Yu Darvish and David Freese win All-Star Final Vote

[SFrush90]

Major League Baseball announced Thursday Texas Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish and St. Louis Cardinals third baseman David Freese were picked for the All-Star Game in online fan voting.

Darvish beat Chicago's Jake Peavy, Baltimore's Jason Hammel, Kansas City's Jonathan Broxton and Los Angeles' Ernesto Frieri to garner the final American League spot. He also became the eighth Ranger to be named to the squad at the Midsummer Classic.

In the NL, Freese secured his spot over 19-year-old Washington rookie Bryce Harper, Atlanta's Michael Bourn and Arizona's Aaron Hill.

An integral part of a Rangers rotation which has been hit hard by injuries, Darvish has posted a 10-5 record with a 3.59 ERA in 16 starts. The right-hander has registered 117 strikeouts in 102 2/3 innings.

Darvish's selection continued a trend of Japanese players faring well in the All-Star Final Vote, with Hideki Matsui of the Yankees winning in 2004 and Hideki Okajima of the Red Sox winning three years later.

Darvish is the second Japanese starting pitcher named to the All-Star Game, joining Hideo Nomo, who made it for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1995.

A five-time All-Star while he played in Japan, Darvish signed a six-year contract worth $56 million with Texas in the offseason.

The World Series MVP last season when the Cardinals defeated the Rangers in seven games, Freese is batting .286 with 13 homers and 50 RBI in 75 games this season.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/81...-star-fan-vote

[Jeffy25]

I'm surprised Freese won, and feel that Peavy should have one, but felt Darvish would win.

[RTL]

None of my picks won! I really wanted to see Frieri and Harper get voted in but knew Frieri wouldn't.

[CarniifeX]

So, Ron Washington's Rangers vs. NL All-Star's then?

[VRP723]

Wish Harper won in the NL

[justOmazing]

Okay, I know this will sound Homer-ish since I am a Braves fan but…

I find it very "fishy" that Tony LaRussa selected Chipper Jones to replace Matt Kemp when he was clearly leading the final vote. By selecting Chipper he nearly solidified David Freese as the winner of the final vote. Since all the Braves fans (and other fans too) split their votes between Michael Bourn and Chipper Jones, Michael Bourn was screwed in the process. Not only that, but this now puts four third baseman's on the all-star roster. The only outfielder who also by the way, played centerfield like Matt Kemp on the final ballot was Michael Bourn. His numbers clearly, again CLEARLY, made him the true all-star over Chipper. But this was LaRussa's way of getting another Cardinal onto the team.

Believe me, I am all about the sentimental vote for Chipper. He deserved to be on the roster just for what he did in the last two games. But still…

Congratulations David Freese, you got in because of what you did last year, not because of what you're doing this year.

[hustleloyrspct]

A Ranger won the final vote? No way!!! The all star game is a joke.

[justOmazing]

Okay, I know I ranted on a bit there. David Freese is a good ball player and deserves it. Just had to vent.

[PapaPilo00]

Okay, I know this will sound Homer-ish since I am a Braves fan but…

I find it very "fishy" that Tony LaRussa selected Chipper Jones to replace Matt Kemp when he was clearly leading the final vote. By selecting Chipper he nearly solidified David Freese as the winner of the final vote. Since all the Braves fans (and other fans too) split their votes between Michael Bourn and Chipper Jones, Michael Bourn was screwed in the process. Not only that, but this now puts four third baseman's on the all-star roster. The only outfielder who also by the way, played centerfield like Matt Kemp on the final ballot was Michael Bourn. His numbers clearly, again CLEARLY, made him the true all-star over Chipper. But this was LaRussa's way of getting another Cardinal onto the team.

Believe me, I am all about the sentimental vote for Chipper. He deserved to be on the roster just for what he did in the last two games. But still…

Congratulations David Freese, you got in because of what you did last year, not because of what you're doing this year.

Personally I feel that it was classy that he picked Chipper. He knew that everyone wanted to see him play in one more ASG. With his career, he deserved it. Now to say that Freese was a lock, I don't agree with that saying as all the hype was only focused on two players in NL Final Vote (Chipper v. Harper). There was never a national story that focused on any of the other three.

That being said I feel as if ever since the Dusty Baker and the snubbed Reds "controversy" happened everyone feels as if TLR was using ways to get Cardinals on the team. Like he's been saying, he's putting the best team together that he can. And he of all people actually understands the importance of this game (reference '11 World Series game seven that could have easily been in Texas).

I'm happy for Freese and I hope he can enjoy his first ASG.

[Jeffy25]

Okay, I know this will sound Homer-ish since I am a Braves fan but…

I find it very "fishy" that Tony LaRussa selected Chipper Jones to replace Matt Kemp when he was clearly leading the final vote. By selecting Chipper he nearly solidified David Freese as the winner of the final vote. Since all the Braves fans (and other fans too) split their votes between Michael Bourn and Chipper Jones, Michael Bourn was screwed in the process. Not only that, but this now puts four third baseman's on the all-star roster. The only outfielder who also by the way, played centerfield like Matt Kemp on the final ballot was Michael Bourn. His numbers clearly, again CLEARLY, made him the true all-star over Chipper. But this was LaRussa's way of getting another Cardinal onto the team.

Believe me, I am all about the sentimental vote for Chipper. He deserved to be on the roster just for what he did in the last two games. But still…

Congratulations David Freese, you got in because of what you did last year, not because of what you're doing this year.

Then why wouldn't TLR just pick David Freese and leave it up to chance if he wanted to get Freese into the all-star game?

That doesn't make very much sense.


Freese by the way, is the third best third basemen in baseball this year to David Wright and Chase Headley. Fwiw.

And he is the 4th one to get in.

I don't understand how a Braves fan can be upset that TLR took a Braves player for the injury replacement, and somehow that means it was TLR ensuring Freese an all-star appearance.

TLR didn't vote for Freese over Bourn, Hill, or Harper.

[lavell12]

Bourn should have replaced Kemp and that way Chipper could win the fan vote. I'm a Braves fan but I don't think you have to be a homer to see that Bourn should be on the all-star team.

I guess this means either Wright or Chipper will be the starting DH with 4 thirdbasemen on the roster.

[Jeffy25]

Bourn should have replaced Kemp and that way Chipper could win the fan vote. I'm a Braves fan but I don't think you have to be a homer to see that Bourn should be on the all-star team.

I guess this means either Wright or Chipper will be the starting DH with 4 thirdbasemen on the roster.

I am assuming Wright will be the DH to start the game, he makes the most sense.

[northsider]

No problems with Freese getting in at all.

[RTL]

I'd DH Beltran

[stipe1280]

The two correct players were chosen. Freese deserved to go over Chipper anyway.