MLB All-Star Game: Each team’s worst All-Star selections ever
Chicago Cubs – Jerry Morales (1977)
Typically when a player that is rated lower than a replacement player and somehow makes his way to the All-Star team, the assumption is that he is his team’s lone representative. That wasn’t the case for Jerry Morales and the Chicago Cubs in 1977.
During that magical year, Morales was one of four Cubs to represent Chicago in the Midsummer Classic, a pretty solid feat for a team that finished in fourth place in the N.L. East with a record of 81-81. More impressive at that, Morales was one of eight(!) outfielders to grace the National League Roster
Morales undoubtedly made the roster on the back of his .331/.391/.502 batting line, seven home runs, and 52 RBI at the break. However, his troublesome defense in the outfield pulled him down to a 0.9 WAR at the break, placing him 18th in the league. Meanwhile, other more deserving outfielders like Jose Cruz, Andre Dawson, George Hendrick, and Dusty Baker stayed home.
Morales didn’t quite enjoy the second half as much as he did the first, hitting just .218/.269/.352 after the break and finishing he season below replacement value with a -0.4 WAR. He found himself in St. Louis in 1978 and spent a year each in Detroit and New York (Mets) before wrapping up his career with three more seasons in Chicago. Morales would never approach that magical 1977 season again, and certainly never sniffed the All-Star Game again.
Next: Chicago White Sox - Pat Kelly (1973)