Before last season, the National League hadn't won the All-Star Game since 1996, when Barry Larkin, Mike Piazza, Tony Gwynn, Larry Walker and Jeff Bagwell were prominent faces, all in the primes of their careers. But one bases-loaded double by one returning starting catcher changed all that with the NL's 3-1 win last year in Anaheim.
This year, with all the aforementioned players whispers in today's game, the Midsummer Classic takes place in Arizona, where defending World Champion San Francisco Giants' manager Bruce Bochy leads a squad looking to make something of a streak out of winning these things against a loaded club featuring A-Rod, Jeter, Hamilton and the newly-terrifying JoeyBats.
That squad is listed below:
Starters
Catcher-Brian McCann, Atlanta Braves
Last year's MVP-for a three-run seventh-inning double off White Sox' relief pitcher Matt Thornton-returns to the All-Star game for a sixth consecutive season. With his blend of power consistency (20 or more home runs in four of the last five seasons) and good contact skills (a lifetime .292 batting average), the 27-year old McCann appears to be the iconic catcher of this post-Mike Piazza National League.
2011 stats: .316, 87 H, 14 2B, 14 HR, 47 RBI
First Base-Prince Fielder, Milwaukee Brewers
He's been criticized for his weight, judged for his estrangement from his former MLB-All-Star father (Cecil), and has seen his power numbers rise and fall year in and year out, but in a contract year, the 27-year-old, sweet-swinging first baseman has put up numbers worthy of this selection, even over contemporaries Ryan Howard, Joey Votto, and Albert Pujols.
2011 stats: .299, 90 H, 20 2B, 21 HR, 69 RBI (leads NL)
Second Base-Rickie Weeks, Milwaukee Brewers
Brandon Phillips has the Web Gems and Chase Utley has the constant All-Star pedigree, but this first-time All-Star has shown he has all the tools to be, well, an All-Star second baseman.
2011 stats: .277, 96 H, 60 R, 20 2B, 15 HR, 34 RBI
Shortstop-Jose Reyes, New York Mets
After struggling through two injury-plagued seasons, this third-time All-Star has proven to be the fan-spectacle the up-and-down Mets need, and more. At the time of this writing, the 28-year-old leads the National League in batting (.354), hits (124) and triples (15). In what could very well be a contract year, Reyes' 2011 campaign thus far has people whispering "best player in the game".
2011 stats: .354, 124 H, 65 R, 22 2B, 15 3B, 3 HR, 32 RBI, 30 SB
Third Base-Placido Polanco, Philadelphia Phillies
It wouldn't be a National League All-Star team without a Philadelphia Phillies' infielder, and with star NL third sackers like David Wright (NYM), Chipper Jones (ATL) and Scott Rolen (CIN) losing time to injuries or having down years, this second-time All-Star and former batting champion gets the nod despite some injuries himself.
2011 stats: .274, 88 H, 34 R, 11 2B, 4 HR, 39 RBI
Outfield-Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers
In what's been a short but solid career thus far, then 28-year-old former Rookie of the Year is looking like one of the best all-around players in the National League with possibly his best campaign yet. This is his fourth straight All-Star appearance.
2011 stats: .320, 98 H, 57 R, 19 2B, 16 HR, 62 RBI
Outfield-Lance Berkman, St. Louis Cardinals
Despite five previous All-Star appearances, many figured the 35-year-old Big Puma was over-the-hill after a brief but unsuccessful tenure with the Yankees at the end of last season. But with Albert Pujols struggling and then injured and Matt Holiday starting slowly, Berkman has surprisingly turned into St. Louis' biggest offensive threat.
2011 stats: .295, 74 H, 51 R, 22 HR, 61 RBI
Outfield-Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers
His numbers sagged last season after an MVP-esque 2009 campaign, but Kemp is rolling with among-the-National-League's-best numbers despite all the turmoil in the Dodgers' front office.
2011 stats: .324, 99 H, 54 R, 18 2B, 22 HR, 64 RBI, 22 SB
Pitchers
Heath Bell, right-handed, San Diego Padres
Matt Cain, right-handed, San Francisco Giants
Tyler Clippard, right-handed, Washington Nationals
Roy Halladay, right-handed, Philadelphia Phillies
Cole Hamels, left-handed, Philadelphia Phillies
Joel Hanrahan, right-handed, Pittsburgh Pirates
Jair Jurrjens, right-handed, Atlanta Braves
Clayton Kershaw, left-handed, Los Angeles Dodgers
Cliff Lee, left-handed, Philadelphia Phillies
Tim Lincecum, right-handed, San Francisco Giants
Johnny Venters, left-handed, Atlanta Braves
Ryan Vogelsong, right-handed, San Francisco Giants
Brian Wilson, right-handed, San Francisco Giants
Substitutes
C-Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals
1B-Gaby Sanchez, Florida Marlins
1B-Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds
2B-Brandon Phillips, Cincinnati Reds
3B-Chipper Jones, Atlanta Braves
SS-Starlin Castro, Chicago Cubs
SS-Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado Rockies
OF-Carlos Beltran, New York Mets
OF-Jay Bruce, Cincinnati Reds
OF-Matt Holiday, St. Louis Cardinals
OF-Hunter Pence, Houston Astros
OF-Justin Upton, Arizona Diamondbacks
This is a deep squad, with a lot of experience and some of the best pitchers of the era (Halladay, Lee, Lincecum) stocking the bullpen to face off against the AL's traditionally-more-imposing lineup. They're fighting for home-field advantage in the World Series (which the Giants most certainly used last year) and to keep the AL from starting another All-Star streak.
No comments:
Post a Comment