Non Twins Post: Old School VS New School

On Sunday, Major League Baseball announced the starting and reserve players for the 2012 All-Star Game to be played in Kansas City. The list was populated with a multitude of Rangers and Yankees in the AL and Giants and Nationals in the NL. The other ‘usual’ suspects are on the team as well, including Minnesota’s own Joe Mauer.

While there are always some snubs, some questionable selections and some downright head scratchers (how did Brandon Crawford ALMOST make it into the game?) there really wasn’t anything too exciting about the final roster – it mostly consists of the guys you’d expect to be on the team. Don’t mistake that for a complaint – it’s not – but in terms of excitement, you’d have better luck elsewhere.

MLB has a little runoff after the AL & NL teams are selected called the “Final Vote”. This process pits 5 players from each league who almost made the All-Star game against each other in a fan vote.

This twist is a nice addition to the game and usually makes for a good talking point in the days leading up to the game – but this year has an extra special twist that’s worth examining a little more.

On the NL side, two interesting players are squaring off in a battle that reveals which type of baseball fan you really are.

In all fairness, Michael Bourne, David Freese, Aaron Hill, Chipper Jones & Bryce Harper are all in the ‘Final Vote’ for the NL side, but it feels like it’s a two way runoff of Harper vs. Jones.

Chipper Jones announced prior to the 2012 season that this would be his last year. Jones has been on an elongated ‘farewell tour’ of sorts as he travels across the country this year, receiving appreciative ovations from opposing fans and taking in (well deserved) accolades. After Jones retires, he’ll have five short years to wait before he’s inducted into the Hall Of Fame – it’s not a question, it’s almost a fact at this point in time.

Jones’ numbers this year have been solid. He’s hitting a respectable .292 with 6 home runs, 29 RBI and a .830 OPS. They’re not elite numbers – and if Jones wasn’t on his farewell tour, they likely wouldn’t be enough to make the All-Star Game. However, they are good enough to let fans look the other way and vote Chipper in “one last time”.

On the other hand you have Bryce Harper, the 19 year old phenomenon who is taking Major League Baseball by storm. Harper is the definition of must see TV, his hustle and energy on the field are fun to watch – not too mention, this kid is pretty good.

Harper’s numbers this season are almost dead even with Jones. .274 batting average, 8 home runs, 22 RBI and an .819 OPS. Harper gained a great deal of votes simply because he’s the young future of baseball. He’s a player you want to see – so fans are willing to look past his ‘good but not great’ numbers and try to put him in the game.

There in lies the divide. Old school baseball fans want to see Chipper get one last call for the All-Star game. Nostalgia and great moments run these fans perceptions and they feel like old timers like Jones deserve their final bow on the stage.

The new age fan looks at Bryce Harper and sees the future of baseball. Young superstar Mike Trout made the AL squad, and the new age fans would love to see his rookie NL counterpart make the game as well. Harper is the future, he’s fun to watch and fans want to watch him. Put him in the game.

Personally, I’m voting for Bryce Harper because I enjoy watching exciting players at the All-Star Game. I have nothing on Chipper Jones, he’s had a great career and deserves his swan song as he walks away from the game. That being said, given a choice between watching a guy fade into the background or watching a new star burst on the scene, I’m taking the star.

Lost in all of this is Michael Bourne, who is actually have the best season of any of the four nominations. Bourne his hitting .306 with 7 home runs, 28 RBI and an OPS of .787. When you factor in Bourne’s outstanding defense, he actually should be the clear favorite but due to the high profile vote between old-school and new-school, he’ll likely lose out.

You can cast your Jones vs. Harper vote (and for 1 of the AL players – Jonathan Broxton, Yu Darvish, Ernesto Frieri, Jason Hammel and Jake Peavy) at mlb.com/vote. Voting is open until July 5^th.