The Mid-summer classic is here, and it's a lonely trip for the Arizona Diamondbacks. After starting off the season looking like one of the worst teams in baseball the team has really come together, especially the pitching, and salvaged a run at the playoffs. Despite all of the good will generated from sitting at 5th in the NL only two Diamondbacks received a call for the 2014 All-Star Game.
During Spring Training it looked like Arizona had an outside chance at sending four guys to Minnesota; Paul Goldschmidt, Carlos Santana, Gio Gonzalez, and Patrick Corbin. One for four isn't bad, especially considering what injuries have done to Gonzalez and Corbin.
Few are surprised that an MVP candidate playing like an MVP candidate would get elected. Goldschmidt makes his second straight ASG appearance and he will be the first Diamondbacks player to start since Luis Gonzalez in 2001. The second selection comes as a real surprise; Pat Neshek. Neshek, a mid-season free agent signing and notable non-closer, gets the nod with stellar numbers (0.70ERA, 0.57WHIP) that helped shore up an ailing Diamondbacks bullpen.
Arizona doesn't have all the much to complain about considering how most of the individuals have played, but that won't stop some fans from calling 'foul' on the voting process. The Diamondbacks biggest snub is someone who is currently being wronged by the "one inning pitched per team game" rule, and falls just a few starts short of qualification. Jake Arrieta, holder of a 7-5 record, is right up there with Clayton Kershaw in ERA (1.78), WHIP (1.02), and a K/9 (10.06) that would make anyone jealous. Arrieta is joined by Ian Kennedy, who isn't having quite the season Arrieta is, but he is 5th in strike outs (125) just behind Kershaw.
Perhaps having most of the team stay away from the ASG festivities will be good, they definitely need the time to recover from injuries. Getting Chris Owings back healthy will be huge, hopefully he can round the bases on his ROY campaign.
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