Braves are allllll over the NL's All-Star roster; Freeman on Markakis selection: “you almost get emotional”; four Braves on All-Star team
By Michael A. Lough
The Sports Report
centralgasports@gmail.com
The season of “nobody expected any of this” continues for the Atlanta Braves with four players earning All-Star bids and two players topping the voting.
Freddie Freeman led all NL players with more than four million votes, while Nick Markakis was fifth – just behind Mike Trout – with more than 3.5 million.
Houston’s Jose Altuve, the AL MVP, led all players with more than 4.8 million votes, winning his position by nearly 3.6 million votes. Freeman’s gap was second, by two million votes over Anthony Rizzo.
The rosters have 29 players 27 or young, 25 first-timers, and 21 born outside the U.S.
On-the-trading-block Manny Machado won the AL shortstop spot by less than 57,000 votes over Carlos Correa.
Markakis enters with a record, and plenty of good vibes. Nobody has gone more games – 1,928 through Sunday – before making his ASG debut.Former Montreal standout Ron Fairly had the record at 1,866.
Albies led at his position for much of the voting, but lost in the final days to the Cubs’ Javier Baesz.
The last Braves duo to start? Javy Lopez and Gary Sheffield in 2003.
Albies is the youngest Braves All-Star since Hank Aaron’s debut.
The game is Tuesday, July 17, at 7:30 p.m. in Washington.
Coverage
MLB.com: Markakis and Freeman top NL voting
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: first time since 2012 Atlanta has four players
Talking Chop: Folty and Albies are reserves
MLB.com: The All-Star teams (w/Markakis and Freeman video)
Rosters not quiiiite complete (voting for final two spots remains)