Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski has been named to Tuesday’s MLB All-Star Game. The 23-year-old phenom has started just five games and thrown only 25⅔ innings.
It’s exemplary of what the All-Star Game has become.
It’s not Pete Rose turning Ray Fosse into roadkill while scoring the winning run for the National League in 1970. It’s not competitive.
The All-Star Game used to offer unique pitcher/batter matchups you didn’t otherwise see: Jim Palmer vs. Hank Aaron, for instance. It only happened in the All-Star Game. But interleague play and frequent player movement via free agency ended that romance.
It’s far from a serious game. The Home Run Derby has more hype.
So, give us Misiorowski. He should be in the All-Star Game. Fans want to see him.
Misiorowski throws gas. His fastball averages 99.3 mph. He’s thrown 89 pitches that have hit 100 mph or faster. He started his MLB career with 11 hitless innings. Misiorowski’s ERA is 2.81, his WHIP 0.90.
In just his third start, Misiorowski outpitched Skenes head-to-head. Misiorowski is 4-1, Skenes 4-8.
Priorities vary when it comes to the All-Star Game.
Eight players have withdrawn from this year’s All-Star Game. Most of the reasoning mimics that of Philadelphia pitcher Zack Wheeler, who wants to rest for the season’s second half. Wheeler might have started for the National League. The NBA calls it load management.
Bob Gibson wouldn’t have pulled out, let alone for that reason. But it’s not 1968.
By contrast, the Pirates finagled so that Skenes would be relatively rested for the All-Star Game. To enhance the likelihood he starts. He’s pitched just 19 innings over his last four starts, averaging 80.5 pitches.
The Pirates are going nowhere, and don’t much care about winning in the first place. So they do their best to keep Skenes in the spotlight.
Skenes’ odyssey continues to frustrate, not least him.
Everybody has an escape fantasy. It would be interesting to eavesdrop on Skenes’.
Skenes leads MLB in ERA (2.01) and is fifth in WHIP (0.93). But lack of run support will ultimately cost Skenes enough wins to get the National League Cy Young Award. Wins don’t matter like they used to, but they don’t mean nothing.
Skenes hasn’t won a game since May 28. A bit of his buzz has transferred to guys like Misiorowski. There’s a new kid in town.
After Oneil Cruz wins the Home Run Derby, the Pirates should trade him to the Savannah Bananas. Strike while the iron is hot. Cruz would fit in perfectly. All hat, no cattle.
