Yesterday the rosters for the 2012 Major League Baseball All-Star game to be held in Kansas City were announced and two Pittsburgh Pirates made the team for the National League. The two Pirates that made the team were OF Andrew McCutchen and reliever Joel Hanrahan.
McCutchen who earned a bench spot on the All-Star team probably even deserved a starting job but because of fan voting deciding that he only got a spot on the bench. McCutchen among outfielders in the National League ranks 2nd in average (.346) and OPS (.993), 7th in home-runs (15), 1st in OBP (.401), and 3rd in Slugging (.593). However there is still a chance that McCutchen can start in the game because of out-fielder Matt Kemp missing the game due to injury. Kemp was the leading vote-getter for out-fielder's in the National League and has said he would like to play in the All-Star game any way possible, but his team management has come out and said that he has to play in real games first before he can play in the All-Star game.
Joel Hanrahan made his second straight All-Star team along with Andrew McCutchen once again posting very impressive numbers out of the bull-pen. Hanrahan has earned a save in 20 of his 22 chances this year also posting a 2.10 ERA in 30 total innings pitched.
The Pirates also had a few arguable snubs in James McDonald and A.J. Burnett. In my opinion James McDonald was the only one of the two that should of made the team. McDonald has posted a 7-3 record and a 2.44 ERA so far this year by far good enough numbers to earn him an All-Star bid. I think that McDonald has proven himself as the Ace of the Pirates pitching staff to this point in the year seemingly getting the team a win every time he goes out and pitches. Perhaps the biggest argument for McDonald making the team came from his own teammate in Joel Hanrahan. McDonald has been much better then Hanrahan so far this year but Hanrahan most likely got the nod because he is a reliever so he would be better suited in a one inning situation which most likely he will receive in the All-Star game.
No comments:
Post a Comment