New York Mets starting pitcher R.A. Dickey throws against the New York Yankees at Citi Field, June 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan)MYFOXNY.COM -
Sports Commentary
R.A. Dickey will not be the starting pitcher for the National League on Tuesday for the 2012 MLB All-Star game.
No disrespect intended for Tony La Russa, but R.A. Dickey should be starting for the National League.
If you look at it statistically, Dickey has the numbers. He boasts a 2.40 ERA, which is seventh in the majors. He has a league-leading 12 wins and only one loss and has a WHIP of 0.93, which is ranked second in the majors.
There should be no question he should start for the National League, so why isn't he?
Well one reason is La Russa does not want starting catcher Buster Posey to have to deal with Dickey's crafty knuckleball. This makes absolute sense because you do not want Posey to feel uncomfortable with attempting to correctly catch Dickey's pitch. However, how will Dickey be utilized now? Who will catch for him then?
If Dickey starts the game, you allow Posey to get accustomed to the knuckleball and have one-on-one time with Dickey so he can learn the movement of his pitches throughout the pre-game workout and warm up. If you have Dickey coming out of the bullpen, La Russa has put whoever is catching in an uncomfortable situation. Whether it is Posey, Ruiz, or Molina, Dickey coming out of the bullpen, it hurts the National League team.
If you have Dickey start the game, you allow Posey to get accustomed to the pitch rather than warm-up pitches on a call to the bullpen. You have Dickey start the game and you have already eliminated any fear of damage later on the game when you are unable to recover. If Dickey gives up one or two runs at the start, that is more feasible to overcome than such an event occurring later on the game.
Second, speculation can be made that it is because of his knuckleball that he should not start, which brings assertion to the lack of respect for knuckleball pitchers.
Could not agree more.
The last knuckleballer to be selected for the all star team was Tim Wakefield. Guess what happened? He did not see any playing time. If Dickey does not get to play, it spits on all the hard work he has put into this season. Dickey is clearly a Cy Young candidate, but him being an unconventional pitcher puts him at a disadvantage to a traditional pitcher such as the two starters for Tuesday's All-Star Game, Justin Verlander for the AL and Matt Cain for the NL.
If he doesn't play, what is next? No Cy Young for a possible 20 game winner because he throws a knuckleball? It should not matter that R.A. Dickey is a knuckleball pitcher because his success is attributed to the success of mastering such a difficult pitch.
Third, the fear may be the American League's best hitters will destroy Dickey.
You cannot make the argument that American League hitters will eat his knuckleball alive because R.A. Dickey has already dominated against American League teams during interleague play. Dickey threw two one-hitters consecutively with the first one against the Tampa Bay Rays and the second against the Baltimore Orioles. He combined for 18 innings of work, 25 strikeouts, 2 hits, and zero runs. So you cannot say he will fold against the powers of the American League when he has dominated against American League teams similarly to those in the National League.
The bottom line is, to be frank, R.A. Dickey should and deserves to be the starter for the National League in the All-Star game. There is no argument against that claim. Matt Cain is an incredible pitcher and in the Cy Young race alongside Dickey. He has a perfect game to his resume. However, a perfect game does not solidify someone to start the All-Star game. R.A. Dickey has outperformed every pitcher in the first half of the season and his record and stats support it.
But as usual, this will just be another challenge Dickey will overcome to prove the naysayers incorrect just like he has his entire life. He will find a way, that's just who he is.
