Philadelphia Phillies: 2012 MLB All-Star Game Chances for Each Phillie
May 3, 2012 by Ben Larivee
Filed under Fan News
The Phillies have star power. Whether they are in first place or last, the names in that lineup are recognizable throughout the baseball world.
While some (most) of the 11 former All-Stars boasted by the club are on the downward slopes of their respective careers, being voted to the All-Star Game is often as much about popularity as it is about performance.
Of the 34 players on the National League roster, though, only the eight starting position players are voted by the fans. The next 16, including five starting pitchers, three relievers and eight backup position players, are voted in by their peers.
The roster is then filled out by the manager—who this season will be none other than Tony La Russa—leaving one spot open for the final fan vote.
While the Phillies haven’t been as dominating as fans would’ve hoped or expected before the season began, they have still had some standout performers who will undoubtedly garner consideration for inclusion in the Midsummer Classic.
Albeit with a good amount of baseball between now and then, it doesn’t seem unreasonable to think the Phillies can match last year’s total of five All Stars, despite the sluggish start.