Is this insane? No Paul Konerko or Alex Rios from the Chicago White Sox on the American League All-Star squad?
Konerko, however is one of the five AL finalists in the Major League All-Star Game Final Vote. GO HERE to get him in. (By doing it the Chicago Way- “vote early, vote often,” we’ve had good luck getting Scott Podsednik and A.J. Pierzynski in the game in year’s past, we can do it again).
And at least Matt Thornton, the talented left-handed specialist in the White Sox bullpen made the team. The hard-throwing southpaw in his seventh Major League season, was announced one of seven appointments made by American League manager Joe Girardi during Sunday afternoon’s MLB All-Star Selection Show.
Still, this is not how we had it figured.
Thornton leads the AL with 47 strikeouts as a reliever and is second in strikeouts per nine innings at 12.56. The 2-3 Thornton is 2-3 with four saves and an opponents batting average of .195. while walking just seven unintentionally over 33 2/3 innings. He’ s the only AL All-Star reliever not considered a pure closer, and that really says something because you know the unwritten rules: closers are the only relief pitchers who get to make the All-Star team, and very few of them actually do.
Center fielder Alex Rios, on pace to produce the first 30 home run, 30 stolen base single-season in Sox history, was one of the most OVERLOOKED players on Sunday. He’s hitting .307 with 45 RBIs, 49 runs scored, 22 stolen bases and 13 home runs. What a joke this process is sometimes.
As for Konerko, his numbers speak for themselves, but hey maybe we’ll still get em in. Remember to vote numerous times here.