The fans will decide if Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig will represent the National League in the 84th Major League All-Star Game, and hopefully they make the right decision.
Despite playing in just 32 games heading into last night’s game against the Diamondbacks, the 22-year-old Cuban phenom is one of five players vying for fan votes to become the last man on the NL roster.
He deserves the consideration.
Heading into Monday’s game, Puig was 52-for-127 as a big- leaguer, good for a .409 batting average, with 8 home runs, 19 RBIs and 25 runs scored. He was recognized as the NL’s “Rookie of the Month” in June after collecting multiple hits in 14 of his first 26 games.
Even more impressive than the rookie’s statistics is the stark turnaround he’s sparked from his team. Since Puig was called up, the Dodgers have climbed from the basement of the NL West to second place, just 4.5 games behind the division-leading Diamondbacks. On top of all that, Puig has played great defense and shown a rocket for an arm as well as a flare for late-inning dramatics.
The Puig phenom has arguably been the most exciting story in baseball this season this side of Orioles slugger Chris Davis.
This is why the fans need to vote Puig onto the All-Star team. He is one of baseball’s brightest young stars, and he needs to be allowed to show it off on the biggest stage possible.
Since he plays on the West Coast, not many people get to watch Puig play besides seeing his nightly highlights on SportsCenter. The fans would be doing themselves a favor by voting Puig in and getting an extra chance to see him shine. Besides Puig being exciting for the fans, his addition to the team would be a victory for the sport.
Baseball is desperately trying to distance itself from the steroid era, and it really helps to be able to turn the spotlight toward young stars like Puig who haven’t had reputations sullied by performance-enhancing drugs.
If he continues to perform, Puig will join the likes of Angels outfielder Mike Trout, Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper and Orioles third baseman Manny Machado as guys who are way too young to be so good.
These superstars in their early 20s are going to be the lifeblood of the MLB for the next generation, and that’s a great sign for the sport going forward.
James Moran is a 20-year-old mass communication senior from Beacon, N.Y.