The release of the 2011 MLB All-Star Game rosters on Sunday brought up the usual arguments, but seldom has the criticism been so exact. Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen and New York Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia are almost universally recognized as snubs, maybe two of the biggest snubs ever.
In Sabathia's case, we literally can't think of anyone bigger than the 6-foot-7, 290-pound hurler.
McCutchen is the best player on the best Pirates team in nearly two decades, one of the game's great all-around hitters and a rising star. The 24-year-old is batting .289 and is on pace for career highs in home runs, RBIs and on-base percentage.
Red Sox fans may not enjoy hearing it, but Sabathia has not only been one of the best pitchers in 2011, he's been one of the most valuable players, period. With the Yankees' rotation in flux, Carsten Charles Sabathia is 11-4 with a 3.05 ERA and just 32 walks in 129 2/3 innings.
Beyond those two, there are others with more minor cases, but cases nonetheless.
Andre Ethier, Paul Konerko and Adam Jones all have cases, but they are among the 10 players included on the Final Vote ballot, so they don't count as snubs — yet.
But Ryan Howard and Mark Teixeira are third and fourth, respectively, on the major leagues' RBI leaderboard, and Teixeira is second in all of baseball with 25 homers.
San Diego Padres third baseman Chase Headley is quietly one of the toughest outs in the game. He owns a .308 batting average and a .399 on-base percentage, and while his power numbers don't match up with someone like Jhonny Peralta — who also didn't make the All-Star team — Headley plays in a park unfairly skewed in favor of pitchers.
On the pitching side, Atlanta Braves right-hander Tommy Hanson deserves some love. Hanson has 34 more strikeouts than all-star teammate Jair Jurrjens (in 15 1/3 fewer innings) and virtually an identical WHIP (1.06). Hanson is equally as important as Jurrjens has been to keeping the Braves within striking distance of the Phillies in the NL East.
Which player do you think is the biggest 2011 MLB All-Star snub? Vote in the poll and share your thoughts below.
Which player was the biggest All-Star snub?online survey
