As miserable a season as the Chicago Cubs of had, every Major League Baseball team is allowed one All-Star and outfielder Marlon Byrd has been named to the 2010 National League team on behalf of the Cubs. It is the first All-Star selection of Byrd’s career.
Byrd was selected to the All-Star team by way of voting by the players. The 81st Major League All-Star Game is Tuesday, July 13 in Anaheim.
Heading into this afternoon’s game against the Cincinnati Reds, Byrd is batting .310 (94-for-303) with 26 doubles, nine home runs and 35 RBI in 80 games. He leads the Cubs in batting average, doubles and hits. He has a .357 on-base percentage and a .485 slugging percentage. Byrd signed a three-year contract with the Cubs prior to the 2010 campaign.
Byrd is one of only two players in the National League with at least 30 multi-hit games (Byrd has 31) and at least 25 doubles. He leads baseball in doubles (with Philadelphia ’s Jayson Werth), while ranking tied for fourth in hits and sixth in batting average in the National League.