Twitter
    Sportspress Northwest
    • Football
    • Baseball
    • NCAA
    • Hockey
    • Soccer
    • Basketball
    Twitter
    Sportspress Northwest
    Twitter
    Home » Cruz, Diaz, Haniger are All-Stars; Segura has shot
    Baseball

    Cruz, Diaz, Haniger are All-Stars; Segura has shot

    Art ThielBy Art ThielJuly 9, 20182 Comments3 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Reddit LinkedIn Email
    Share
    Facebook Twitter Reddit LinkedIn Email
    Mitch Haniger made his first All-Star team Sunday. / Alan Chitlik, Sportspress Northwest

    At spring training, it would have been hard to believe that the Mariners in July would be disappointed at the selection of three players as American League All-Stars. But after a 57-34 start to the season, the absences of pitcher James Paxton and SS Jean Segura were almost as bleak as the selections of DH Nelson Cruz, closer Edwin Diaz and RF Mitch Haniger were joyful.

    “Certainly we are well represented,” manager Scott Servais told reporters after the rosters were announced for the July 17 game at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. “Quite frankly, I’m just shocked that Jean Segura wasn’t on it. And James Paxton.

    “I go back to that no-hitter and what he did for our team and just energizing our team. He’s really carried our starting rotation. Pax and Jean, not getting in, it’s tough. There’s a lot of good players in the league, and I explained it to those guys. They get it.”

    Segura, however, still has a shot. He was named as one of five players for the AL Final Vote by fans for the 32nd roster spot, a first for a Mariner. The club is encouraging fans to vote online by the deadline of 1 p.m. Wednesday.

    “I certainly hope our fans step up,” Servais said. “People around the Pacific Northwest: Put your votes in ,because Jean really deserves to go.”

    He has some serious competition, especially from big-market teams: Boston OF Andrew Benintendi, SS Andrelton Simmons of Anaheim, OF Giancarlo Stanton of New York and OF Eddie Rosario of Minnesota.

    Paxton also has an outside chance if one of the selected pitchers does not pitch.

    Complete rosters are here for the 89th All-Star Game (5 p.m. PT, FOX).

    The big AL winners were the division-leading Astros, Red Sox and Indians with five selections each. Atlanta led the NL with four.

    In Diaz and Haniger, the Mariners have two of the 25 first-timers in the game.

    Diaz, 24, has been the game’s top closer with 34 saves, needing 29 more to break the 2008 record set by Francisco Rodriguez. His 0.826 WHIP is testimony to the general futility of batters in the ninth against Seattle.

    Haniger, 27, is among AL leaders in several categories — tied for second in RBIs, ninth in walks, tied for 16th in home runs and tied for 15th in OPS. He leads the majors with 13 game-winning RBIs and with 11 home runs in the 7th inning and later. His fly-ball pursuit and throwing arm make him a Gold Glove candidate.

    Cruz, 38, has been an All-Star in five of the past six seasons and has been chosen eight times overall. He’s in the AL’s top 10 in home runs, slugging and OPS. He’s been hit by a pitch 10 times, also a top-10 figure.

    Two former Mariners made the AL roster: RHP J.A. Happ of Toronto and OF Shin-Soo Choo of Texas.

    The Mariners, off Monday, beat Colorado 6-4 Sunday to get one of three from the Rockies. They play three in Anaheim starting Tuesday followed by three more against the Rockies in Denver before the All-Star break.

     

    Share. Facebook Twitter Reddit LinkedIn Email

    Related Posts

    A few musings about sports journalism as the unwinding begins

    February 18, 2022

    Carroll’s staff makeover seeks to get Wilson back in the game

    February 16, 2022

    Arizona loss unmasks truths about Hopkins, UW hoops

    February 15, 2022

    2 Comments

    1. Kevin Lynch on July 9, 2018 9:11 pm

      Mariners have done well! They are on target for the wild card. Houston is another matter. The biggest caveat is the issue with the west, NL and AL. The M’s have to hope their sun does not set in the west. They have 44 games left against west division teams (AL and NL) that have winning records. That’s a lot. But for the wild card they just have to beat those A’s.

      • Husky73 on July 10, 2018 12:23 pm

        I remain the Mariner Optimist for 2018.

    • Follow @Art_Thiel on Twitter
    Use our affiliate link on Amazon

    Subscribe to Our Weekly Roundup

    Get the top stories sent to your inbox every Thursday.

    Art Thiel on KNKX 88.5FM

    Kirsten Kendrick's Q. & A. with Thiel can be heard every Friday during Morning Edition at 5:45am and 7:45am and again that same day on All Things Considered at 4:44pm. It also airs Saturday at 9:35am.

    Listen now!
    Latest Posts

    A few musings about sports journalism as the unwinding begins

    February 18, 2022

    Carroll’s staff makeover seeks to get Wilson back in the game

    February 16, 2022

    Arizona loss unmasks truths about Hopkins, UW hoops

    February 15, 2022

    Rams win a survivors contest called the Super Bowl

    February 14, 2022
    Twitter
    • Football
    • Baseball
    • NCAA
    • Hockey
    • Soccer
    • Basketball
    © 2025 Sportspress Northwest

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.