By Chris Brown – STL Baseball Today
The best team in baseball will be well represented at this year’s Midsummer Classic, as it was announced Monday evening that Yadier Molina, Michael Wacha, and Trevor Rosenthal will be joining starters Jhonny Peralta and Matt Holliday on the NL All-Star team. Wacha and Rosenthal are first-time All-Stars, and this is the seventh consecutive All-Star selection for Molina.
Wacha, 23, is in the midst of a break out season for the Cardinals after missing half of last season due to a stress reaction in his right shoulder. He ranks eighth among all starters with a 2.66 ERA, and made eleven quality starts through the first half of the season. A selection of National League manager Bruce Bochy, Wacha is second in the NL with his ten wins, trailing only the Pirates’ Gerrit Cole.
“To be injured last year for most of the season, this is definitely one of the minor goals coming into spring training to be a part of this game,” Wacha told KMOV’s Elizabeth Eisele. “To be mentioned in a group of guys like all the other All-Stars, I’m just very excited and humbled. Words just can’t describe it, really.”
Rosenthal, who was considered a lock to make the team, leads all National League relievers with a 0.70 ERA. The closer was elected through the players’ ballot, receiving the most votes of any NL reliever. The 25-year-old has converted 24 saves (3rd best in the NL) in 25 chances including a streak of 16 consecutive.
“It means a lot to have that recognition, and especially from guys who play the game every day,” Rosenthal said. “It means a lot to me. To be a representative of this team and the pitching staff we have, there are probably a few guys in our rotation and bullpen who could be joining us, but to get the representation with what we’ve done this year is definitely special.”
After finishing second to Giants’ catcher Buster Posey in the fan voting to start, Molina was selected by the players to participate in his seventh consecutive All-Star Game. The seven-time Gold Glove Award winner holds the lowest catcher’s ERA (2.48) in the majors and has caught the most innings (642) in baseball headed into play on Tuesday. The 32-year-old also leads all catchers with 24 multi-hit games and 78 hits.
Young starter Carlos Martinez is one of five players on the ‘Final Vote’ ballot, and would be the sixth Cardinals’ All-Star if he beats out Johnny Cueto, Jeurys Familia, Troy Tulowitski, and Clayton Kershaw, who was an All-Star the last four seasons, in the online fan voting (at MLB.com/vote), which ends at 3 pm CT on Friday (7/10).
In his first season as a full-time starter, Martinez has certainly put up All-Star caliber numbers. The 23-year-old ranks fifth in the league with 13 quality starts and has posted a 2.70 ERA with 105 strikeouts. Take away two rough starts in early May, and Martinez has a 1.58 ERA over his other 15 starts.
“It’s a little complicated to go through another round [of voting], but I’m going to keep playing and am excited [for the possibility of being] in that kind of rotation,” Martinez told MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch through a translator. “I feel I belong there. If I don’t make it, I’m just happy to be in that situation.”
“To all you Cardinal fans out there, you have to start voting him in,” Michael Wacha said. “I’m excited for him, and he’s very well deserving. I hope he can make it to Cincinnati.”
The 86th MLB All-Star Game in Cincinnati is Tuesday, July 14 and will be broadcast on FOX and ESPN Radio. Television coverage begins at 6 pm CT, with first pitch just after 7 pm. The Gillette Home Run Derby, which will feature a new format with brackets and timed rounds, is on Monday and be broadcast by ESPN and MLB.com beginning at 6 pm CT.
Read more: KMOV, Cardinals.com
Feature image used under Creative Commons by Keith Allison. No changes made. Image License.
