Why we should start stuffing the Final Vote ballot box

July 8, 2008 by Benjamin Kabak 30 Comments

These guys want you to vote for Jason Giambi, and Giambi said he would participate in the Home Run Derby only if elected to the All Star team. Plus, there’s that whole .930 OPS thing going on which is a full .021 higher than the starting first baseman’s. So point your browser here and do your civic duty. Much like the Chicogoans did in the 1960s, you can vote as many times as you’d like.

http://www.nycurve.com M. Patel

I voted for Giambi a couple of times, but the fact that they not only let you vote more than once, but encourage it just shows how unfair the all-star voting really is.
- B
  
  More reason as to why fans should no longer be picking the all-star team!
  - Chris
    
    Let’s let the players select the team! That way Varitek can start instead of being a reserve!
    - B
      
      If the game wasn’t at Yankee Stadium I wouldn’t be watching it.
    - B
      
      Jose Molina is more deserving of going than Varitek!!!
Ivan R.

Is there a limit to how many times you can vote? I’ve been voting for him for like 15 minutes now and it keeps letting me vote.
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Ben K.
  
  On this one, I believe there is no limit. Go nuts.
  - Dave P.
    
    “On this one, I believe there is no limit. Go nuts.”
    
    That just made me spit water out of my nose.”
- Number 27
  
  yeah i wasn’t counting my votes either and after voting for like 15 minutes i figured there was no limit…
dan

Mike had a good line on a previous post: “In the grand style of Chicago politics, everyone is allowed to vote up to 25 times.”

Honestly, Giambi has been the best first baseman in the AL this year, he at least deserves a bench spot.
- TurnTwo
  
  perhaps if he doesnt get in as the last man, Francona would pick him to take Big Papi’s spot anyway.
  - tommiesmithjohncarlos
    
    Maybe Francona will have him replace Jason Varitek instead, since anyone with a .215 average through 264 AB’s is probably legally dead.
Ivan R.

I’ve been at it for like 20 minutes now… at least. And I timed myself and the most votes I got in one minute was 7… so I’ve probably voted around 120-130 times.

(Gotta love being unemployed)
- Chris A
  
  I’m employed and I voted almost as much! keep at it, i wanna see giambi at the game and hr derby.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=1383090075 Brad

I think we go a little too harsh on Kevin Youkilis. His defense might be the best in the AL, and I believe his WARP 2 (Wins Above Replacement Player) is the best among AL 1B.

Then again, if players can put Jason Varitek (!) over 32 more deserving catchers, then hey we fans ought to stuff the ballots however we want!
- B
  
  Players shouldn’t be voting either!
Anthony M

Hooray for being employed, having internet, and wasting 15 minutes voting for Giambi.

Power to the stache!! And to my employers internet, for which I might never have the opportunity to see Giambi pull 50 hrs to the upper deck in the home run derby.
- ChrisS
  
  As much as I think that Yankee Stadium’s RF is tailor-made for Giambi to crush the competition in a HR derby, I’d hate to see him fail to hit 10 HRs while trying to rip a pitch onto River Ave.
Anthony M

p.s. Dustin Pedroia is so short he makes capris look like pants.

I didn’t realize Osh Kosh Bigosh was making Red Sox uniforms.
http://www.overheardinnewyork.com NC Saint

The people on this thread make me feel a lot better about how I’ve spent the last few minutes.

I’m really only in it to get him to do the derby. He is ridiculous in those things, and it’s been a while. In Yankee Stadium he could do some serious damage.
http://www.overheardinnewyork.com NC Saint

Out of interest, who are other ballot-stuffers voting for on the NL side? I’m backing Corey Hart solely on the grounds that he wears his sunglasses at night. Childish? Yes, but what about this process isn’t?
Ivan R.

I voted for Burrell solely for this reason: http://blogs.phillynews.com/inquirer/zozone/pat%20burrell%20shirtless%202.jpg

Hehe. In all seriousness, Pat’s having a solid year and he deserves to get in there.
- tommiesmithjohncarlos
  
  Here’s a great picture of Dustin Pedroia, as well…
  
  http://blogs.sosh.com/pedroia.jpg
  - Dave P.
    
    i think i wet myself.
    - Whitey14
      
      David Faustino wishes he got as much tail as Pedroia ;-)
      - tommiesmithjohncarlos
        
        You gotta admit, though, that one was AWESOME. Gritty, Gutty Dustin Pedroia and David Faustino may actually be long lost brothers, separated at birth.
Sciorsci

I’m sure I’m in the minority here, but I really don’t want to see Giambi in the HR Derby. It seems like he’s finally starting to spray the ball to all fields, and that, more than anything else, is behind his resurgence. I’m just afraid that if he gets into the HR Derby and starts staring down that RF line again, he’ll be back to business as usual trying to pull everything in the 2nd half of this season.
JimT

You guys are a joke with this Giambi for the All-Star Team talk. Giambi has enjoyed an excellent 5 week stretch, but think back to the early stages of the season when he was playing very poorly. If fact Giambi was playing so poorly that the Yankees were compelled to start Shelley Duncan and Wilson Betemit in his place.

Giambi’s offensive stats aren’t that much better than Kevin Millar’s. And Giambi has the advantage of several high OBP guys (Damon, Abreau, Arod) all in front of him. Giambi remains a good slugger and a dangerous hitter in the middle of the Yankee’s line up, but he isn’t one of the better 1st baseman in the American League. There are at least four 1st basemen in the persons of J. Morneau, K. Youkilis, C. Kotchman and M. Cabrera who are more consistent hitters than Giambi. Also, all of them, even Carbea fields thier position better. Gianbi is a total “pant load” in the field.

Ask yourselves this question, What are the chances that Giambi is playing somewhere else next year? Given his age, inconsistent hitting, tendacies to get hurt and dreadful play at first, the chances are very good. Does that have the look of an All Star?

A hot June and a Yankee uniform doen’t make a great season.
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Ben K.
  
  First, a reproach: The lighten up. Lighten way up. It’s a silly fan vote for the All Star Game. Don’t take it — or the game of baseball — so seriously.
  
  Second, reality:
  
  Kevin Millar’s OPS+ 102
  Jason Giambi’s OPS+ 148
  
  Giambi’s hitting .256/.393/.537 with 18 HR and a Runs Created per game of 8.0. Millar is hitting .246/.347/.407 with 12 HR and a Runs Created per game of 5.0. To say that “Giambi’s offensive stats aren’t that much better than Kevin Millar’s” makes me wonder what exactly it is you’re looking at.
  - JimT
    
    Ben:
    I’m not angry, it’s only baseball. I just think that the level of provincialism with this Giambi argument is over the top. He is a slugger that drives in runs in a good line up, good things, but not the only factors that go into a good ballplayer.The fact of the matter is Giambi is a limited player with diminishing skills. Also, you didn’t respond to any of my greater questions.
    
    Is Giambi one of the better 1st basemen in the American League?
    
    What are the chances he will be with the Yankees next year?
    
    Does he really deserve consideration for the 2008 All Star team?
    
    You answered like an accomplished “stat man”, found the stats that supported your point of view and avoided the rest.