All-Star Game Rosters Expanded

by EminenceFront on Jul 1, 2009 4:31 PM EDT

Via MLB.com

Major League Baseball announced today that All-Star Game rosters have been expanded from 32 players to 33, with the extra spot being designated for a 13th pitcher. The spot for the additional All-Star pitcher will be among the managerial choices, which are made after the fan-elected starting position players and the Player Ballot-elected reserve position players and pitchers have been determined.

The A.L. and N.L. All-Star Teams will each have eight fan-elected starting position players. Player Ballot choices will add eight reserve position players and eight pitchers (five starters and three relievers) to the All-Star rosters. Then, eight selections, including the new additional All-Star pitcher, will be made by the two All-Star Team managers - A.L. skipper Joe Maddon of the Tampa Bay Rays and N.L. manager Charlie Manuel of the Philadelphia Phillies - in conjunction with MLB. In making their selections, the managers must ensure that each Club is represented in the All-Star Game.

Immediately following the announcement of the A.L. and N.L. All-Star rosters, fans will begin voting to select the final player for each League's 33-man roster via the 2009 All-Star Game Sprint Final Vote on MLB.com, casting their votes over a four-day period from a list of five players from each League. The winners will be announced after the voting concludes on Thursday, July 9th. For the fifth year, fans will also be able to make their Final Vote selections on their mobile phone; Sprint subscribers will have the exclusive opportunity to cast votes for the winners of the Final Vote by text on Sprint capable phones. Standard text rates apply.

The 2009 American League and National League All-Star Teams will be unveiled on Sunday, July 5th on the 2009 MLB All-Star Selection Show presented by Pepsi, televised nationally on TBS from 1:00-2:00 p.m. (EDT).

This post was written by a member of the DRaysBay community and does not necessarily express the views or opinions of DRaysBay staff.

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Could be good news for BenZo's chances...

Sign lady must die.

by EminenceFront on Jul 1, 2009 4:37 PM EDT reply actions

COME AND JOIN OUR PARTY

by Suttree on Jul 1, 2009 4:47 PM EDT up reply actions

No way Zorilla doesn't make it anyway

If he doesn’t I want Maddon fired

Kap-rilla???

by Sveet on Jul 1, 2009 4:50 PM EDT up reply actions

if somehow he doesn't make the roster

my guess is Longo sits out anyway and he would get to take his spot.

by Dbullsfan on Jul 2, 2009 3:19 AM EDT up reply actions

Longos not going to sit out

and if Zobrist has to get on as a replacement then I want Maddon fired

Kap-rilla???

by Sveet on Jul 2, 2009 8:56 AM EDT up reply actions

I don't think Zobrist would be on the Rays if it weren't for Maddon.

by Suttree on Jul 2, 2009 8:59 AM EDT up reply actions

What?

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Zobrist voted in by the players. I’m just not sure if he was on their ballot or not.

by tallyray on Jul 2, 2009 9:42 AM EDT up reply actions

I don't think Zobrist makes it unless he wins the 40th (now 41st) man vote.

Again, I know he doesn’t ‘deserve’ to be on the team, but Pena is taking someone’s spot. You don’t leave the AL home run leader out of the All-Star game or home-run derby.

Besides, it’s not like he didn’t get slighted in 2007.

I can't wait until we trade him for a reliever.

by kericr on Jul 2, 2009 11:03 AM EDT up reply actions

Maybe but it would be tough

Youkilis, Tex, Morneau, Miggy all have to be ahead of him at 1B. All those guys are going to make the team. I can’t see them carrying 5 first basemen

Kap-rilla???

by Sveet on Jul 2, 2009 11:41 AM EDT up reply actions

It's going to come down to the player vote

The more I hear about the selection process the more it sounds like the manager just needs to make sure to fill the gaps (make sure each team and position is properly represented). I wouldn’t be surprised to see either Zobrist or Pena getting in on the player vote.

by tallyray on Jul 2, 2009 12:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Clearly they've all out-performed him.

But no, all four of those guys aren’t going to make it. Typically the ASG has at most 3 1B players for each team. Obviously whoever is starter and whoever is elected by the players. Last year, those are the only guys who did make it, so I have to come back on what I said and say he isn’t guaranteed a spot since I seriously doubt he’s voted in by the players.

I don’t recall league home-run leader ever not getting elected to an All-Star game, and I’m pretty convinced that Bartlett is going to get the nod in the final 5 over Zobrist, so IF Maddon has a spot, I have to wonder if he’s going to favor tradition, and make sure the league home-run leader gets voted in, or Zobrist, who would actually be of more benefit to the team with his ultra-utility abilities.

I can't wait until we trade him for a reliever.

by kericr on Jul 2, 2009 1:55 PM EDT up reply actions

Just got the warning.

Noted. There should really be a “Guide to Fanposting/Fanshoting” in the sticky. Where things like this can be put in writing.

Unless there is one. In which case, nevermind.

Sign lady must die.

by EminenceFront on Jul 2, 2009 2:37 PM EDT up reply actions

THERE IS A LONG HISTORY OF OPS LEADERS MISSING THE TEAM

Follow Me on Twitter @FreeZorilla

by FreeZorilla on Jul 2, 2009 3:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Probably not

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Jul 2, 2009 12:55 PM EDT up reply actions

I mean, if Maddon hadn't been obsessed with having a "super utility player" last year, Zobrist might not have been given the chance to flourish.

Which means I’m sure Maddon will be putting Zobrist on the roster.

by Suttree on Jul 3, 2009 11:38 AM EDT up reply actions

Your crazy

guy has been one of the best players in baseball when he has played.

I am assuming you mean all-star team not Rays

Kap-rilla???

by Sveet on Jul 2, 2009 11:38 AM EDT up reply actions

I'm afraid that with Maddon being the manager, he'll cost the team money in the future

Sure, guys like Howell and Zobrist would be worthy all-stars, but they wouldn’t necessarily be locks, and if he does pick them, then their price tags likely go up in arbitration and beyond.

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Jul 2, 2009 12:55 PM EDT reply actions

It raises their trade value though too

by rays1234 on Jul 2, 2009 1:36 PM EDT up reply actions

There's no reason to trade Howell.

by R.J. Anderson on Jul 2, 2009 3:22 PM EDT up reply actions

but a C

Navi can’t rap yet, so i say trade him.

Matt Garza on his famous Count von Count impression:
"One strike, two strike, three strikes, you're out Ah ha ha ha"

by 4QB on Jul 3, 2009 10:09 AM EDT up reply actions

The issue of who gets onto the all-star game

is not about who deserves it, but who else does.

Of course as a Rays’ fan I appreciate that Zobrist has been playing at the all-star level. But at 2B, so have Hill and Kinsler, and even Pedroia and Cano fans could make a case. I am comparing Zobrist’s performance to anyone else’s here, but there are many different types of arguments that could be made for any number of others.

And the same thing goes for outfielders. Certainly Bay, Hunter, Crawford, Damon, Cruz and others have reasonable cases. So while I am as impressed as anyone with Zobrist, I don’t think it is such a foregone conclusion that he has to be selected. No matter what choices are made, there are going to be some angry fans somewhere with all sorts of reasonable arguments for their man.

by bobr on Jul 2, 2009 1:57 PM EDT reply actions