The fans and players have spoken.
Fans voted third baseman Placido Polanco to start in the 2011 All-Star Game and the players voted three of the Phillies aces to round out a super rotation filled with a majority of Phillies.
Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels, who are enjoying two incredible seasons, were no-brainers through the first three and a half months of play. And it was Cliff Lee’s recent tear, including one run allowed in 42 innings during the month of June along with carrying a 32-inning streak where the left-hander hadn’t allowed a run, that earned him a spot on the roster.
It’s the eighth time in Halladay’s career he was selected. For Hamels, it was his second appearance (2007) and the third for Lee (2008, 2010). Polanco is making his second start in as many appearances (2007).
Polanco started out the season on fire, hitting .398 through April. But he had slowly cooled himself down to a .280 average but got enough support from the fans to earn him a starting spot. He’s hitting .28o with 11 doubles, four homers and 39 RBIs.
Halladay is enjoying another great season. Always in the Cy Young talks as the season winds down, Halladay is having another fine run with his 11-3 record, 2.44 ERA, 131 strike outs and a league high six complete games and 136 1/3 innings pitched.
Hamels is enjoying the best start to his career with a 9-4 record and 2.41 ERA. He’s also in and out of the top five in strike outs with 110.
Lee jumped into the All-Star talks with his incredible June that lowered his ERA to a 3.18. He’s now 9-5 with 119 strike outs and has a league high four shut outs.
Shane Victorino is in the Final Vote. He’s batting .298 heading into today with a league leading nine triples. He’s going up against Andre Ethier of the Dodgers, Todd Helton of the Rockies, Ian Kennedy of the Diamondbacks and Michael Morse of the Nationals.
TTB 