Questionable All Stars Pt. 5: Jason Varitek

The All Star selection process is such a subjective procedure that sometimes deserving players get left off. Then there are times when players who do not deserve to be All Stars are named to the team.
JASON VARITEK
I hate doing this one because Varitek is my favorite player. Varitek has been a deserving All Star in the past. He deserved to be an All Star in 2003 and 2005 when he was selected. I would argue that he may have deserved it in 1999, 2004, and 2007 as well. However, Varitek did not deserve the honor in 2008, and that is why I am writing this blog.

Varitek hit .220/.313/.359/.672 in 2008. He hit 13 home runs and drove in 43. Those are not All Star numbers, even considering his position. And it is not as if he slumped badly in the second half. Varitek's first half numbers were .218/.299/.354/.653. He actually started hitting better in the second half. So no, Varitek was not a good selection to the All Star game in 2008. But he did deserve it in other years.