Strasburg an All-Star?

In light of Stephen Strasburg‘s fourth dominating start for the woeful Washingston Nationals, the buzz around the rookie pitcher’s chances to represent his squad in July’s All-Star Game in Anaheim have heated up.

Despite his relative inexperience in Major League Baseball, Strasburg has quickly compiled some of the finest starts for a first-timer in the history of the sport. In terms of strikeouts, for example, no other pitcher has obtained more in his first four games in the modern era. For all intents and purposes, Strasburg has put together a string of starts that rival anyone else’s in baseball.

Yet there is a lot of disagreement within baseball and in the media as to whether or not Strasburg should be given the chance to take the mound July 14th. C.C. Sabathia has said recently that you couldn’t argue that Strasburg is “one of the best pitchers in the league” but was not sure whether or not he belonged in the Midsummer Classic.

Having Sabathia, one of the most dominant second-half pitcher in recent years, call Strasburg one of the best in the league reveals just how good Strasburg is perceived to be. The All-Star Game, designed as a spectacle for the media and the fans of the finest players in baseball, is just the kind of venue to show off baseball’s brightest young star to the international market that may not get many chances to watch him otherwise.

Still, many people are not convinced. Let me flesh out my thinking on why Strasburg should be included on the National League roster.

From what I’ve read and heard the central arguments against Strasburg being including in the festivities are based on falsely held assumptions about the purity of baseball and the All-Star Game. Theoretically, all-stars are supposed to be the best players at each position in a given season. As a result, all-star appearances are often mentioned when the case is being made for a player undergoing contract negotiations or when making their case for the Hall of Fame.

The problem with this line of thinking is that in the modern era the starting position players are voted on by the fans. In most cases the fans select those who are deserving of the honor. There have been a number of times since this system was introduced where the inclusion of players from big markets such as Boston and New York has been to the detriment of less popular players from smaller markets who have actually posted better numbers. These mistakes are usually rectified when the managers announce their benches, but not always so.

What does this mean? We cannot give as a reason for excluding Strasburg that his appearance would lessen the value in general of being named as an all-star or the All-Star Game as a whole. There have been a number of popular players who’ve graced the Midsummer Classic despite their arguable statistical resumes.

If we’re going to discuss the essence of the All-Star Game at all and who should be included, we are forced to admit that it serves mostly as a well-marketed exhibition of what is exciting and memorable about baseball as opposed to an objective measurement of who’s the best. It is not a hard and fast showcase of baseball’s best statistical players as much as it is a vehicle through which MLB can hype its product to the masses as exciting and relevant. To that extent, baseball’s finest young talent is most fitting of an inclusion.

I have also heard it mentioned that to include Strasburg would be unprecedented. This is not so. There may not be many young players with as few games as Strasburg who have appeared in past All-Star Games, but there have been a number of aging superstars who have been included as a nod to their past greatness and their impact on the game. Many people remember fondly the year that Alex Rodriguez moved from shortstop to third base in order to let Cal Ripken man the position he played so well for so long one more time before fans from across the leagues. Were Cal’s numbers good enough that year to merit all-star inclusion? Hardly. Did anyone complain? Probably not. Why? Because it is alright to make exceptions in extraordinary cases.

To the extent that we invite yesterday’s greats on to the field we should also be willing to extend a hand, in this most special circumstance, to Stephen Strasburg. He is the sole possessor of the greatest first four starts in the modern era of Major League Baseball. For that alone, and until he stumbles greatly, he is a worthy all-star.