According to a release by the official MLB Twitter, Los Angeles Dodgers rookie sensation Yasiel Puig has been omitted from the 2013 National League All-Star team. This comes after one of the most impressive beginnings to a career that we've ever witnessed.
There may be some opposing his selection, but Puig deserves to be a National League All-Star after his torrid start.
Puig is the latest five-tool player to enter the MLB, displaying elite abilities in every facet of the game. While some believe his numbers have been inflated by a brief career, one thing can quiet the naysayers.
The fans.
I suggest you vote for the phenom to make the All-Star Game.
Puig has been nothing short of remarkable, but that doesn't always translate to recognition. With just 30 games under his belt, there is reason to believe that he's yet to prove his worth.
Or has he?
Record-Setting Start
Jonathan Papelbon can debate this all he wants, but few players have ever started a season as well as Puig has. In fact, Puig's first 30 games have put him into the exalted company of Joe DiMaggio and Roy Weatherly.
Need we say more?
If we do, we will.
Puig is currently hitting .417 with eight home runs, 19 RBI and 24 runs in just 30 games. This limited playing time may lead to questions of his validity, but the fact that Puig is being mentioned in the same sentence as DiMaggio should tell you something.
So should Puig's impact on his team.
Turning a Season Around
Prior to Puig's MLB debut, the Los Angeles Dodgers were 23-32 overall and drifting further away from postseason contention. Since he has entered the league, however, the Dodgers have been a different kind of animal.
LA is 18-12 with Puig in the lineup.
Not only has he helped the Dodgers turn their season around, but he's provided a much-needed five-tool presence with Matt Kemp battling injuries. In a star-studded lineup without consistency, Puig has even emerged as the most productive player on the team.
Last time I checked, a player locks in an All-Star berth when he combines elite production with a powerful impact on his team.
That's exactly what Puig has given the Dodgers, who have fed off his energy both at the plate and in the field. From a cannon of an arm to an explosive swing, Puig has been a walking highlight reel with a significant team influence to boot.
Someone tell me what isn't All-Star worthy about that.
The Trout Factor
In 2012, Mike Trout took the world by storm, dominating in every facet of the game and helping the Los Angeles Angels turn their season around. One year later, Puig is following down a similar path with the Dodgers.
So why was Trout an All-Star, and Puig isn't?
This is not to sell Trout's stellar play short by any stretch of the imagination, as he's played elite baseball since he first set foot on an MLB field. With that being said, Trout's brief career—albeit longer than Puig's—was of little influence to voters.
They saw a standout performer and rewarded him with an All-Star Game appearance.
Puig is becoming the face of an injury-plagued season. As many players have looked to get in with strong play, few—if any—have given MLB the popularity boost that Puig has provided.
Both on the field and off it, Puig has been elite. It's only fair for MLB to reward him.
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