Atlanta Braves: Nick Markakis needs you to get to the All-Star game
Finding Braves that are deserving of an All-Star nod? That’s the easy part. Getting them to Washington for the game? That’s the tricky part.
I started out tonight to talk about how well several Atlanta Braves players have been performing and making their cases for the All-Star game coming up in mid-July.
Then I realized that ‘making their case’ really isn’t the problem. That’s easy. But getting them into the game? That’s another story.
Let’s take Nick Markakis as example #1. He is – and always has been – a stoic, intense, professional ball player. This season, he’s still enjoying a renewal of performance that he hasn’t seen in 10 years – quite literally.
He’s not flamboyant. He’s not outspoken. He’s not charismatic on the field, overtly demonstrative, or the first that the media members run to for “the quote” after games. He simply goes about his business every day.
This season, it’s working really well.
As a direct consequence, Nick Markakis is only a household name in Baltimore and in Braves Country. That’s not good for something that’s essentially just a popularity contest.
I’ve complained about the All-Star voting process before. Pretty much annually, in fact. But this year – more than ever – the Braves may be hurt by the fact that other fanbases simply out-stuff the ballot boxes.
The Numbers
When looking at the National League leaders among outfielders… assuming that voters actually look at the numbers… Markakis should be elected as a starter.
- fWAR: Lorenzo Cain 2.2; Markakis 2.0; Tommy Pham 1.8
- Lowest strikeout rate
- 2nd-highest batting average
- #1 in singles
- #1 in doubles
- #1 in hits
- #2 in scaled runs created (wRC+)
- #1 in on-base percentage
- #6 in slugging (that’s the shocking one, to be honest)
- #6 in runs scored
- #2 in runs batted in
But here’s the problems:
- All outfielders are lumped together for voting purposes – they aren’t separated into LF/CF/RF positions
- Bryce Harper will be voted in… easily
- Matt Kemp (!) will probably be voted in
- The 3rd slot might be a toss-up, but there may be stiff competition from Lorenzo Cain, Tommy Pham, Odubel Herrera, Rhys Hoskins (though being hurt will hurt his chances), Charlie Blackmon, and any warm body wearing a Cubs uniform.
The Loophole is not big
You might be thinking “eh – don’t worry about it… Dave Roberts (Dodgers manager) will do the right thing: he”’ name Nick as a reserve player, so he’ll get in.”
Well… maybe. I’d even say ‘probably’… but it’s hard to even say that with any certainty. This is still a contest in which Participation Trophies are awarded. Don’t forget: every team gets a representative.
There’s a round of reserve players that likely will be used to “right the wrongs” of the balloting, but we all know: somebody always dissed in the process.
Already, Freddie Freeman is the best player in the NL, by fWAR – if he isn’t voted in, then he could be that Braves reserve selected first.
Also, arguably the most productive players for all of these teams are outfielders: Brewers, Phillies (very close with 2B Cesar Hernandez), Mets (close w/Asdrubal Cabrera), Cubs (and it’s not Kyle Schwarber), Pirates, Dodgers. As a result, any of these could serve to squeeze out Markakis.
As for other Braves, Ozzie Albies could be tagged to participate; maybe Flowers/Suzuki, Sean Newcomb, Folty… Dan Winkler. Every additional Braves’ name mentioned would lower the odds for the next one to be named as a reserve.
But Markakis deserves not only to play, but to start.
How This Works
That can happen, but it’s going to require some serious dedication.
You get to vote 35 times… spread out at 5 times every 24 hours for a week. Bizarre.
Here’s the link to the ballot. You may proceed… I’ll keep chatting here.
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- Atlanta Braves 2023 Preseason Top 30 Prospects List: 6-10
There are ways to ‘game’ the process, for the severely under-employed among us… despite warnings against fraud and abuse.
- Using multiple email addresses, but dedicated to a single computer.
- Clearing cookies set up on your browser by the balloting website
Some will take advantage of these loopholes, but the truth is that it may not be entirely necessary if there’s enough of us participating:
It could require about 2 million votes (+/-) to elect an outfield starter.
- 35 votes each among 10,000 fans gets 350,000 votes
- 25 votes each among another 10,000 adds 250,000
- 10 votes each from 100,000 fans? 1,000,000
- 5 votes each from another 100,000? 500,000
That’s a way to get there… this formula adds up to 2.1 million.
Are you getting excited about this Braves’ team? If so, then which group do you want to be in? The first 10K, the second 10K, or one of the 100,000’s?
They all add up… but it has to start with all of us. Don’t let the Cubs win. Don’t let the Cardinals win. Don’t let the Dodgers win. Chop the Vote.