Former SF Giants star throws down the gauntlet in All-Star voting

Former SF Giants first baseman Brandon Belt had some totally authentic, not sarcastic at all, smack talk for leading vote-getter Shohei Ohtani.

Former SF Giants first baseman Brandon Belt is thriving in his first season with the Toronto Blue Jays. On only his second big-league team, Belt has been one of the few offensive bright spots, slashing .263/.378/.434, better rate stats than Vladimir Guerrero Jr. or Matt Chapman. He's doing so well that he's second in the fan vote for the starting designated hitter for the American League in the All-Star Game. He's behind a guy you may have heard of Shohei Ohtani.

Asked about being 2nd in AL ASG voting to Shohei, Brandon Belt said:

“Yeah, that's how you know it's rigged, I should be number one. And everybody knows I'm a better hitter than he is. Better DH better leader. But here we are.”

— 🌱paige🌱 (@paige_leckie) June 20, 2023

Belt does only trail the Los Angeles Angels superstar by six points of on-base percentage. And just 198 points of slugging percentage, 20 home runs, and 42 RBI. But when it comes to leadership, let's just say no one has seen Ohtani with a totally real-looking "C" on his chest.

Brandon Belt. San Francisco Giants... captain? pic.twitter.com/9GhtHtb1ro

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) September 10, 2021

Ohtani may be an MVP, but Belt displays the kind of leadership you can only get with true charisma, access to electrical tape, and a nautical-themed costume shop. Belt is such a leader that he even inspires athletes on other teams in completely different sports to follow his lead.

Klay Thompson with the Giants Brandon Belt captain hat. LMFAOOOOOOO 🤣 pic.twitter.com/M5IlJyJSem

— Geoff (@TheGiantsFan916) June 20, 2022

While Ohtani's pitching shouldn't affect the vote for the designated hitter spot - the whole point of the DH is that a pitcher isn't in the lineup - Captain Belt was confident he could do better than Ohtani on the mound as well.

Would he be a better pitcher?

“No question. I got a high school video for days. that'll prove it.”

— 🌱paige🌱 (@paige_leckie) June 20, 2023

Belt's leadership has even inspired his teammates to the top of the All-Star voting themselves. Guerrero, Matt Chapman, and Bo Bichette are all in first place at their respective positions, with Whit Merrifield in second place among second basemen. Outfielders Kevin Kiermaier and George Springer are fifth and sixth.

Clearly, fans stuffing the ballot boxes for Belt are also listing his teammates as a courtesy to him. Belt has experience winning these sorts of contests, making the 2016 All-Star team after winning the Esurance Final Vote.

Ohtani leads Belt by 1,387,257 votes, so he does have a little bit of work ahead of him, if he wants to convince voters to elect a DH with four home runs to the Midsummer Classic.

But Brandon Belt needs the boost an unlikely All-Star selection might provide. After all, the closest Olive Garden for the longtime SF Giants star in Toronto is all the way across the border in Niagara Falls.

Brandon Belt on dining out in New York City: "We went out to an Italian restaurant, but it just wasn't the same (as Olive Garden)."

— LOLKNBR (@LOLKNBR) September 23, 2013

(This piece, like Belt's original quote, is sarcastic)