How drop-dead good has Evan Meek been this season?

The Pirates relief pitcher hasn’t had an earned average higher than 1.12 since April 15. That was 74 games and 232,323 LeBron James rumors ago. He allowed an earned run all of four times in 37 appearances.

Get this: He has more strikeouts (42) than hits (29) and walks (11) put together.

In all probability, Evan Almighty also will be one of the best pitchers that you won’t see at the All-Star Game this month. The All-Star team staffs consist of exclusively of starters and closers.

Well, maybe it’s time to acknowledge that middle relievers actually do exist in this day and age. Maybe it's time to reserve a spot for them on each All-Star squad.

“Yeah, in my situation, that would be awesome,” Meek told me. “It would be kind of cool to have a wild card spot on the roster. Everyone would like to have the opportunity to play in the game.

“But that’s not something that we think about much. We know the starters and closers and star players will be considered but not the rest of us. Unfortunately, our role isn’t looked upon in the same way even though it’s very important. I’ve always thought middle relievers were underrated. I mean, you can lose a game in the sixth or seventh or eighth inning as easily as any other one.”

Sure convinced me.