How are the Red Sox Doing in the All-Star Voting?
(June 22, 2016 - Source: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images North America) |
Contributing Writer
Last year, the Red Sox only sent one person to the All-Star Game in what was a forgettable one for the franchise. This year, things seem to be going a bit differently.
According to MLB.com's latest All-Star voting update, the Sox will most likely have many more than just 1 person heading to the Mid-Summer Classic this year.
In the outfield, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Mookie Betts are right behind Mike Trout for second and third place, and are starters in left and right field. Betts and Bradley are about to become the first pair of Red Sox outfielders to earn fan-selected starting assignments since Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez in 2005.
David Ortiz is obviously leading at DH. Ortiz has 2,612,215 votes while the closest person to him has a measly 861,030 votes (Kendrys Morales).
At shortstop, it is a blessing that fans around the MLB have realized that Xander Bogaerts is a special player, as he is the current leader at shortstop with 2,116,020 votes.
After seeing four Red Sox becoming probable starters, you should be pretty happy.
But you should not be satisfied.
There's one name who must be at this All-Star game, and that is Dustin Pedroia. Peddy is third among American League second basemen with 868,746 votes. With that amount, he'd at least be at the game, but we'd like to get him as many votes as possible. He's second among AL second basemen in batting average (.305).
All in all, I'd say it's pretty fitting that the Sox will be sending at least 5 hitters to the All-Star game. And for that reason, this is a must-watch due to it being Ortiz's last hurrah and the core of the Red Sox future becoming starters at the game this year.
It's almost like a passing of the torch.
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