The Detroit Tigers' All-Star Trio
Who are Joe Maddon's Tigers? Well, he has three of them, with an outside shot at four. As expected, no Detroit Tigers were voted to the American League All-Star starting lineup by fan balloting. But pitchers Justin Verlander and Edwin Jackson, and outfielder Curtis Granderson were named to the team as reserves. 16 spots on the All-Star rosters were determined by player balloting, with the remaining eight chosen by managers Maddon and Charlie Manuel. (You can view the rosters here.)
If you had to pick one reason why the Tigers are a first-place team going into the second week of July, their starting pitching would have to be among the top choices, so it's fitting that Detroit's two best pitchers are headed to St. Louis to represent their team. Verlander leads the AL in strikeouts with 130 strikeouts, with his eight wins tied for the third-highest total in the league, and a 3.54 ERA that's among the top 15. Jackson's 2.59 ERA is second among AL starters, and his 93 strikeouts among the top 10 in the league. And as we know all too well following the Tigers, Jackson's win total would be much higher than six, if only he received better run support from his lineup.
Granderson was something of a surprise, perhaps, but he really shouldn't have been. (And my failure to mention him among the Tigers' possible All-Star candidates yesterday truly was an oversight.) Though his .256 batting average would be his lowest since he became a full-time starter with the Tigers if he finished with that number, his 18 home runs are tied for the fifth-highest total in the AL. Defensively, Grandy is also one of the league's top centerfielders (as Lee illustrates at Tiger Tales), and being named to the All-Star team rightfully places him among the best outfielders in the league.
The Tigers could also get a fourth All-Star representative, with Brandon Inge being one of five candidates on the Final Vote ballot to determine the last player on the AL Roster. The other competitors for the spot are Texas' Ian Kinsler, Tampa Bay's Carlos Pena, Anaheim's Chone Figgins, and Toronto's Adam Lind. Inge has experienced a resurgent season, with a .269/.361/.513 average, and his 19 home runs are tied for the fourth-highest total in the AL. Combine those numbers with his usual stellar defense at third base, and you have arguably the Tigers' most valuable player this season and the second-best third baseman in the league.
You can cast your votes for Inge up until 4 p.m by clicking here for the Final Vote ballot. He's probably going to need your help, as he's facing some fierce competition. As with the fan balloting for the All-Star starting lineups, you can vote up to 25 times as many times as you'd like, apparently.
Were there snubs? Well... the Tiger with the best shot to be named as a starter was probably Miguel Cabrera, but first base was a stacked position in the AL, and Cabrera soon fell behind in fan balloting. And with Mark Teixeira, Justin Morneau, and Kevin Youkilis already on the team, Miggy lost out in a numbers game despite batting .323/.385/.540 with 16 home runs and 47 RBIs. Terrific numbers, but not enough to stand out among the fray.
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But he can't hit the ...
wait, I saw this commercial a million times but now I can’t remember.
by Kurt Mensching on Jul 6, 2009 11:54 AM EDT up reply actions
I've been voting since I got to work
and have nothing better to do.
I love that photo of jackson and verlander. so awesome.
I just need to correct Ian on one thing...
you can vote more than the stated 25 times…in fact you can vote 25,000,000 times if you wanted to, there is no limit
Thrilled for the guys
And, yes, I’m voting for Binge like crazy. He deserves it.
"It's designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything is new again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops, and leaves you to face the fall alone". A. Bartlett Giamatti
I am also voting Binge
I am truly disappointed that Biggy didn’t make it.
Welcome to Detroit>>Where the weak are killed and eaten.
I see the "up to 25 times" line as a major oversight
People are gonna read that, and vote only 25 times. I know of people who have been doing that. We need to vote like crazy to get him in.
I just kept voting waiting for the cut-off
and realized i wasn’t going to get one. So i vote. and i vote. and i vote. and i vote.
me too
then my hand got tired of voting.
by Kurt Mensching on Jul 6, 2009 1:05 PM EDT up reply actions
I feel like I am going back to my Chicago roots voting like this. :)
"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle." -- Philo of Alexandria
Am I the only one...
Who thinks fans shouldn’t be allowed to vote for all-stars? It just lets the Red Sox and Yankees fans vote in undeserving players. I mean really, does Wakefield really deserve to be in? I think not… Why do you think fans aren’t allowed to vote for Rookie of the Year or MVP?
Sorry, I was a little tired when writing that...
How about Josh Hamilton though? He’s only played in 35 games, and he’s looked like crap. .240 avg, 6 hrs? Just goes to show you that the fans that vote often are the ones who watch one or two games here or there, and obviously watch the HR derby. Not to mention Bay is a maybe at best. His power isn’t bad (19 hrs), but he’s only hitting .260, capable of a back up in the all-star game, but for sure not a starter. I’d much rather have Torii Hunter in for either of these guys…
But back to my original point. We can look at the past. Willie Mays late in his career was terrible, yet he was a shoe in to start every all-star game at CF. Bonds was the same. I could care less about respect, give it to the players who deserve it, it doesn’t matter if they are a household name or not.
If it comes down to a Tigers player and a Red Sox player, the Red Sox player will always win out in votes, even if the Tigers player is more deserving.
I really think they should implement a system in which either the Managers or GMs vote for the starters.
You should...
probably learn how the people are picked or maybe look at some stats before you call anyone undeserving of making the team. At last glance he is tied for the lead in the AL in wins.
ABC baby, always be closing.
by ALWAYSBCLOSING on Jul 6, 2009 6:04 PM EDT up reply actions

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