 2nd al, in Slugging at .627 and fourth MLB, 1st AL in OBP at .458. If that doesn't make someone a starting All Star then the game is more of a shame then ever before. You would have to put Thomas over any other first baseman right now for the AL.He's referring to RBI and HR's, the only metrics of baseball run production to the average or novice baseball fan. By walking so frequently, he get's fewer opportunities to swing the bat, thus, slightly retarding his overall numbers-pace to guys like Vlad, etc. For him, it's like having 50 fewer AB's before the All-Star game than a guy like VLAD.

Frank is on pace for something like 150 walks this year, no? Unreal.

[Iwritecode]

Phil on his AL All Star team at http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=rogers_phil&id=1824112


OBP and SLG are much more imporant to run production then RBI and HR. Thomas is sixth MLB, 2nd al, in Slugging at .627 and fourth MLB, 1st AL in OBP at .458. If that doesn't make someone a starting All Star then the game is more of a shame then ever before. You would have to put Thomas over any other first baseman right now for the AL.

Yes, but can he make the throw to second to start a DP?

[Dadawg_77]

He's referring to RBI and HR's, the only metrics of baseball run production to the average or novice baseball fan. By walking so frequently, he get's fewer opportunities to swing the bat, thus, slightly retarding his overall numbers-pace to guys like Vlad, etc. For him, it's like having 50 fewer AB's before the All-Star game than a guy like VLAD.

Frank is on pace for something like 150 walks this year, no? Unreal.
I know that, but as a baseball writer, I think part of his job should be to educate his readers to better metrics. Average fans know those stats, because writers and announcers allways refer to them because the fans know them. If they started talking about others, the fans will pick up on them and start using the "new" ones.

Yeah, his walk totals are unreal and I think they may get worse. As much as you don't want to face Mags, you would rather face him then Frank.