Why wasn't Pujols an All-Star in 2002?

[PaulKonerkbro]

I don't know if I missed something when I read his Wikipedia (the best source on the internet)...but how was Albert Pujols not on the 2002 All-Star team?

He played LF in 2002 and couldn't even get one of the backup spots held by Berkman, Green, Dunn, Gonzalez, and Andruw Jones on the NL roster after he was ROY and an AS in 2001. Did I miss something? What is the reason for this?

 

[Joshua.Roundtree]

He's not the only MVP to not make the All-Star game.

 

[SamHell]

He was 10th in the outfield fan voting with about a 1/4 of the votes Sosa and Bonds got. Guess he got caught up in a numbers thing. I can't really remember. I can't find anything that says he was injured. Matt Morris was the Cardinals lone representative.

 

[moxacaine]

Its because allstar selection is a popularity contest.

Berkman, Green, Dunn, and Jones had great seasons that year. Gonzo was a fan favorite because he was coming off his game winning hit in the world series the year before. Berkman, Dunn, and Vlad were the lone representative from the Reds, Astros, and Expos that year and those teams had to have a rep. This was also the first year of the final vote contest which Andruw Jones won.

 

[craiger122003]

All Star voting is a joke However I will thanks you for the stat list
The best looking stat is that he has only K'd more times than walked one time in his career
Thats absolutely ludicrous

 

[rehmus]

He's not the only MVP to not make the All-Star game.

he didnt win the mvp that year.

 

[markakis8]

He's not the only MVP to not make the All-Star game.

He didn't win the MVP that year, although he should've.

To answer the OP question: Plain and simple - Albert Pujols wasn't ALBERT PUJOLS yet. He was hitting .294 with 20 or so HR at the AS break.

While, today, those #'s would guarantee him a roster spot on the AS team, regardless of fan votes, back in 2002, you needed a HOF-type season to make the AS team.

It was only his second year and his sub .300 average (I know it sounds silly) may have turned Bob Brenly's (NL manager that year) eyes to other OF's at the time.

To reiterate, Albert Pujols wasn't know as a machine in 2002.

 

[Wes]

He's not the only MVP to not make the All-Star game.

He didn't win the MVP that year, although he should've.

To answer the OP question: Plain and simple - Albert Pujols wasn't ALBERT PUJOLS yet. He was hitting .294 with 20 or so HR at the AS break.

While, today, those #'s would guarantee him a roster spot on the AS team, regardless of fan votes, back in 2002, you needed a HOF-type season to make the AS team.

It was only his second year and his sub .300 average (I know it sounds silly) may have turned Bob Brenly's (NL manager that year) eyes to other OF's at the time.

To reiterate, Albert Pujols wasn't know as a machine in 2002.

If we talking purely based on performance that's outrageous. Bonds' numbers were insane that year, better in every way compared to Albert's.

 

[markakis8]

He's not the only MVP to not make the All-Star game.

He didn't win the MVP that year, although he should've.

To answer the OP question: Plain and simple - Albert Pujols wasn't ALBERT PUJOLS yet. He was hitting .294 with 20 or so HR at the AS break.

While, today, those #'s would guarantee him a roster spot on the AS team, regardless of fan votes, back in 2002, you needed a HOF-type season to make the AS team.

It was only his second year and his sub .300 average (I know it sounds silly) may have turned Bob Brenly's (NL manager that year) eyes to other OF's at the time.

To reiterate, Albert Pujols wasn't know as a machine in 2002.

If we talking purely based on performance that's outrageous. Bonds' numbers were insane that year, better in every way compared to Albert's.

I wasn't. That was my point. Should've branched out on the steroids thing I guess. Bonds should have 3 MVP's MAX.

 

[craiger122003]

Bonds should have no MVP's but thats a dead horse
Besides I still loved McGwire so I cant speak to much :?

 

[markakis8]

Bonds should have no MVP's but thats a dead horse
Besides I still loved McGwire so I cant speak to much :?

I despise Bonds as much as those who claim so...but I can realize that Bonds was one of the greatest to play the game, steroids or not. And there were some seasons before the steroid era that garnered MVP-attention. He did deserve SOME of his MVP's.

 

[SamHell]

He did deserve SOME of his MVP's.

Yes he did. People not old enough to remember when Barry come up might have an image of him as a stiff, bloated basher. He was wiry strong and one of the faster players in the league. First man to hit 30 HR and steal 50 bases. He batted leadoff in his first few years and played legitimate gold glove defense. It's pretty obvious he was on the juice later in his career but he was almost a surefire HOF'er before he ever touched the stuff.


Edit. Eric Davis was the first man to have 30 HR and 50 SB in a season. Bonds was 2nd. My apologies to Mr. Davis. What an amazing talent he was. If he could have only stayed healthy.

 

[donrusscrusademan]

Its because allstar selection is a popularity contest.

Berkman, Green, Dunn, and Jones had great seasons that year. Gonzo was a fan favorite because he was coming off his game winning hit in the world series the year before. Berkman, Dunn, and Vlad were the lone representative from the Reds, Astros, and Expos that year and those teams had to have a rep. This was also the first year of the final vote contest which Andruw Jones won.

this is the worst thing about the ASG. they dont think some teams may just not have a worthy player some years?

the lame argument for it is "it keeps the fans of that team interested" but extreme cases of bad teams sending someone-
a)they have such a bad W-L that fans already dont care
b)seeing a .291-5-32 hitter doesnt make them want to watch anyway.

 

[craiger122003]

Ok I will retract and say that even if you take the stuff you still need
excellent hand/eye to hit that well The juice just makes you a power guy rather
than an Eckstein (Eckstein has excellent hand/eye)