Dodgers second baseman Dee Gordon meets with New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter at Target Field in Minneapolis. (Associated Press photo)
Yasiel Puig‘s memory of his first All-Star Game might not be as sweet.
Continue reading “Dodgers’ quartet sees mixed results in All-Star game.” »
Clayton Kershaw has a no-hitter and a streak of 41 consecutive scoreless innings but won’t start the All-Star game tomorrow night in Minneapolis. (John McCoy/Staff photographer)
Clayton Kershaw won’t start the All-Star Game for the National League despite throwing a no-hitter amid 41 consecutive scoreless innings this season.
And it came as little surprise.
National League manager Mike Matheny of the St. Louis Cardinals chose his own pitcher, Adam Wainwright, to start the game tomorrow night. Wainwright is 12-4 with a 1.83 earned-run average. Kershaw is 11-2 with a 1.78 ERA, best in the major leagues. It’s a bit reminiscent of last year, when the All-Star Game was played at Citi Field and New York Mets pitcher Matt Harvey got the start over Kershaw despite similar credentials.
It’s no secret that managers look at more than just the numbers.
“If I’m Mike Matheny, I probably start my own guy. If I’m me, I start my guy,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said Saturday, when asked for his pick to start the game. “If I’m Bud Black, I’m starting Despanga [Odrisamer Despaigne] or whatever his name is.”
Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig, who is taking part in tonight’s home run derby at Target Field, is batting second and playing right field. Dodgers second baseman Dee Gordon and pitcher Zack Greinke are also on the National League roster.
The full lineups for both teams:
Continue reading “All-Star Game lineups announced; Yasiel Puig bats second, Clayton Kershaw in bullpen.” »
MLB provided an updated all-star ballot tally Sunday, and Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig still leads the pack with 1,942,701 votes. Andrew McCutchen (1,727,534) and Giancarlo Stanton (1,659,430) are second and third, respectively.
Adrian Gonzalez (1,049,222) fell behind Paul Goldschmidt (1,291,052) in voting among National League first basemen. No other Dodgers are among the top three vote-getters at their position.
Juan Uribe dropped out of the top five among National League third basemen. Hanley Ramirez remains fourth among shortstops with 667,162 — well behind Troy Tulowitzki, whose 2.6 million votes lead all National League players. Dee Gordon slipped to third among second baseman with 898,226, possibly past the point of catching leader Chase Utley (1,678,843).
Voting ends at 8:59 pm on July 3, 2014.
Yasiel Puig and Adrian Gonzalez are attempting to become the first pair of Dodgers teammates to earn fan elections in an All-Star Game since 1980. (Getty Images)
Puig widened his lead over Miami Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton, 1,472,717 votes to 1,259,047 for Stanton. As of six days ago, Puig led Colorado Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon by about 52,000 votes. Blackmon fell out of the top three, surpassed by Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Carlos Gomez. There are no other Dodger outfielders (Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier are both on the ballot) among the top 15 vote-getters.
Puig entered play Monday ranked second in the N.L. with a .591 slugging percentage and a .430 on-base percentage, tied for fourth with 23 multi-hit games, fifth with 127 total bases, tied for sixth with 40 RBI and 30 extra-base hits and tied for seventh with 72 hits.
Gonzalez maintains his lead with 888,906 total votes. He is trailed closely by a pair of 2013 N.L. All-Stars – Paul Goldschmidt (784,026) of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Freddie Freeman (710,778) of the Atlanta Braves.
Puig and Gonzalez are attempting to become the first pair of Dodgers teammates to earn fan elections in an All-Star Game since 1980, when first baseman Steve Garvey, second baseman Davey Lopes, shortstop Bill Russell and outfielder Reggie Smith were all elected by the fans.
Three other Dodgers are among the top five vote-getters at their positions: second baseman Dee Gordon (second), shortstop Hanley Ramirez (fourth) and third baseman Juan Uribe (fifth).
The All-Star Game will be played at Target Field in Minnesota on Tuesday, July 15.
