According to mlb.com, Phillies’ outfielder Jayson Werth has been added to the National League All-Star team to replace injured Mets centerfielder Carlos Beltran.
Werth will join his fellow Phillie outfielders Raul Ibañez and Shane Victorino in St. Louis for the All-Star festivities. Ibañez was voted in by the fans as a starter while Victorino made the team this week as the winner of the Sprint Final Vote. Werth enters tonight’s action with a .268 batting average, 20 HR, 54 RBI, 59 runs scored and 12 SB. He has been on a power tear, hitting home runs in four consecutive games.
Werth joins teammates Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and the aforementioned Ibañez as only the second foursome in baseball history to each hit at least 20 HR before the All-Star Break. The 2000 Toronto Blue Jays were the first team to accomplish this feat when Tony Batista, Raul Mondesi, Jose Cruz Jr. and Carlos Delgado all hit 20 long balls before the break.
While Werth’s numbers are certainly deserving of an All-Star nod, this just adds more insult to injury (no pun intended) to the Mets and their fans. Charlie Manuel is already managing the National League All-Star team. Imagine if he chooses to have all three of his outfielders play at the same time. With Ibañez being activated from the disabled list today and able to play in the Midsummer Classic on Tuesday, it could very well happen. Looks like I won’t be watching much baseball on Tuesday.
The three days off were supposed to serve as a temporary respite from all the negativity surrounding the Mets over the past few weeks as their position in the standings kept moving south. Now the Mets and their fans will have to watch the Phillies all over the TV screen on Tuesday. I’m already seeing red because of the Mets’ recent play. Do I have to be forced to see so much red on the TV as well?
