With the National League All Star rosters nearly set, the final spot will be determined by fan voting that will run through 4 p.m. ET on Thursday.
MLB All-Star Game 2014: Anthony Rizzo, Justin Upton headline NL final vote
The final spot on the National League All-Star team will be decided by a fan vote with Justin Morneau, Anthony Rizzo and Justin Upton among the five candidates.
Jonathan Daniel
Justin Morneau, Anthony Rizzo, Anthony Rendon, Casey McGehee and Justin Upton will compete for that spot. No clear-cut favorite stands out like Chris Sale does in the American League. Rendon might be favored by the sabermetric crowd, combining a strong offensive performance with solid glove work, but Rizzo and Upton are tied for third in the National League with 17 home runs.
Rizzo is “finally” having the breakout season that has been long-expected from him. Over the past two years, the 24-year-old first baseman has been a solid hitter, but this year, he’s putting together an all-around performance in the batter’s box. In 365 plate appearances, he’s hitting .274/.384/.489 with 17 homers and 45 runs driven in.
In addition to playing second base, Rendon filled in at third base for the Nationals while Ryan Zimmerman was injured. He has 12 home runs and eight stolen bases with 60 runs scored and 50 batted in. His glove, at both second and third, has been a plus for Washington, and his baserunning and plate discipline have improved over his numbers form a year ago.
Morneau has bounced back in Colorado to the tune of a .314/.346/.518 batting line and 13 home runs. Coors Field tends to help batters out quite a bit, but Morneau is clearly having his best season since suffering a concussion in Minnesota that cost him considerable playing time in 2010 and 2011.
McGehee is perhaps the most surprising player to make the ballot. After spending last season in Japan, the 31-year-old corner infielder has put together a .317/.385/.391 batting line and currently ranks seventh in the NL in RBI. He has only hit one ball over the fence, but his value to the Marlins has far exceeded several players that have more home runs than him.
Upton has 17 homers and seven stolen bases so far this year. His .275/.347/.507 batting line would be one of the best of his career if he can keep it up through the second half. He’s been a fixture in the heart of the Braves’ lineup once again this season, and his elite power could give him an edge over some of the other players competing for the final spot.
To place your vote, go to MLB.com, text the word “VOTE” to 89269, or tweet your vote to #FinalVote. Follow @MLB for details.
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