All-Star Snub

     If you have been following the world of sports lately, you probably know all about Dwight Howard's move to Houston, Aaron Hernandez's situation with the law, and Andy Murray's dominant performance in his own country at Wimbledon. If you watch SportsCenter much, baseball fan or not, you've probably also heard the name Yasiel Puig.
     Puig is a 22-year old Cuban right fielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He's been in the news as of late not just because he is a 6'3, 245 pound machine, but because his potential position on the National League's (NL) All-Star roster has been highly debated. He is now in my news because his name is not on that roster, and it's quite a shame.
     I have heard multiple arguments as to why #66 for the Dodgers doesn't belong in the "Midsummer Classic." Not one of them convinces me that Puig should not be playing under the lights of Citi Field next Tuesday night.
     The man has quickly built himself a resume proving his worth as one of Major League Baseball's rising stars and best players. Puig is the complete package with a wide range of impressive skills that should rank him among the game's elite. His batting average (just less than .400) has caught the attention of baseball followers around the world. In fact, it belittles what all-star starter Bryce Harper has done this season. Harper, who will be starting in the all-star game for the first time in his career, has hit for .274 in 55 games. After seeing such numbers, I assumed Harper's power must have propelled him to earn him a starting spot. That, however, is not the case since he has only hit for 13 home runs, which is pretty comparable to the 8 home runs Puig hit in the highly scrutinized amount of games he has played in (36).
     Puig's critiques continue to point to the number 36. He's only played in 36 games, they keep repeating. Well, in those 36 games he's shown what he can do. In those 36 games he's made a name for himself and become one of baseball's most popular players. In those 36 games he's put up league-leading numbers that cannot be ignored. 36 games is enough to recognize if a player can play or not. And there is no arguing he can play with the best of the best.
     I have also heard that he might have fallen into a slump and gone cold from the plate had he played more games. I don't think any person in the world can refute that. He MIGHT have. A lot of things MIGHT happen. Last I checked, there is no all-star committee that analyzes a series of "what-ifs." The fact of the matter is he hasn't hit a slump. Even if he does experience a hitting drought, which is very possible because hitting .400 is a rare feat, it doesn't change the great things he's done thus far. He's been consistent ever since day one. He's been consistently electrifying, and has brought hype and attention to a sport that lacks the ratings of the NBA or NFL. He's only been in the league since June 3rd, and he already has a top ten selling jersey in the league.
     The fans appreciate him, and the MLB should too. He is living in the city of angels, which draws the second highest amount of television ratings in the nation. He not only has baseball fans captivated, but non-baseball fans have also been drawn to the sport through their intrigue of the Cuban superstar (but not all-star). 

     Many fans love him, and many opposing players hate him. He's already been labeled arrogant by the opposition because of his business-like mentality. Puig, not used to the media and bright lights when he first arrived, would refuse to speak to media. He doesn't want the attention. This is something I admire. While some view this as cocky and dismissive, I read into it differently. I see a humble kid who doesn't want glory, but just wants to play baseball at a high level. He has a get-down-to-business mentality which seems to work nicely for him on the field.
    Puig is not only an excellent hitter, but he has speed around the bases on offense, and has shown flashes of his potential to become one of baseball's best defenders in the outfield. He covers ground while chasing down fly balls and has a potent arm just waiting to rack up assists. His skillset and passion have energized the city of L.A. and the Dodgers fans who have often given him standing ovations and requested curtain calls. More importantly, his team is now winning. The Dodgers were 23-32 when Puig arrived, and are now trailing the Arizona Diamondbacks by only a 1 1/2 games with a winning record of 46-45.
     The numbers don't lie. Yasiel Puig can do it all. He can hit, he can defend, he can create a spark, and he can lead his team to wins. He has not played as many games as the other outfielders on the N.L. All-Star team, but he is certainly just as talented and successful, and consequently, just as worthy of a roster spot. Baseball's 2013 All-Star game will be missing the most exciting player the sport has to offer. If that's not a snub, I don't know what is.