RSS
Home
Haren could start for NL
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
For Diamondbacks' right hander Dan Haren to start for the National League in the up-coming All-Star Game, the case is persuasive.
After beating the Rockies in Denver Sunday, Haren lilted his season mark to 8-5 and lowered his league-leading ERA to 2.16. If not for the failure of run support and a collapsible bull pen, Haren's win total would likely be greater.
Clearly aware of the bullpen's failure, Haren reached a frustration point earlier this season, and declined to leave a game. On June 12 during a contest at Chase Field, he refused to give manage A. J. Hinch the ball. Then Haren cruised to a two hitter and an eventual 8-1, complete game win over Houston.
With former Cy Young Award winner Brandon Webb likely out of the remainder of the season, Haren is now the DBacks number one starter. In the process, he handled the newly anointed crown with aplomb, grace and productivity. His success clearly puts the 28 year native of Monterey Park, Calif. ahead of starters on the National League team, and a clear opportunity to start July 14 in St. Louis.
Calculating ahead, Haren's next start would likely be at home Friday night July 10 against Florida. That creates a favorable timetable of starting the following Tuesday night against the American League in Busch Stadium.
His competition for the starter slot appears formidable. The temptation for NL manager Charlie Manuel of the Phillies is to hand the ball to Johan Santana of the New York Mets. Santanta also pitched Sunday July 5 and lost 2-0 to the Phillies in Philadelphia. That defeat was the second in a row on the road as Santana lost in Milwaukee on his previous start.
Santana's next start should be this Friday at home against Cincinnati and puts the 30 native of Tovas, Venezuela on a course to start the All-Star Game as well. Manuel has not tipped his hand, and the starter pitcher are usually named after the completion of games on Sunday before the mid-summer classic.
Santana has appeared in two previous All-Star Games for the American League (Minnesota), while Haren started the 2007 game for the American League when he was with the Oakland A's.
In addition to Haren, Arizona outfielder Justin Upton (.300, 14 HRs, 45 RBIs in 77 games) was named to the National League team.
Fans can now vote for one additional player to each team, and Diamondbacks' Mark Reynolds (.269, 24HRs, 61 RBIs as of July 5) is on the ballot for the National League. His completion here comes Cristian Guzman of Washington, Matt Kemp of the Dodgers, Pablo Sandoval of the Giants and Shane Victorino of Philadelphia.
During the July 5 telecast of the Diamondbacks game from Colorado, Reynolds was severally pushed by the Darrin Sutton and Mark Grace, the pair which broadcasts the game on local television. They suggested a reciprocal agreement be reached with Angles fans. If Arizona baseball fans vote for Chone Figgins as the fans American League representative, then Angel fans are encouraged to stuff the ballot box for Reynolds.
Among those considered by the fans, Reynolds has the most home runs and runs batted in but the lowest batting average. The other four are hitting .300 or above (as of July 5), with Sandoval's .333 the highest.
