Jose Bautista is about to pass Markakis (Update: Bautista passed Markakis)

[incubus]

Joey Bats is the better player. He's leading Nick in WAR this year 2.8 to 0.7. But, the question you have to ask yourself...is an additional 2.1 WAR worth voting for a total D-bag to play in an exhibition game over our home grown boy?

I will always mention how skewed Markakis' dWAR is because of OPACY. I will never believe that he is a below avg defender (especially if you look at his defensive splits.) Heck, I doubt he's even an Avg defender this year. He's probably a little above average. If WAR is tied partially to his dWAR, then I don't trust his WAR rating. I can't think of anyone that has played balls of the scoreboard @ OPACY better than Markakis.

I've voted 50 more times so far today and will vote another 50-75 by then end of the day.

Davis, Hardy, Machado, Wieters, Jones, Markakis, McLouth.

[Babypowder]

Orioles fans have suffered enough. I am actually proud that our fans are eager to see our own in the allstar game. Besides, most of the players we are voting in are deserving. Even Markakis isn't a travesty to be voted in, I mean who is really that much more deserving? Bautista maybe, but there's nobody else really. Davis, Hardy, and Jones are actually deserving. To be honest though I'd rather send Markakis for his first appearance than Jones if I had the choice. Jones probably gets more recognition across the board than he really deserves.

Adam Jones wasn't on my ballot but he is at least in the realm. There is a slew of guys more deserving than Markakis: Trout, Bautista, Ellsbury, Rios, Gardner, Rasmus, Trumbo, McLouth, Zobrist, Crisp, Gordon, Smith, Nava, Joyce, Hunter... take your pick. There's probably a handful more.

[crissfan172]

Just voted for Nick 140 times. Also voted for Roberts since Cano is going to win anyways...and it might annoy people that have nothing better to worry about.

[Tx Oriole]

All Star voting is serious business for some people. If WAR says they don't belong, then by gosh, they won't vote for them. Some people have a hard time getting over themselves, and realizing it's a FAN vote. I'm not a fan of that d-bag Bautista so I won't vote for him. I'll now send 35 votes x 4 email accounts just to piss off the wannabe purists.

Now that is mature. What is so wrong if some fans wants to vote for who he feels

is more deserving? Even if it is over an O's

[NickM21]

Adam Jones wasn't on my ballot but he is at least in the realm. There is a slew of guys more deserving than Markakis: Trout, Bautista, Ellsbury, Rios, Gardner, Rasmus, Trumbo, McLouth, Zobrist, Crisp, Gordon, Smith, Nava, Joyce, Hunter... take your pick. There's probably a handful more.

Trout is already ahead of Markakis and will start. Isn't Trumbo a DH on the ballot? Zobrist is listed at 2B. Crisp and Gordon I'll agree with. I'll obviously agree with McClouth . Hunter has missed several weeks with an injury if I'm not mistaken. Joyce is a push at best. I'll agree with Ellsbury although I'm not voting for a Red Sox, but can understand from a "more deserving" stand point. The numbers show Garnder way ahead of Markakis but I don't really agree, I think it's way closer, Gardner may be a ahead by a small margin.

[Malike]

Now that is mature. What is so wrong if some fans wants to vote for who he feels

is more deserving? Even if it is over an O's

Again, the game is a farce, I don't care who votes for whom. I think it's funny when people take a game that is a joke seriously. Man, public schools are a huge failure, reading comprehension in this country is pathetic. Again, vote for who you want, I haven't once said that everyone should vote all O's, I maintain it doesn't matter who plays in the joke that is the all star game. That's my point in case it wasn't clear the first three times.

[BRobinsonfan]

Where does one find the ballot leaders for the all star game.... I've voted my 25 times... but I for some reason can't find the totals.

[weams]

Bautista is a clown.

'Roid Rage as well. I prefer the strong silent type. You know. Gary Cooper.

[weams]

Where does one find the ballot leaders for the all star game.... I've voted my 25 times... but I for some reason can't find the totals.

I don't think they have a live total to look at.

[anrynike]

All Star voting is serious business for some people. If WAR says they don't belong, then by gosh, they won't vote for them. Some people have a hard time getting over themselves, and realizing it's a FAN vote. I'm not a fan of that d-bag Bautista so I won't vote for him. I'll now send 35 votes x 4 email accounts just to piss off the wannabe purists.

Amen, I don't care what Bautista's WAR says. I would take Nick with his cool, calm, level approach any day of the week over that "d-bag".

[foxfield]

Amen, I don't care what Bautista's WAR says. I would take Nick with his cool, calm, level approach any day of the week over that "d-bag".

Well as a point of fact if there were an all-d-bagery team......

Bautista would be on it.

With or with out WAR.

[Mr Snuffleupagus]

You all are going to hate yourselves when Nick gets hurt during the ASG.

It's fun to see these guys on the big stage, but a big part of me would rather they all just get the extra days off. Especially Wieters.

[weams]

Amen, I don't care what Bautista's WAR says. I would take Nick with his cool, calm, level approach any day of the week over that "d-bag".

Coco Crisp and Brett Gardner have Bautista on WAR. The SABR guys are all calling for Crisp.

[crawjo]

I don't think the ASG is a joke. I think most players take it seriously, especially now that it determines home field advantage in the World Series. I also think it is a worthwhile game because unlike the other sports, it's not just an offensive showcase. Pitchers actually try, and fielders actually field. So it's a chance to see the best players in baseball.

Let's stipulate two things:

1. The Orioles are going to win the American League pennant this year. Would you rather they get the home game in Games 1, 2, 6 and 7, or in Games 3, 4, or 5? Keep in mind that the last team to win a Game 7 on the road to win the World Series was the Pirates against Baltimore in 1979. Since then, road teams are 0-8 in Game Sevens.

2. There will be a situation during the All Star Game where the American League will have three men on base with two outs and the right fielder coming up. Would you rather that player be Jose Bautista or Nick Markakis? Who do you think is more likely to win a game with his bat?

To me, the answers to these questions are obvious. I love rooting for Orioles in the ASG, but I've never liked it when other teams have stacked the starting lineups with players, some of whom were not really deserving. I don't think Bautista should start over Markakis because he has a better WAR. I think Bautista should start over Markakis because he's a better player, end of story.

[Mondo Trasho]

I don't think the ASG is a joke. I think most players take it seriously, especially now that it determines home field advantage in the World Series. I also think it is a worthwhile game because unlike the other sports, it's not just an offensive showcase. Pitchers actually try, and fielders actually field. So it's a chance to see the best players in baseball.

Let's stipulate two things:

1. The Orioles are going to win the American League pennant this year. Would you rather they get the home game in Games 1, 2, 6 and 7, or in Games 3, 4, or 5? Keep in mind that the last team to win a Game 7 on the road to win the World Series was the Pirates against Baltimore in 1979. Since then, road teams are 0-8 in Game Sevens.

2. There will be a situation during the All Star Game where the American League will have three men on base with two outs and the right fielder coming up. Would you rather that player be Jose Bautista or Nick Markakis? Who do you think is more likely to win a game with his bat?

To me, the answers to these questions are obvious. I love rooting for Orioles in the ASG, but I've never liked it when other teams have stacked the starting lineups with players, some of whom were not really deserving. I don't think Bautista should start over Markakis because he has a better WAR. I think Bautista should start over Markakis because he's a better player, end of story.

1. I don't plan on playing a 7 game series. I say we need 5 games tops.

2. Against an All-Star pitcher, I'd say it's a wash. Bautista might be better than Markakis, but it's not by leaps and bounds. We're not talking Chris Davis vs Ryan Flaherty here. And, possibly it's a moot point since the starting right fielder could be out of the game when such a situation comes to pass.