History shows the Arizona Diamondbacks should have more than one All-Star
Jul 5, 2011, 7:16 PM | Updated: 8:36 pm
As of right now, the Arizona Diamondbacks only have one representative in this year’s All-Star game. A game that will be hosted in their home ballpark, Chase Field.
While it isn’t the first time a host city has had one hometown player in the game, it is a rare occurrence. Over the last decade only two teams who have held the game at their stadium have had only one representative on the field. In both cases, the teams’ poor play made the decision an obvious one.
In 2005 Comerica Park was home to the Mid-summer Classic. That season the Detroit Tigers were three games under .500 and 15-games back in the American League Central and only Ivan Rodriguez represented them.
AT&T Park and the City of San Francisco held the game in 2007. That year the Giants were an abysmal 10-games under .500 and 10.5 games back in the National League West at the break. Thanks to their poor play, only Barry Bonds represented their team in the game.
Even the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates got two players in the game in 2006 despite being 11-games under .500 and 10.5 games back in their division.
With the D-backs being an impressive, and surprising, six games above .500 and only three games back of the division leading Giants when the All-Star game rosters were announced, it’s odd that only Justin Upton was named to the National League squad.
Unless fans vote starting pitcher Ian Kennedy into the game as part of MLB’s ‘Final Vote’, the D-backs will join the Giants and Tigers on the list of teams with only one All-Star. Too bad their play has made it clear they don’t deserve to be included on that list.
