{ 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: Duffy Lewis, Frank Robinson, Don Buford.
With Los Angeles’ Buford sliding slightly, this is really down to a pool of four: Baltimore’s Robinson and Chicago’s Lewis along with the House of David’s George Stone and Detroit’s Oscar Gamble. Here’s how they compare:
Gamble: 268/388/536; 14 HR; 43 RBI
Lewis: 310/354/619; 17 HR
Robinson: 319/397/529; 12 HR
Stone: 322/413/539; 10 HR
Lewis is on a tear and currently the dominant choice to start. The other three are virtually indistinguishable and perhaps Baltimore’s overall performance combined with Stone’s very poor defense provides the difference, making the final selections Lewis, Robinson, and Gamble.
The AI selects all four and adds Jimmy Sheckard of the New York Gothams. Sheckard has a good argument: 306/412/477 with 42 runs scored.
#NL – Effa Manley & Marvin Miller Divisions
Original Selections: Babe Ruth, Rico Carty, Roy White.
The New York Black Yankees’ Ruth is the clear starter. Beyond that, though, it’s gotten a little muddy. Brooklyn’s White has slumped, and even his great defense can’t make up that ground.
That leaves Philadelphia’s Carty, who has been rock-solid all year with an OPS over .900 and tied for the league lead in doubles. So he’s in.
The third spot probably goes, right now, to Homestead’s Rick Reichardt, who is hitting 302/391/450, and is the only other LF with an OPS in the .800’s.
The challenge here is really San Francisco’s Pedro Guerrero and the Black Yankees’ Albert Belle. Both of them have hit well enough to warrant selection, but neither have played enough for me. Belle has been seeing more time in the field lately, so there is a chance he slides in, either directly or as a “utility” choice.
The AI selects Ruth, Carty, and Belle.