All-Star rosters: Trout in, Harper? Not yet
Major League Baseball set the rosters for the 83rd All-Star Game on July 10, with a nod to established superstars and several of the game’s rising talents but not Bryce Harper.
At least not yet.
When the National League roster was revealed Sunday, it did not include Harper, the 19-year-old Washington Nationals phenom who has at times captivated fans with his nascent talent since getting called up the major leagues on April 28.
Harper, however, will be among the five players vying for the final NL roster spot via MLB’s “final vote” competition. Harper and the Atlanta Braves’ 40-year-0ld retiring star, Chipper Jones, headline that race, with NL manager Tony La Russa who rued choosing between the two earlier noting that “any one of the five would really help our club. I’d lean Chipper, but any of them would help 0ur club.”
Meanwhile, Harper’s 20-year-old American League counterpart, Mike Trout, was more fortunate.
Trout was considered a statistical lock to make the team given that he entered Sunday tied for the American League lead in batting (.336) and ranked eighth in on-base plus slugging percentage (.917). Like Harper, he made his 2012 debut on April 28, yet already leads the American League in steals (22). And the Los Angeles Angels rookie has played superlative defense in center field, making what may go down as the finest catch of the season last week in Baltimore.
All that was rewarded Sunday when Trout made the AL team via the player vote. At 20 years and 11 months, Trout will be the seventh-youngest non-pitcher ever on an AL roster. For some perspective: Ken Griffey was 20 years, 7 months when he made the AL roster in 1990 — which was his second full season.
SNUBS? Six who should be All-Stars
The rest of the rosters went largely to form, with one late surprise: Ryan Braun falling from the NL starting lineup. Braun, the Milwaukee Brewers’ outfielder who tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone in the playoffs, only to have the result overturned by an arbitrator, was surpassed by the San Francisco Giants’ Melky Cabrera.
Braun, whose 22 home runs lead the National League, will be making his fifth consecutive All-Star game appearance.
Also voted in as an NL starter: Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto, who very well could be the league’s first-half MVP. Votto, who will appear in his third consecutive All-Star Game, leads the NL in on-base percentage (.471), slugging and, of course, OPS (.632 and 1.103) and is hitting .350.
Giants fans left a huge impact on the NL ballot, as their late surge lifted Cabrera over Braun and produced an NL record 7.6 million votes for starting catcher Buster Posey. Hardly a shocking result, given that the Giants are third in the NL in attendance and have arguably the most digital-friendly fan base, which can only help when online balloting is a key part of the equation.
But Giants fans also produced the biggest roster injustice: Pablo Sandoval, who has played in 44 games this season, will be the starting NL third baseman, relegating New York Met David Wright to backup status.
Beyond Trout and the usual suspects, there was a large swath of other first-timers getting their proper due.
Leading the way: Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg, one of three Nats to make the club along with fellow starter Gio Gonzalez and shortstop Ian Desmond. Strasburg has a staggering 122 strikeouts in 93 innings and, one would hope, his All-Star work won’t count against a season-long innings limit that could put a crimp in his overall numbers.
In his first full year as a starter, Chicago White Sox lefty Chris Sale has been dominant, with a 9-2 record, a 2.27 ERA and 94 strikeouts in 95 innings. He’s on his way to Kansas City.
Bryan LaHair, who until last season looked stuck with the “career minor leaguer” tag, is now an All-Star. The 28-year-old made his major league debut in 2008, then spent three years trying to get back before emerging in 2011 with the Chicago Cubs. And even after hitting .284 with 13 home runs, he has been humbled yet again. Mega-prospect Anthony Rizzo has arrived in Chicago, bumping LaHair from first base to the outfield in recent days.
But it is LaHair who will get a taste of baseball royalty in Kansas City.
Across town, this game’s greatest comeback story. Adam Dunn was benched last year before he could set a major league record for lowest batting average among qualifying hitters. This year: an All-Star.
Meanwhile, a whopping seven Texas Rangers made the squad, with catcher Mike Napoli, outfielder Josh Hamilton who set a record with 11 million fan votes and Adrian Beltre getting voted in. Pitchers Matt Harrison and Joe Nathan and infielders Elvis Andrus and Ian Kinsler made it via player and manager selections.
Oh, and there could be an eighth.
Rangers rookie Yu Darvish, the 25-year-old Japanese phenom, is among the AL “final vote” candidates for the final AL slot, to be determined via online balloting:
- Yu Darvish, Rangers
- Jonathan Broxton, Royals
- Ernesto Frieri, Angels
- Jason Hammel, Orioles
- Jake Peavy, White Sox
Your NL final ballot:
- Bryce Harper, Nationals
- Michael Bourn, Astros
- David Freese, Cardinals
- Aaron Hill, D’backs
- Chipper Jones, Braves.
A look at the rosters:
AL starters
C: Mike Napoli, Rangers
1B: Prince Fielder, Tigers
2B: Robinson Cano, Yankees
3B: Adrian Beltre, Rangers
SS: Derek Jeter, Yankees
OF: Josh Hamilton, Rangers
OF: Curtis Granderson, Yankees
OF: Jose Bautista, Blue Jays
DH: David Ortiz, Red Sox
NL starters
C: Buster Posey, Giants
1B: Joey Votto, Reds
2B: Dan Uggla, Braves
3B: Pablo Sandoval, Giants
SS: Rafael Furcal, Cardinals
OF: Matt Kemp, Dodgers
OF: Carlos Beltran, Cardinals
OF: Melky Cabrera, Giants
AL pitchers
Ryan Cook, Athletics
Matt Harrison, Rangers
Felix Hernandez, Mariners
Jim Johnson, Orioles
Joe Nathan, Rangers
Chris Perez, Indians
David Price, Rays
Fernando Rodney, Rays
CC Sabathia, Yankees
Chris Sale, White Sox
Justin Verlander, Tigers
Jered Weaver, Angels
C.J. Wilson, Angels
NL pitchers
Matt Cain, Giants
Aroldis Chapman, Reds
R.A. Dickey, Mets
Gio Gonzalez, Nationals
Cole Hamels, Phillies
Joel Hanrahan, Pirates
Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers
Craig Kimbrel, Braves
Lance Lynn, Cardinals
Wade Miley, Diamondbacks
Jonathan Papelbon, Phillies
Stephen Strasburg, Nationals
Huston Street, Padres
AL reserves
Joe Mauer, Twins
Matt Wieters, Orioles
Elvis Andrus, Rangers
Asdrubal Cabrera, Indians
Miguel Cabrera, Tigers
Ian Kinsler, Rangers
Paul Konerko, White Sox
Adam Jones, Orioles
Mike Trout, Angels
Mark Trumbo, Angels
Billy Butler, Royals
Adam Dunn, White Sox
NL reserves
Yadier Molina, Cardinals
Carlos Ruiz, Phillies
Jose Altuve, Astros
Starlin Castro, Cubs
Ian Desmond, Nationals
Bryan LaHair, Cubs
David Wright, Mets
Ryan Braun, Brewers
Jay Bruce, Reds
Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies
Andrew McCutchen, Pirates
Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins
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