A’s Suzuki Deserves All-Star Nod

The Oakland Athletics are a small-market team, and as a result, they sometimes fail to garner much national attention. This season is no different, and that’s not okay. There are a few players well-deserving of the All-Star nod, but one player that really sticks out for me is C Kurt Suzuki. If it were up to me, I’d send Suzuki and Ryan Sweeney as the A’s representatives for the mid-summer classic. But if I had to pick only one player, Suzuki would be the guy.

The A’s catcher has not received much love this season, as he’s not even in the top five in voting for catchers in the AL. Joe Mauer, of course, receives much of the attention. And while Mauer is a freak-of-nature, Suzuki deserves some attention from voters. The All-Star voting process is like a popularity contest, and rather than choosing the best players, voters often choose their favorite players (despite their stats). This season, Suzuki is hitting .274/.329/.478 with a team leading 8 home runs. He’s also driven in 29 runs for Oakland. In comparison, Mauer is hitting .319/.397/.451 with 2 home runs and 28 RBIs.

While Suzuki’s numbers aren’t exactly Mauer-like, he’s still deserving of an All-Star nod. If Joe Mauer were in the National League, I’d bet that Suzuki would garner a little more attention in the American League. Suzuki has been the A’s best offensive presence in their lineup, and his value to the team is exceedingly high.

Suzuki has the potential to hit 15-20 home runs a season, and will have an average in the .270’s-.280’s. Last season, the A’s backstop hit 15 homers and drove in a team-leading 88 RBIs. This season, the A’s are seeing Suzuki emerge as a top three catcher in the American League. Suzuki, a Cal-State Fullerton native, is deserving of an All-Star nod and is deserving of more national attention. So A’s fans, go out an vote and support Suzuki!