MVN: Most Valuable Network

In noting that Brian Wilson was selected for the All-Star team over Cole Hamels, Keith Law adds this:

Hamels is just the best of a list of NL starters left off in favor of relievers and the selection of Ryan Dempster (on the basis of his win total, I presume). Hamels is 11th in the NL in ERA despite pitching in a hitter's park and is third in the league in strikeouts. Chad Billingsley and Johan Santana also both appear in the top 10 in the league in ERA and strikeouts; if Santana doesn't get an extra boost for his resume, I'm not sure who does, while Billingsley is quickly developing into a front-line starter. All three men belong in the game in some way.

I'm not sure why Santana would get an "extra boost" based on past performance for another team in another league in another year, so let's compare Hamels, Dempster, Santana and Billingsley in 2008:

Hamels: 9-5, 3.22 ERA, 110 Ks, 1.02 WHIP.

Dempster: 9-3, 3.24 ERA, 93 Ks, 1.18 WHIP.

Santana: 7-7, 2.96, 109 Ks, 1.19 WHIP.

Billingsley: 8-7, 3.12 ERA, 107 Ks, 1.31 WHIP.

Certainly seems defensible, even though the other three likely will finish the year with better numbers. But they don't play the All-Star game at the end of the year - or the end of last year, as Mr. Law seems to think.

Labels: All-Star Game, Chad Billingsley, Chicago Cubs, Cole Hamels, Johan Santana, Keith Law, Ryan Dempster