St. Louis Cardinals: Deserving All-Star Candidates

Jul 13, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; National League catcher Yadier Molina (4) of the St. Louis Cardinals talks with outfielder Matt Holliday (7) of the St. Louis Cardinals during workout day the day before the 2015 MLB All Star Game at Great American Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 13, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; National League catcher Yadier Molina (4) of the St. Louis Cardinals talks with outfielder Matt Holliday (7) of the St. Louis Cardinals during workout day the day before the 2015 MLB All Star Game at Great American Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports /
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St. Louis Cardinals
Jun 10, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Seung Hwan Oh (26) pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the eighth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

Seung-Hwan Oh (RP)

There’s no shortage of things to love about reliever Seung-Hwan Oh. His silky smooth delivery, his fan-favorite translator Eugene, his incredible nicknames … and his utter domination of hitters.

The Korean star and all-time saves leader has been nothing short of incredible in his MLB rookie season, 5th among all relief pitchers in wins above replacement (WAR), accumulating 1.3 so far this year.

To give a comparison, Trevor Rosenthal had 2.1 by the end of the 2015 season, after almost 70 innings and 48 saves, while Oh has been through only 40 frames. Oh’s nearly 12 K/9 and 1.5 ERA are nothing to sneeze at, either. He’s also stayed away from home runs like the plague, resulting in 0.23 allowed per 9 innings, one of the lowest among all relievers.

Oh, unlike Diaz and Carpenter, is nearly a shoe-in for the Midsummer Classic; the only relievers in the league who have been worth more wins than him are the Dodgers’ closer Kenley Jansen and Miami’s David Phelps. Mets closer Jeurys Familia and new Marlin Fernando Rodney are likely selections, with 27 saves and a 0.30 ERA respectively.

Pitchers, unlike the fan-voted position players, are chosen primarily based on performance, so it’s nearly inevitable that the St. Louis Cardinals newcomer takes the mound in a relief role in the Midsummer Classic.

Next: Who didn't make the cut?