David Samson is president and de facto general manager of the Miami Marlins. (Michael Hill has the official title of general manager, but Samson is the guy who makes the decisions generally associated with that title.)
This would suggest he knows something about baseball.
Well, Samson believes Justin Ruggiano should be representing the Marlins at the All-Star Game in place of the injured Giancarlo Stanton. Or relief pitcher Steve Cishek. Look, it's too bad that the Marlins' only legitimate All-Star rep got injured, but ... seriously ... Justin Ruggiano? Somebody who runs a major league team actually said this? Yep.
"I spoke to MLB. Cishek, Ruggiano, I think there were a lot of different ways that Tony [La Russa] and MLB could have gone," Samson told the Sun-Sentinel. "I think it’s unfortunate. I think that every team should be represented on the line in an All-Star Game."
Now, Ruggiano has been great, hitting .390 ... in 96 plate appearances. I suppose it goes without saying that 96 plate appearances does not make an All-Star, especially a 30-year-old minor league vet who has spent most of the past six seasons in Triple-A. It's been a terrific 96 plate appearances; I'm not knocking Ruggiano. But he's not an All-Star.
Cishek is a middle reliever with a 2.17 ERA. That's a little misleading, however, as six of the 15 runs he's allowed have been unearned. He's allowed 31 hits and 18 walks in 37.1 innings. He's a good pitcher; he's not an All-Star.
Notice, of course, that Samson didn't nominate his $106 million shortstop who is hitting .264 and scored just 41 runs. Or his $27 million closer who has maybe been the least valuable player in baseball in the first half.
In fact, if I were Samson, instead of worrying about who should replace Stanton in Kansas City, I'd be asking Ozzie Guillen why he keeps using Heath Bell to close out games.