{ With under three weeks until the All Star Teams are announced, we’re looking at what’s changed since our original previews. }
Preview I here.
#AL – Bill James & Cum Posey Divisions
Original Selections: George Wright, Bobby Wallace, & Freddy Parent.
Baltimore’s Wallace is is the likely starter here, slashing 325/427/471, but after him it gets difficult. Parent is hitting well for a shortstop, slashing 275/341/464, but he’s been slightly less than a fulltime player for Ottawa.
Behind those two, the House of David’s Ernie Banks, Memphis’ Vern Stephens, and Los Angeles’ Wright are all pretty identical offensively, with OPS’ in the .770s. Banks has 8 homeruns (as does Parent), and 31 RBIs to lead the group.
Detroit’s George Davis, Los Angeles’ Wright, and Kansas City’s Ozzie Smith have been the best defensive shortstops in the AL.
So, given all that, I think we go with Wallace, Banks, and Wright. But if Parent continues to post an OPS over ,800 while staying in the lineup, he’ll have to displace either Banks or Wright.
The AI avoids the confusion, only selecting Wallace.
#NL – Effa Manley & Marvin Miller Divisions
Original Selections: Jim Fregosi, Derek Jeter, & Arky Vaughan.
Homestead’s Vaughan made the original list solely on the strength of his defense, and the conundrum continues: with an OPS of .670 to go along with the best defensive numbers in the league, Vaughan remains a borderline choice.
Portland’s Fregosi is the likely starter right now, slashing 281/344/444, and the Black Yankees’ Jeter isn’t that far behind at 288/335/415. So the two of them are in.
After that, it’s between Vaughan and three others: San Francisco’s Dick Lundy is hitting well enough to make it, but just recently moved from a reserve role to the starting lineup; Birmingham’s Troy Tulowitzki and Miami’s Robin Yount are both hitting around the same level as Vaughan.
So, right now, I would stick with same trio as before, but with a sense that one of the others–perhaps Lundy, perhaps Yount–gets on a hot streak to force the conversation.
The AI ducked the issue again, selecting only Fregosi.