MLB All-Star Game: Each team’s worst All-Star selections ever
Cleveland Indians – Johnny Temple (1961)
1961 wasn’t the greatest of years in terms of production from second base. Perennial American League All-Stars were either having a down year (Bobby Richardson – Yankees) or were in the tail end of their Hall of Fame careers playing careers (Nellie Fox – White Sox). Needless to say, the keystone was a relatively underperforming position for the league when the All-Star voting took place.
Perhaps that is how Johnny Temple was able to sneak into the game, not only as a reserve, but was selected by manager Paul Richards (Baltimore) to start the game at second.
At the time of the game, Temple was hitting a respectable .288/.367/.313, albeit with just one home run and 16 RBI. In fact, Temple had mustered just 16 extra-base hits during the season’s first half. That’s not exactly the highest production we’ve seen from any primarily offensive player, but basically par for the course for American League second baseman in 1961.
Temple would finish 5th in the American League among second basemen with a 1.0 WAR, 2nd in OPS, and 3rd in wRC+ in 1961. While their truly were no better options to replace him in the game, or at the very least in the starting line-up, Temple’s overall production and below par defensive grades pale in comparison to the second basemen of today, and unfortunately wins him the raspberry as Cleveland’s worst All-Star.
Next: Colorado Rockies - Mike Hampton (2001)