Oneil Cruz Should Not Be Allowed Anywhere Near All-Star Game Festivities

ONeil Cruz is a bad baseball player.  He's hitting at a .212 average, but his one good quality is he can hit home runs.  And with that, MLB thinks it would be good for him to be a participant in the Home Run Derby, the All-Star Games's main attraction - the fluff piece.  I argue that it doesn't matter if Cruz hits 30 home runs this year, he will still be a terrible player because everything other than hitting home runs he is disastrous at.  He can't field, whether it was his natural position shortstop or his newer position centerfield.  A couple weeks ago, I bore witness to the most lethargic and uninspired play in all my years of watching baseball.  Cruz bends down to get a ball on the ground in the outfield and when it gets past him, he doesn't even move to go after the ball.  Within the same week, I got to see Cruz forget how many outs there were in an inning, which got him benched.  Finally, I witnessed the most pathetic lack of interest in running out a ground ball to avoid a double play when if there is maybe one other redeeming quality besides homerun hitting, it might be his speed.  The only problem here is that you have to accelerate when running to create speed, it does not show itself by way of a half-jog.  And all this happened in a couple of weeks.

I think Oneil Cruz going to participate in All-Star Week, even just for MLB's fluff event, is a bad thing for Cruz.  He doesn't need anyone else to tell him that he's special.  He already hears that when the Sportscasters create fake records for him due to his exit velocity for hard hit balls.  Participating in this event will only leave him feeling more entitled.  It doesn't give him something to shoot for, because even though he's not on the real All-Star squad, he feels like he is because he's there.  Being there won't help him to become motivated.  It won't help him to improve his baseball IQ that is sorely lacking, and who really cares if he hits a bunch of home runs and wins the event.  Then, we as Pirates fans, get to say what?  The Pirates won something?  My take is that wining the Home Run Derby is in fact not winning anything.  And the best thing for Oneil Cruz would be to not allow him anywhere near the All-Star festivities.  You have to earn your way there.  I suggest a trip down to the minor leagues to force him to get his act together.  There is talent there, but wow is it being wasted!  Criticize the player and the Pirates inability to develop talent.