Incomes the excellence of canopy athlete in your sport’s premier online game franchise is a novel honor. You didn’t essentially win any awards, championships, or playoff video games, however you performed nicely sufficient for folks to think about you essentially the most marketable face they may placed on the quilt of their product — a product that has displayed former MVPs, Cy Younger winners, and World Sequence champions. It has to really feel good, proper?
Yesterday, PlayStation revealed its cowl athlete for his or her 2023 installment of the favored online game franchise “MLB: The Present” — Miami Marlins’ second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Why was Jazz Chisholm chosen?
Why? What did Chisholm do to deserve this honor? He performed 60 video games final 12 months. He’s performed 205 video games in his profession, performed in just one playoff sport his complete profession, and by no means performed greater than 125 video games in a season. Positive, he earned an All-Star bid final 12 months, however he didn’t play within the sport. Chisholm has by no means shined within the nationwide highlight (guess that’s what occurs while you play for the Marlins). Most individuals don’t even know what place he performs. Oh, center infield, you say? EHHHH! WRONG! After the Marlins traded for 2022 AL batting champion Luis Arraez on Jan. 20, Marlins’ GM Kim Ng acknowledged that the plan was to transfer Chisholm to heart area this subsequent season.
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There’s no denying that Chisholm is an thrilling participant to look at, however more often than not, that dazzling play model must quantity to one thing earlier than that individual earns cowl athlete distinction. If we had been simply giving that title to anybody with a flashy glove and strong stats on the plate, then Andrelton Simmons ought to’ve been the 2014 cowl athlete. In actual fact, 2014 Simmons was arguably extra deserving contemplating he’d really earned MVP consideration the 12 months prior. He’d additionally received a Gold Glove and was thought of the most effective defensive shortstop in baseball already. Oh, he’d additionally been to the playoffs twice already as nicely, and had performed in 5 video games. Chisholm has none of that. Simmons didn’t have an All-Star choice. I’ll give Chisholm that, however you see my level proper?
Is Chisholm that thrilling to warrant the quilt regardless of not placing up worthy numbers? Possibly. Is his swagger so intoxicating that we are able to’t take our eyes off him each time he’s on our display? Not likely — he’s positively no old-school Robinson Canó or Dustin Pedroia in that class.
Frankly, there’s by no means been an MLB cowl athlete with such little to his title earlier than, and I don’t prefer it. On the subject of “The Present,” the one different cowl athlete that comes even near Chisholm when it comes to how little he needed to his title on the Main League stage was 2015’s Yasiel Puig. However even Puig had already earned MVP votes…twice. He’d additionally already been an All-Star and had even received a playoff sequence whereas slashing .471/.500/.529. That’s one thing.
Different unfit choices for online game covers
Even when we take a look at MLB video video games as a complete, releasing us from the bonds of “The Present” cowl athletes solely, Chisholm nonetheless stands out for his quick resumé. Listed here are some those that MIGHT have had a worse case for baseball cowl athlete than 2023 Jazz Chisholm:
That’s everybody, and as I mentioned, most of those are questionable. Rizzo had simply completed tenth in MVP voting in 2014 and slugged 32 house runs, nevertheless it was his first good season. Berman is a broadcaster. Jordan had simply completed eighth in MVP voting, and Erstad was an All-Star and completed 14th in MVP voting. Possibly I might’ve thrown 2021 Fernando Tatís Jr. on there, however he’d simply completed up his second season on the time, and he’d come third in Rookie of the 12 months voting and fourth in MVP voting in his two years prior. He’d additionally received a Silver Slugger. Tim Anderson was the quilt athlete for R.B.I. Baseball 21, however he’d simply completed seventh in MVP voting in 2020 (I do know it was a shortened season, however nonetheless). He additionally received a Silver Slugger and had a batting title to his title again in 2019. Each of these guys clear Chisholm in accolades.
I perceive that the quilt athlete moniker has fallen off in years, however as a baseball fan, and fan of “MLB: The Present,” Chisholm wasn’t the correct alternative. Might he have an important 12 months? Positive! However that might make him all the higher for the 2024 cowl. At this level, you may as nicely have thrown James Outman on the quilt.
