VOTE RAINIERS! Triple-A All-Star Game Voting Open
The ballots are out, and now is your time to shine! Go to the homepage of Minor League Baseball and click the “VOTE NOW” button at the top of the page, because you–the fans–get a say-so in who starts this year’s Triple-A All-Star Game, just down the road in Portland, Ore.
Sixteen Tacoma Rainiers players are listed on the ballot. Fans can choose two starting pitchers, two relievers, three outfielders and one of every other position, including designated hitter.
Rainiers starting pitching candidates include righties Andy Baldwin (4-3, 4.55 ERA, 40 Ks) and Gaby Hernandez (3-4, 4.88, 42 Ks), as well as lefty Chris Seddon (4-3, 4.93, 29 Ks).
Tacoma relievers on the ballot include Randy Messenger (11-for-13 in save opportunities), Justin Thomas (19 Ks in 24 innings) and Eric Hull (team-leading five wins, 32 Ks in 34.1 innings)
Behind the dish, the Rainiers have one candidate: Jeff Clement. Since Clement has not armored up in the catcher’s gear for a while, he’s also listed on the designated hitter ballot, so feel free to cast your write-in vote for current Tacoma starter Adam Moore (.301, 5 doubles, 2 HR, 14 RBI in 20 games).
At first base, cast your vote–and your line–for Tacoma’s Big Fish, Mike Carp. The Rainiers first baseman is hitting .306 with a .554 slugging percentage, thanks to 10 home runs and 16 doubles. Carp has knocked in 31 runs and scored 36.
At second, Tacoma has Callix Crabbe, with his sure hands and quick feet, as well as precedent, behind him: last year’s Rainiers representative was middle infielder Oswaldo Navarro.
Manning the keystone slot for Tacoma on this All-Star ballot is Chris Woodward, who has provided a steadying hand and a major-league glove to the Rainiers this season. The veteran of 607 big league games has hit .305 in 45 games, with 12 doubles and 14 RBI. He also sports a .384 on-base percentage.
Campaigning for a spot at third base in Portland is Mr. May himself, Chris Shelton. Overall, Shelton is hitting .318 with seven home runs and 45 RBI. Over the month of May, however, Shelton was an absolute terror for opposing pitchers, batting .398 with five home runs and 26 RBI. In June, Shelton has “cooled off,” hitting .303 with one home run and nine RBI in eight games.
In the outfield, the Rainiers are running four candidates: Michael Saunders, Jerry Owens, Prentice Redman and Bryan LaHair. Problem is, you can only choose three.
If speed and small-ball is your game, then vote for Saunders, Owens and Redman. That trio forms perhaps the speediest outfield in the PCL, with the three of them combining for 16 stolen bases, 26 doubles and 100 runs scored. If home runs are more your flavor, then vote for Saunders, Redman and LaHair. Combined, that group has socked 28 homers over the wall. Those three have totaled 33 doubles on the year, and all sport slugging percentages over .500 (Saunders–.539, Redman–.567, LaHair–.506).
As for designated hitters, the Rainiers have three to choose from: Clement, Shelton and Matt Tuiasosopo. Shelton is already spoken for at third base, and Tuiasosopo has been on the shelf for most of the season due to minor elbow surgery. That leaves us with Jeff Clement, owner of the longest hitting streak this season in the PCL: a 20-game stretch that ended on June 1. Who better to fill the position of designated hitter than the Hitman himself?
Do your duty as a citizen of Minor League Nation, and vote ‘Rainiers’ for this year’s Triple-A All-Star Game!
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