Click here to cast up to 25 ballots
JEWISH BASEBALL NEWS — The good news is that all six Jewish non-pitchers in the MLB this season are on the 2011 All-Star ballot.
The bad news? Two of the 6 are competing for a single slot.
Kevin Youkilis of the Boston Red Sox and Danny Valencia of the Minnesota Twins are among 14 men vying to play Third Base for the A.L. squad on July 12:
| Player | Avg | R | HR | RBI | SB | |
| Maicer | Izturis | .340 | 9 | 2 | 10 | 3 |
| Alex | Rodriguez | .268 | 17 | 5 | 18 | 0 |
| Edwin | Encarnacion | .256 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| Adrian | Beltre | .252 | 18 | 7 | 24 | 0 |
| Mike | Aviles | .250 | 10 | 5 | 22 | 6 |
| Kevin | Youkilis | .232 | 16 | 5 | 17 | 0 |
| Danny | Valencia | .214 | 8 | 2 | 13 | 1 |
| Brandon | Inge | .211 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 0 |
| Kevin | Kouzmanoff | .208 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 2 |
| Chone | Figgins | .207 | 12 | 1 | 10 | 3 |
| Brent | Morel | .187 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| Mark | Reynolds | .168 | 12 | 3 | 15 | 0 |
| Evan | Longoria | .111 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Unlike King Solomon, you can split this baby in two. A fan can cast up to 25 All-Star ballots per e-mail address under the MLB’s permissive rules, and there’s nothing stopping you from using multiple e-mail addresses, except perhaps your job, family, or good sense.
In short, you can cast half your votes for Youkilis and half for Valencia, if you wish.
But that’s jumping the gun. Who should the Jewish baseball fan for vote: Valencia? Youkilis? None of the above? Jewish Baseball News invites you to submit your opinion here or on our Facebook page.
Before you do so, here’s some food for thought:
- If you think Jewish fans should support Jewish players above all else, then your choice is between Youkilis and Valencia.
- Best arguments for Youkilis: he ranks 2nd among the 14 candidates in HRs (5/tie), 3rd in runs scored (16), and 4th in RBIs (17). His batting average may be weak (.232), but his .396 on-base percentage is tops among the 14 candidates and tied for 10th best in the A.L.
- Best arguments for Valencia: he finished 3rd in the A.L. Rookie of the Year race last season but didn’t appear on the All-Star ballot because he wasn’t called up until June. Now is the time to recognize him for an excellent 2010.
- If you think the All-Star Game should feature the season’s very best players regardless of religion, at least two deserve consideration. Adrian Beltre of the Texas Rangers is on pace to hit better than 35 HRs and 120 RBIs this season, and despite his power, he has struck out just 11 times in 124 at-bats. Maicer Izturis of the Los Angeles Angels is ranked 6th in the A.L. in batting (.340) and 5th in doubles (10).
Other random facts to confound you:
- Youkilis has played in 2 prior All-Star Games (2008, 2009, and Beltre in one (2010). Valencia and Izturis have yet never been selected.
- Youkilis is playing 3B regularly for the first time since 2009. He won a Gold Glove at 1B in 2007.
- Itzuris has played only five games at 3B this season. He’s played 11 at SS, 3 at 2B, and 3 at DH.
Not sure who to vote for? Don’t worry. It’s just an All-Star Game. But remember: many player contracts include a bonus for All-Star appearances.
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