Harang Snubbed Yet Again...

[missionhockey21]

No, he isn't an All-Star and I am not proposing that. However I can't see why he is left off in favor of a guy like Carlos Zambrano, who would likely be chased out of any town he pitched in if he didn't have the talent he does. John Maine is yet even more deserving than Harang, but Harang and Zambrano are on complete opposite ends of the personality rainbow so I thought it would be fun to look at the basic stats they are likely using and to try to understand the reasoning. Let's compare.

Player A:
ERA- 4.20
IP- 111.1
BAA- .245
K/9- 7.60
WHIP- 1.33
Record- 9-6

Player B:
ERA- 3.80
IP- 113.2
BAA- .242
K/9- 7.92
WHIP- 1.18
Record- 8-2

I could personally careless about things like W-L records when evaluating a pitcher but I would have to imagine that LaRussa or whoever would set up similar criteria when seeing the numbers (AKA, simple, not much in the way of sabermatics.) Player B is of course Harang, and player A is Zambrano and while Harang is not world's apart making this the grand injustice of the past hundred years, it just is frustrating to see him fly under the radar so often. There are more deserving pitchers and Chris Young without question should be the winner of this balloting, but seeing a guy like Zambrano make it over Harang and even more so, John Maine, turns my stomach a bit. I have to wonder if his explosive personality (which is a nice way to call being an asshole I guess) or his impending FA made Major League Baseball choose him over someone such as Maine.

[missionhockey21]

I wanted to clarify again, this really isn't over the numbers so much as it's over WHO that spot went to. Yes, I don't care for Zambrano at all.

[HollywoodLeo]

The sad thing is, being on a team as popular as the Cubs, I fear Zambrano may win the vote and leave Chris Young off the roster.

[browntown653]

That's a joke, I didn't even realize Zambrano made the team...there are so many more deserving pitches than him in the NL it's not funny. This is when you know it's all about name recognition.

[HollywoodLeo]

Zambrano didn't make the team.

He's on the ballot for the "last man"

Which might cost Chris Young his rightful spot because CY doesn't wear a blue cap with a red C on it.

[browntown653]

Zambrano didn't make the team.

He's on the ballot for the "last man"

Which might cost Chris Young his rightful spot because CY doesn't wear a blue cap with a red C on it.

Ohhh OK, that's still ridiculous though...I'm still voting for Young as much as I can.

[HollywoodLeo]

Ohhh OK, that's still ridiculous though...I'm still voting for Young as much as I can.

Sweet deal, same here

[missionhockey21]

Young is mine and any rational baseball fan who still wants some integrity to the ASG's choice. I really don't see how you can argue for someone else.

[Fishercat]

John Maine? Ian Snell? Please?

I voted for CYoung because he made the Sox his ***** and I respect that. But really, Gorzellany and Webb are fine choices too

[HollywoodLeo]

Fine choices, but not having as great of a season as CY.