The Detroit Tigers will be well represented at this year’s MLB All-Star game from Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona. They will have a total of 4 All-Stars and possibly a 5th if Victor Martinez gets voted in via the Final Vote on MLB.com.
Unfortunately for the Tigers, they will also be well represented on the ‘un-All-Star’ team compiled by NBC Sports.
This year, Tigers outfielder Magglio Ordonez, third baseman Brandon Inge, second baseball Ryan Raburn, and relievers Ryan Perry and Daniel Schlereth were given the unfortunate honors of being named un-All-Stars.
Given the numbers so far this first half it’s really hard to come up with arguments that would suggest these guys weren’t ‘un-All-Stars’. This is especially the case with guys like Brandon Inge, Ryan Raburn and Ryan Perry who by all accounts has tremendously underachieved since being a first round draft pick by the Tigers back in 2008.
However, Matt Sussman of Mlive.com makes a good argument against Daniel Schlereth’s presence on this list given the fact that he had a sub 3.00 ERA prior to giving up two grand slams to the New York Mets last week. Sussman points out that Brian Fuentes and Matt Thornton were huge snubs in terms of AL reliever ‘un-All-Stars’.
I’d also say to no fault of his own, Schlereth was never really ready for the big leagues and like a lot of pitchers within the Tigers organization was called up way to early.
Source: NBC Sports, Mlive.com