All-Stars are not defined as “best player”. That’s because of the selection process. Fan votes are heavily weighted, followed by player votes. While skill is important, popularity is also a factor in the selection of All-Stars.
That’s why sometimes, players who have performed exceptionally well are excluded from the All-Star team. This is the case with the All-Star Game, which will be held at Sajik Stadium in Busan on May 15 for the first time in 16 years. The batting champion, the run-scoring champion, and foreign pitchers who have been performing exceptionally well have been excluded from the All-Star roster.
The Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) announced the full roster for the All-Star Game on April 4, including players recommended by managers. The Dream (SSG, KT, Samsung, Lotte, Doosan) and Nanum (Kiwoom, LG, KIA, NC, Hanwha) All-Star teams were finalized last week through fan and player voting. In addition, a total of 50 All-Stars for the 2023 season have been selected, including players recommended by managers.
SSG’s Choi Jung-jeong, who leads the league in home runs and is looking for his first career MVP. Noh Si-hwan leading Hanwha’s leap forward. Most of the players who are continuing their outstanding performances, such as NC’s Eric Peddy, who is at the peak of his performance in his debut season in the KBO, will appear in the All-Star Game. Samsung catcher Kang Min-ho has been selected as an All-Star 14 times, the most in the league and second all-time. SSG Pil Seung-jo Noh Kyung-eun was named an All-Star 21 years after her debut.
However, there are some players who didn’t make the All-Star team despite their extraordinary performances. SSG outfielder Guillermo Heredia leads the league with a .333 batting average. He’s a right-handed hitter who combines accuracy and power, but he’s not an All-Star.
LG starting pitcher Adam Plutko and outfielder Chang-Gi Hong also deservedly earned All-Star honors. Plutko leads LG with a 10-1 record and a 2.06 ERA. Notably, Plutko went 3-0 with a 0.84 ERA in five games in June, the peak of All-Star voting, but he was not selected in either the voting or manager’s picks.
Hong also leads the league with a .447 on-base percentage, but he’s not an All-Star. With a WAR of 2.83 (Wins Above Replacement: see Statistic), only Lee Jung-hoo has a higher WAR than Hong.메이저사이트
Doosan’s Raul Alcantara, second in ERA, was also not invited to Sajik Stadium. Back in South Korea, Alcantara is second in both ERA (1.97) and pitcher WAR (3.58). The only starter with a lower ERA than Alcantara is Pedi, and the only pitcher with a higher WAR is Ahn Woo-jin.
Of course, “good” and “fan favorite” are two different things. However, the KBO All-Star Game is now a pitcher vs. hitter affair. With plenty of rest after the All-Star Game, the atmosphere is set for a real showdown. The head-to-head battle between Lee Dae-ho and Ko Woo-seok at last year’s All-Star Game was one of the most memorable moments of the game. It’s a shame that the best of the best didn’t win.