Could the Rays get two on the all star team

[tonypug]

Scott Kazmir should be a lock for the american league all star team. My question is how can Carl Crawford not get picked. I know its unusual for a last place team to have more then one player on the team, but Crawford belongs.

[raysnbran]

A lot depends on the AL manager, Guillen. He's already on record saying he will piss a lot of managers off, because he intends to bring just about his whole starting staff. That might leave Kazmir in the dark. Back in May, I would have thought he and Gomes were a lock, now Gomes has faded away and Crawford will probably be our only representative.

[tonypug]

A lot depends on the AL manager, Guillen. He's already on record saying he will piss a lot of managers off, because he intends to bring just about his whole starting staff. That might leave Kazmir in the dark. Back in May, I would have thought he and Gomes were a lock, now Gomes has faded away and Crawford will probably be our only representative.
Guillen has proven he's a real jerk. It wouldn't surprise me to see him bypass Kazmir.

[raysnbran]

I am shocked that he is not even on the ballot for the internet voting. What else does the man have to do? Even Crawford said it (paraphrasing here), something to the effect that it must be a rule not to have more than 1 Devil Ray player on the team.

[tonypug]

The All Star game is already a joke, but to leave Crawford off the team is rediculous. THe Rays themselves were expecting Carl to be on the internet ballot. They were planning a campaign to help get him elected. What a farce.

[raysnbran]

If the Rays were waiting to start a campaign for Crawford AFTER he got named to the internet ballot, they were about a month too late. They should have started the campaign June 1st, like the Pirates did with Jason Bay. I heard today at one time he was 9th on the ballot, then the Pirates mounted a huge campaign to have a hometown player start in the All Star game in Pittsburgh, and now he's one of the starting OFers. Crawford is a no brainer to be on the team, but until or unless he's on one of the big market teams, we will have to be satisfied that all teams at least get one player represented, I suppose :mad:

[raysnbran]

The sad thing is that CC was 16th in the fan voting, even though he is doing things at his age only a handful of players in the HISTORY of baseball ever did before age 25. If Crawford was the starting LF for the Yankees or Red Sox and on TV 5 times a week, he would be the top vote getter in the AL. That's why fans shouldn't vote the starters in, too much of a popularity contest :grouchy

[KCGHOST]

Crawford is a fine player (as is Gomes) but can any of you rell me:

1) What is Crawford doing this season that few players have ever done, and

2) Which corner OFer you could justify knocking off the AL All-Star because Crawford is better?

[raysnbran]

Crawford is a fine player (as is Gomes) but can any of you rell me:

1) What is Crawford doing this season that few players have ever done, and

2) Which corner OFer you could justify knocking off the AL All-Star because Crawford is better?

He should have at least been one of the 5 being voted on by fans on the internet, instead of Nick Swisher, for one thing. Swisher is like 1 for his last 29 ABs leading up to the voting. As a past All Star, Crawford should be afforded some more respect.

Here's an article detailing some of the things he ranks high in, going into this season. Also this year, he became the 8th player in baseball history to have 200 stolen bases before age 25.

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/03/29/Rays/Carl_on_the_rise.shtml

Crawford has increased his batting average, home run totals, RBI production and OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) in each of his four major-league seasons.

He is one of five players since World War II to have 30 doubles, 15 triples and 15 home runs in a season. He ranks among the top seven major-leaguers from 2003-05 in hits, stolen bases and triples.