This Year’s Worst All-Star

You’d think the worst All-Star, by WAR, would be a relief pitcher. They don’t throw a lot of innings. You’d also think the worst All-Star, by WAR, would come from a team with only one All-Star. Those teams aren’t good, so neither should their All-Stars be. Basically, you’d think the worst All-Star would be Gregory Soto. But it’s not him! Not by fWAR, anyway. I don’t know about bWAR. (As an aside, FanGraphs and Baseball Reference really need to rectify this WAR divide—have a war or something. This is tearing us apart.)

No, the worst All-Star, by fWAR, is not Gregory Soto.

It’s Mark Melancon.

Whoa! Right? Didn’t expect that.

Melancon does fit the relief pitcher bill, but he’s also thrown nearly forty innings this year, which is a lot for a bullpen guy. The problem is that his FIP isn’t very good. Melancon, who’s been managing a .239 BABIP (not sustainable!), has a 4.12 FIP.

At the same time, though, results do matter, and Melancon’s ERA is 2.04, so while we don’t expect that to last forever, whatever, we can say he isn’t the worst All-Star. Especially because his bWAR probably isn’t that bad. He also just looks so squishy. Looks like an uncle. Can’t be the worst All-Star if you’re an uncle.

In fact, let’s get all relievers out of the mix. Aroldis Chapman, you’re safe. Alex Reyes, you’re safe (look at us being charitable to the Cardinals). Soto, you’re safe.

Who are we left with?

Yadier Johnny-Bench-Conspiracy-Theory Molina.

Yes! Really! By fWAR, which says Yadier Molina is the fourth-best qualified defensive catcher in the NL (so you can’t blame it on that piece of fWAR), Yadier Molina is the worst All-Star.

Now, Molina isn’t playing in the All-Star game. He’s resting his foot so he can kick more ass (on Instagram only, though). But he is still an All-Star.

Which means he is still the worst All-Star.

Give that man a trophy. He’ll put it on his shelf.