Braves: Ozzie Albies was the biggest snub among All-Star starters

Before I get started, let me say that I think Adam Frazier is an awesome player, and I’m happy to see him start in an All-Star Game. Even though Freddie Freeman and Ronald Acuña Jr. are making their third and second respective starts, Ozzie Albies should have joined them. Albies has never been named an All-Star starter, and while he’ll be at the game, he has been way too hot to ignore lately.

Ozzie Albies in his last 6 Games:

.385 BA
.407 OBP
.923 SLG
1.333 OPS
2 2B
4 HR
11 RBI
2 SB

All-Star Starterhttps://t.co/ivkfriN5K1

— SportsTalkATL Jake (@cantguardjake) July 1, 2021

Granted, six amazing games doesn’t make you a starter in a game that’s based on first-half performance. However, looking at the numbers, I still think Ozzie did enough over the whole season to warrant starting in the game:

https://twitter.com/BravesOnBally/status/1409565080191111169?s=20

Ozzie Albies has 43 extra-base hits through 79 games this season, putting him on pace for 88 XBH.

Chipper Jones (87 in 1999) and Hank Aaron (92 in 1959) are the only players in #Braves franchise history to collect 85+ XBH in a single season. pic.twitter.com/pqigNXCvSy

— Grant McAuley (@grantmcauley) July 1, 2021

If you look at the raw numbers, I think Ozzie is the best second baseman in baseball, and it isn’t that close:

Ozzie Albies (2021): .853 OPS, 23 2B, 5 3B, 15 HR, 27 BB, 12 SB, 57 RBI

 

His 57 runs batted in leads all of baseball, which you would think would land you a starting role in the All-Star Game. Once again, Adam Frazier is having an incredible season, and without taking anything away from him, Ozzie has the superior numbers.

Adam Frazier (2021): .861 OPS, 24 2B, 4 3B, 4 HR, 29 BB, 4 SB, 28 RBI

Maybe Atlanta’s poor play has factored into this, but I’m happy Ozzie is at least at the game — he’s one of the most underrated players in all of baseball and a true superstar that gets overshadowed more often than he should.