
Aledmys Diaz (SS)
Aledmys Diaz is a victim of a ballot system that is fundamentally broken and ridiculous in countless ways. A ballot system that doesn’t take into account, for instance, starting shortstop Jhonny Peralta hurting his thumb in Spring Training, throwing Diaz into the spotlight.
Even as he’s hit .316, crushed 10 home runs, driven in 40, while sporting a wRC+ above Miguel Cabrera, Bryce Harper, Carlos Correa and Francisco Lindor, he remains a write-in.
Even if the St. Louis Cardinals and their fans made a massive push to get Diaz votes, it wouldn’t much matter—write-in players are essentially dead on arrival in an environment such as this.
Which is especially unfortunate, as the competition in the National League isn’t particularly ferocious. Some may say Corey Seager is far more deserving, and at first glance, it seems to hold true—until they realize that Seager has almost 100 more plate appearances and very similar numbers to Diaz.
Addison Russell, the Cubs’ and presumptively National League’s starting shortstop, is thoroughly undeserving of the accolade, no matter which way you look at it. He’s hitting .235 and has a wRC+ of 93, below league average. Alas, a system based on fan support rather than performance is bound to yield results like this on occasion.
If not for a flawed system, Aledmys Diaz may have gotten his time to shine in the Midsummer Classic; the most we can hope for now is a late-game appearance as a reserve.
Next: Seung-Hwan Oh