The Boston Red Sox were on top of the baseball world last October. You would think they would be poised to make another run at a champion with a team full of past All-Stars and future All-Stars. But they aren't even close to being a contender. The problem? Where are all the All-Stars? The release of the All-Star rosters showed only one All-Star on the roster. Jon Lester is the lone representative for the Red Sox. And he deserves it. He is right up there with all the other top pitchers in the AL this season, but he can't be the only Red Sox player deserving a spot, can he? Well the whole of America thinks so. It might be cause the Sox players are having down seasons. Or could it be because the people have taken to the Red Sox winning, like I would take to base-jumping (for those of you that don't know, I wouldn't)? I don't know, but I feel like it is a combination of both. I also feel like it is a message from Red Sox Nation telling the players that they don't feel like any of them deserve a spot on the All-Star team. David Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia are nowhere to be seen. Even once-in-a-while All-Star Mike Napoli isn't on the team. Napoli has spent time injured, so that could be the problem with him. Or it might be due to many better 1B options in the AL. Pedroia is having a down year offensively. He isn't batting .300 or even .285. He barely has any homers. He is obviously still suffering from a wrist or thumb issue. I still feel that if Robinson Cano could start then Pedroia at least deserves a spot on the bench. Minus a difference in BA, there numbers are close enough. He shouldn't take a spot from Jose Altuve, but at least a nod would be nice. And now to David Ortiz. He is the face of the Red Sox. And by all accounts he isn't having a bad season. He is on pace for 35 homers. But he is only batting .261. Is that his fault or old age? I wouldn't say so. I would put it on the fact that when Napoli went down, Ortiz had no protection. He would try to do too much and not be successful. All of the aforementioned players aren't having bad seasons. They just aren't the standard for the league. Other players are having much better seasons. There are two players that may get the call. Ortiz may accept the offer to fill-in the spot that Edwin Encarnacion will vacate. And Koji Uehara is a lock to take a spot vacated by a pitcher. So the Sox will have at least 2 representatives this season, but both are pitchers. That says something about how offensively inept the Red Sox have been this season. The Sox are having a down year, and that means they have less All-Stars.
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