Could the Brewers get four All-Stars?
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by user Corey Kempf
There are people who will laugh at that question, but the fact is that the Milwaukee Brewers have four players deserving of All-Star consideration: Chris Capuano, Bill Hall, Carlos Lee and Derrick Turnbow.
Capuano is among the National League's best pitchers this year. He's accumulated a 9-4 record with a 3.10 ERA (8th in the NL), 1.16 WHIP (5th), 105 strikeouts (4th) in 116 innings pitched (2nd). This is from a guy who was supposedly the No. 3 starter in the Crew's rotation heading into the season. Cappy has not wavered as the ace role of the staff has fallen to him in Ben Sheets' stead, and has proven that his 18 win season of last was no fluke. He may even be a Cy Young Award contender if he continues his output.
Hall has become arguably the most versatile player in the entire league. He began the season platooning at second base, third base, shortstop and center field before settling in as the everyday shortstop when J.J. Hardy severely sprained his ankle. Hall is batting .276 currently with 16 homers (including two walk-offs) and 39 RBI. He ranks eighth in the NL in slugging percentage (.576).
Lee is the most obvious choice if you were to only pick one of these players. He is among the leading vote getters in the National League and is currently batting .276 and is third in the NL with 25 homers and sixth with 63 RBI.
After blowing two consecutive saves at the beginning of June, while the Brewers were mired in an eight game losing streak, Turnbow has converted seven straight saves and hasn't given up a run since June 3. He currently ranks 2nd in the NL with 22 saves.
With the numbers that these guys have put up, each of them makes a case, and if there weren't such a logjam at first base in the National League, you might be able to make an argument for Prince Fielder as well. But the question may not be "could," they certainly can make the All-Star team, but "should."
There has only been once in the history of the franchise when the Brewers sent four players to the All-Star Game, and you'd have to search the books back to 1983 when Robin Yount and Ted Simmons both started, and Cecil Cooper and Ben Ogilvie were named reserves.
It's tough enough to put four players on an All-Star team. It's even tougher when the voting system allows for big market teams to vote in their favorite players and not for the most deserving player. Now, the manager has to choose all four players as reserves, which likely will not happen.
What does the rest of the ArmchairGM community think. Four Brewers All-Stars...Yay or Nay?
Date
Thu 06/29/06, 9:51 am EST
