Online betting players are gearing up for the annual Midsummer Classic, also known as the All-Star Game that will take place at Angel Stadium of Anaheim, and when it comes to All-Star games, people usually start looking at who should have made the team, instead of who did. Here is our top five to miss out on the game in Los Angeles in July 13th.
Joey Votto, Cincinnati (.318, 21 HR, 59 RBI)
The first baseman leads the National League with homers, he’s third in average, and fifth in RBIs, yet he was left off the squad in probably the biggest snub of the year. He obviously wasn’t going to get more votes than starter Albert Pujols of St. Louis, and San Diego’s Adrian Gonzalez and Philadelphia’s Ryan Howard are deserving as well, but Votto is having the best season of anyone not named Albert Pujols, for crying out loud.
Mike Leake, Cincinnati (6-1, 3.38 ERA)
The 22-year-old was drafted eighth in last year’s draft, and he’s the first pitcher to go straight from the draft to the majors. You think he’d be overwhelmed? Leake is the ace of the surprising Reds in 2010, and he doesn’t get rattled whether he’s doing well or pitching poorly. Leake probably didn’t make it onto the All-Star team because of a recent rough stretch that has seen him give up five runs or more in three of his last five starts, but the fact that he’s keeping his head above water after skipping the minors should be enough to get him the nod.
Mike Pelfrey, New York Mets (10-3, 3.39)
MLB betting players couldn’t have foreseen Pelfrey taking over the role of ace from Johan Santana, but the 6’7” pitcher has torn through the first half of the season. Pelfrey is one of four pitchers in the National League to reach the 10-win mark already, but like Leake, he’s struggled a bit heading into the All-Star break, which may have kept National League manager Charlie Manuel from selecting him. Of course, he may have also have been passed over because Manuel coaches the rival Philadelphia Phillies.
Michael Young, Texas (.306, 11 HR, 51 RBI)
Young is showing no signs of slowing down at age 33, and many are arguing that even though he plays third, he should take the place of teammate Ian Kinsler, who has played 23 fewer games than Young due to injury. He’s on pace for arguably his best season, and he’s a major part of the Rangers’ run at ending the Los Angeles Angels’ reign at the top of the American League West.
The entire San Diego Padres pitching staff (3.05 ERA, .233 opposing average)
This was supposed to go to Mat Latos, the 22-year-old who is eighth in the National League in ERA, but that would be a discredit to the Padres, who lead the majors in ERA and opposing batting average. Clayton Richard has numbers that are just as good as Latos, but the key to the Padres’ success has been their unreal bullpen, especially the set-up duo of Mike Adams and Luke Gregerson, who are first and second respectively in holds in the National League. Their ability to keep teams under wraps until closer Heath Bell comes in his essential to the Padres’ sports betting chances, as they don’t score many runs and have won 17 games with three runs or less scored. Manuel could have gotten one of the Padres’ pitchers in there.
