All-Star Game ballots came out yesterday. As always, the Rangers are blitzing their website and everyone’s email with their annual campaign to get Rangers voted in.
Sorry, but I think most Rangers position players fall short of what a reasonable baseball fan would consider all-star caliber.
Surprisingly, the only Ranger who has a real shot at being voted in is Ezequiel Duran. It’s a combination of his having a worthy season offensively and there not being a deep pool of competing second basemen.
Josh Jung is having an all-star worthy season, but his shares a position—third base—with some pretty stiff competition.
As far as second base goes, Duran is having a better offensive season than anyone else, which is pretty remarkable considering he was just a fill for Josh Smith when Smith went in the I.L. Smith was having a dreadful season. Duran is not.
Only the Blue Jays Ernie Clement is batting higher than Duran, .308 to Ezequiel’s .287. But Duran has more RBIs and a higher OPS than any other American League second baseman. Duran clearly deserves to be voted in. But, it’s also a popularity contest, and he might not win that. In fact, even his own team has chosen to feature Josh Jung in its promo material over Duran.
Jung has stiff competition at third, though, from Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero and perennial All-Star Game starter Jose Ramirez from Cleveland. Also, there’s the surprising season Chicago’s Miguel Vargas is having. Jung is right in there with all of them, but might not get voted in.
That’s it. No other Ranger is worthy of an All-Star Game vote.
*****
