Yasiel Puig: All-Star?

I know we have the running thread going on, but figured this could be a branch-out topic.

Does Yasiel Puig deserve to be an All-Star this summer? He's hitting .436 with seven homers and 16 RBIs in 26 games since being called up a month ago.

Jonathan Papelbon doesn't think so, saying "it's an absolute joke" in an interview on MLB Network Radio.

I'm on the fence about it. The numbers are impressive, no doubt, but he's only been in the league for a month. What say you? Is Puig deserving of a spot on the team?

 

Hell, I say let's put him in the Hall of Fame already.

 

Not over Nick Punto.

 

I think it was MLB Network that said that the only other person who did what Puig has done through 100 ABs slash first month of his MLB career was DiMaggio. He played in the ASG.

 

1. Is it a cool story? Yes.
2. Would it get ratings galore? Yes.
3. Does he deserve to be in the All-Star Game? No.
4. Will he be in the All-Star Game? Yes.

For numbers 1 and 2 alone.

 

Under almost any circumstances I would be in the "hell no" camp, but the fucker is hitting .436. The Dodgers are 15-11 with him and 23-32 without him.

Whoever that last guy is instead of him hasn't had a quarter of the impact Puig has already.

 

Does he deserve to be? Of course.

 

Through his first 126 at-bats in 1936, DiMaggio was batting .381 with four homers and 28 RBIs.

http://beyondthescorecard.blogspot.com/2013/07/yasiel-puig-fuller-perspective.html

 

Don't get me wrong. I love the story. I still think he will be in the ASG. I just don't think he should be in the ASG because June was beddy beddy good to him.

 

The DiMaggio comparison doesn't really work because he was competing against 24 other outfielders to be an all-star. Puig is one of 45.

Also, DiMaggio had two month's worth of production going into the All-Star Game in 1936. Puig is at a month.

I don't think he deserves it, because there are enough worthy candidates at his position -- Cuddyer, the Carloses Gomez and Gonzalez, McCutchen, Beltran, Dom Brown, Bruce. But they will put him in the online fan voting and he will make it.

 

It will be fun to revisit this after Bochy gives a spot to Hunter Pence (.283/13/42 and a series of inspirational speeches last October).