All Star Game latest

Maggs should be among few Tigers to make All-Star roster
June 15, 2008
Detroit Free Press

The Tigers had 11 previous All-Stars on their Opening Day roster. Three weeks from now, we will find out how many are still All-Stars.

Detroit had five last year -- Carlos Guillen, Magglio Ordoñez, Placido Polanco, Pudge Rodriguez and Justin Verlander -- in addition to manager Jim Leyland and the coaching staff.

This season's delegation at Yankee Stadium on July 15 will be considerably smaller.

For all their well-known players, the Tigers are in fourth place. The American League roster will probably reflect that.

The Yankees, the most famous team of all, struggled in the first half last season and had three All-Stars. So, it's reasonable to expect that Detroit will have between one and three this year. If current totals in the fan voting hold, the Tigers won't have a player in the starting lineup for the first time since 2005.

Here's a look at the team's All-Star candidates, listed according to the probability that they will make the team.

MOST DESERVING
• Magglio Ordoñez, RF: The defending batting champion should make the roster as a reserve, since Manny Ramirez, Josh Hamilton and Ichiro Suzuki have received such strong support in the fan balloting. Ordoñez has been among the league leaders in hitting for much of the first half and had the most home runs and RBIs on the team through Wednesday.

VIABLE CANDIDATES
• Todd Jones, RHP: He hasn't had as many save opportunities as expected, but he has been good when called upon (11-for-11). He also passed 2008 Hall of Fame inductee Goose Gossage on the all-time saves list, which adds historical merit to his case. Jones probably has a better chance to make the team than any Tiger except Ordoñez, because there are often multiple closers on the roster. But ties usually go to the harder throwers.

• Placido Polanco, 2B: Polanco has made a determined comeback from the early-season back injury that kept his average below .200 until late April. On Thursday, he awoke with an average of .300 or better for the first time all year. Managers love his all-around game, and fellow players respect him. Dustin Pedroia has a comfortable lead in fan balloting, so Polanco will probably have to edge the slugging Ian Kinsler to make the team.

Good move
Leyland deserves credit for his decision last week to alternate Brandon Inge and Rodriguez every other game behind the plate. The plan has provided the Tigers with present production, as well as future perspective.

Over the first five games of the arrangement, the catchers have combined to bat .267 (4-for-15) with two extra-base hits. More important, Detroit is 4-1 over that span.

"So far, it's been pretty good," Leyland said Friday. "Sometimes, guys do better because they get rested. Pudge has looked fresher to me the last few games than almost all year."

Meanwhile, Inge looks as though he could be the Tigers' No. 1 catcher in 2009. After he caught Justin Verlander's complete-game victory Wednesday, Verlander remarked that Inge "looks great" behind the plate. In his next start, Friday night, Inge caught the Tigers' first shutout victory this year.

"Everyone on the planet knows that third base is my favorite spot," Inge said. "I could catch every day, if that's what they need. I'd be more than glad to do it. I like this team. I like it here in Detroit. It's always been home to me.

"I want to stay here."

The Tigers were unable to trade Inge before this season, because other clubs were wary of the money left on his contract (three years, $19.1 million) and his disappointing production last year.

Ironically, that same contract seems reasonable for an everyday catcher. Inge, 31, will have two years and $12.9 million left on his contract after this year.

Lap's Comment: VOTE TIGERS EVERYBODY!

If more people would vote at Comerica Park, we would have more Votes!


Everybody seems content to vote online;


But they can't grab a handful of ballots before a game and take a few minutes and punch them out

Or at a minor league game.... bet they're wondering where all the Tigers votes came from at a Dodgers AA park.....

I'm actually three people who voted ! shhh don't tell anyone

laprimamirala wrote:

I'm actually three people who voted ! shhh don't tell anyone

me too!

would we get arrested?

NOPE

I'll turn into Sybil!