BYB Roundtable: Who should represent Detroit in the 2023 All-Star Game?

The 2023 Major League Baseball All-Star Game is set to take place on July 11 at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, Washington, as we pass the midpoint of this summer’s campaign. The full rosters for both the American and National League teams were announced on Sunday, which included a surprise nod for starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen, who will rep the Olde English D in the Pacific Northwest two Tuesdays from now.

Before the decision was announced, the Bless You Boys staff assembled to revive the site’s roundtable after a June hiatus to discuss who we believe is the most deserving of the annual honor. While the Tigers have had many ups and downs, no particular player who is currently healthy really stood out from the rest.

Nonetheless, a decision must be made so we talked it out among ourselves and came to general consensus on who that player should be before the announcement was even made. Take a look below at our discussion and conclusion.

David Rosenberg: Are we assuming Miggy gets some sort of honorary nod? If not, I want him just cause… you know… it’s the end.

Cam Kaiser: Among the players who are healthy, it’s fairly safe to say that no one is worthy. I could see it being Alex Lange because he has a handful of saves, but it should probably be Jason Foley. Foley has been the most consistently good reliever on the team. I’d vote for Miggy because it’s his last chance and he’s one of the game’s biggest stars of the last 20 years, but I doubt they’d give him two years of honorary All-Star spots. For that reason, I’ll say Jason Foley.

Frisbee Pilot: Yeah, I agree — Foley gets it for me. He’s just been such a nice success story. Or, perhaps a more unconventional pick: Tyler Holton. Dude’s been mostly lights-out this year, with a WHIP right at 1… maybe his walk and strikeout numbers don’t look so great, but he’s getting the job done whenever he’s been asked to do so.

Ashley MacLennan: He’s not the best, but I’m giving it to Miggy as a parting gift.

Brady McAtemney: I don’t know if this is a weird suggestion or not, but Eduardo Rodriguez was so damn good before his injury that I think he should still get the nod. Had Riley stayed healthy, it may have even been him, dammit.

Outside of the Miggy last hurrah, Foley’s really the only other guy worthy. Would’ve been Lange, but… you know.

Frisbee: I wouldn’t be mad if it was Rodriguez, honestly.

Peter Kwisniak: It should be Foley. I think it’ll end up being Lange cause “closers” and “saves” carry too much importance in the eyes of the fans. But Foley has been the real MVP of the bullpen so far. He should be the choice.

Zane Harding: Tigers over 1 fWAR in 2023:

• ERod: 1.7 fWAR in 11 GS
• Greene: 1.6 fWAR in 52 G
• Rogers: 1.4 fWAR in 51 G
• McKinstry: 1.2 fWAR in 72 G
• Foley: 1.1 fWAR in 34 G

Lange is sitting at a 0.5 fWAR; Holton 0.3 fWAR; Cabrera -0.5 fWAR.

I share this not to suggest that fWAR should be the determinant factor of the team’s ASG representative, but to heavily discourage Miggy or Lange being our sole representative as a competitive team. Miggy just had his first net-positive month in, what, half a decade? And Lange single-handedly decimated multiple possible wins in the midst of the miserable nine-game losing streak.

In my opinion, Jake Rogers should get the nod if Rodriguez or Greene are not healthy. McKinstry disappeared for most of June, and Foley would be yet another snoozefest reliever rep. In addition to posting a 105 wRC+ plus 10 HR and counting at a position known for poor hitting, Rogers is one of baseball’s truly elite fielders (Baez, too, actually, but God isn’t that cruel to Tigers fans).

A healthy Rodriguez and Greene may have both made the game, but in their stead, give me Jake the Rake. Sub-.200 batting average ASG rep, yes, but one who excels just about everywhere else. (Heim should definitely get the start, though. Slightly better fielder and an actually strong average, although Jake has slightly better power.)

Adam Dubbin: Zane slicing with the SABR!

Mr. Sunshine: Before Zane posted, I was on team Jake Rogers for All-Star but just hadn’t looked up the numbers. So yeah, I’m with Zane on this one.

Zane: One honorable mention, just not quite a dark horse: Kerry Carpenter. In just 38 games, he has accrued a team-best 128 wRC+ and 0.8 fWAR. If he blasts the ball away coming up, I could see it. My “eye test” even thought Spencer Torkelson after his June, but he also was pretty poor to begin the season. I really want to see it, but it’d feel disingenuous right this second. (Analytics dislike him, but he has an elite scoop and the bat really has come alive. We also know around here that analytics underrated prime Miggy.)

If ERod and Greene are out, and it isn’t Rogers, however, give me Fireman Foley. I agree with Peter — he’s the MVP of what has been a very important bullpen.

Brady: I’d be all for Rake Rodgers getting in. So I checked and Jake is actually third in the AL in fWAR among catchers behind Heim and Adley.

Cam: Hahahaha, what?

Zane: Yeah, he’s cracked.

Brady: Defense and dingers baby.

Frisbee: Alright then, I change my vote to The Sarge… even though he doesn’t have that mustache anymore.

Jay Markle: Zane does make a convincing argument, doesn’t he?

Patrick O’Kennedy: I don’t think that any of the active Tigers are legit all-stars. Riley Greene and E Rod were on their way before landing on the IL, and they still lead the lineup and the pitching staff in fWAR, respectively despite missing all that time.

Rogers ranks third at catcher and McKinstry ranks fourth among AL second basemen in fWAR. Jason Foley ranks sixth among AL relievers with 1.1 fWAR and has been the best Tiger in the pen. Cabrera even got his All-Star curtain call along with Albert Pujols last year at Dodger Stadium. I’ll go with Jake.

Adam: My pick for the ASG representative for the Tigers is an easy choice — Eduardo Rodriguez. While he wouldn’t be able to participate and would require a substitute, he was far and away the best player on the team and a deserving All-Star before his injury.

In lieu of E-Rod, I’d happily go with Big Jake Energy as the sub.

Les Lim: As someone who has watched enough of the Tigers this year already, the idea that any currently active player on this roster makes it more likely I’ll watch the ASG is frankly misguided. Is that too ornery?

Brandon Day: I’ll go with Jake Rogers. Even the much better catcher defense stats available now don’t quite make clear how valuable I think he’s been. On top of being near the top in framing, blocking, etc., it’s the game-calling and the way he’s led a lot of young pitchers who are probably over their heads a bit, that has really impressed me. He’s just one of those rare catchers that exudes control of the whole game. Would it be great if he struck out less? Yes. Keep walking and mashing and I don’t care.

Without the injuries, Eduardo and then Riley would probably be the best options, but it is what it is, so I too will go with Jason Foley as my second choice. I’m not getting too worked up about Alex Lange after he spent four months putting up just about the best numbers in the game for a reliever, but he’s obviously gotten off track badly a few times over the past month.

Zane: I like how the actual selection did not come up in the conversation, period.

Now that you have heard BYB’s collective takes, who do you think should represent the Olde English D this year? Vote in the poll below and share your answer with the group in the comments.