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MLB All-Star Game 2015: 5 Biggest Snubs – NL

By Will Osgood

May 15, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Don Mattingly (8) relieves starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) in the seventh inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
May 15, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Don Mattingly (8) relieves starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) in the seventh inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jul 3, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) in the first inning of the game against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 3, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) in the first inning of the game against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /

SP Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers

Did you think after his dominance a season ago, Clayton Kershaw would ever be an All-Star snub?

If you did, you’re either Nostradamus or a hater. It is important to note Kershaw is a Final vote candidate, and considering how popular he is, he will probably win it. He goes against other worthy candidates in Johnny Cueto–a Cincinnati Red as of now (the game is in Cincinnati this year), Carlos Martinez, Jeurys Familia and Troy Tulowitzki.

But here’s the argument for why it should not have come down to a Final vote.

He leads the league in K/9 among starting pitchers, striking out an absurd 11.6 hitters every nine innings he pitches. He also happens to lead NL pitchers in exit velocity allowed–which is not the sort of statistic yet popular enough to warrant consideration for All-Star candidacy (and its merit to that end could be debated).

But the fact is Kershaw has once again been quite impressive. And if the point is star power, is there a bigger pitching star in baseball than Kershaw? Probably only “King” Felix Hernandez and Madison Bumgarner even come close to comparison in that realm.

A further argument could be made for Kershaw based on the fact his FIP is better than Burnett’s (2.55 compared to Burnett’s 2.57) but only by a hair. His WHIP, though, is significantly better, at a crazy 1.035.

Again, Kershaw will almost certainly make the team one way or another, so this may end up being semi-irrelevant. But still, how is Kershaw left off the All-Star team?

Next: Another pitcher

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