PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The Pirates’ Andrew McCutchen is returning to his second baseball home — the clubhouse of the National League All-Stars. And this time, he is going with new company.
“It’s definitely an honor,” McCutchen said of his fourth consecutive All-Star selection, “and I’m happy I will have some guys accompanying me there.”
McCutchen’s own experience will be new — he will make his first All-Star Game start after being the fans’ No. 1 vote-getter among the league’s outfielders — but that is nothing compared with the novelty of the fellow Buccos who will tag along.
Tony Watson is the first left-handed reliever in franchise history to make an All-Star team. Watson, at least, has a well-defined job. Not so Josh Harrison, whose versatile excellence got him a deserved but long-shot berth on the team.
Watson and Harrison were both selected by Cardinals manager Mike Matheny, the NL All-Star manager.
“It’s a terrific honor, and I’m proud to represent the team,” Watson said. “I was honored to be in the conversation, and now that I’m actually going, it feels tremendous.”
“I definitely appreciate it,” Harrison said of this ultimate recognition of his contributions to the surging Bucs. “It let’s you know the work that you’ve done has not gone unnoticed. One of those things where I didn’t want to get caught up in it, but it was hard not to. Definitely a relief and a blessing, a dream come true.”
One summer ago, five Pirates players were chosen for the Midsummer Classic in Kansas City, withPedro Alvarez and pitchers Jason Grilli, Mark Melancon and Jeff Locke along for the ride.
Although this is McCutchen’s fourth consecutive All-Star selection, it is his first as a starter, and his voting draw underscores his burrowing into the nation’s consciousness. Only two years ago, he was a distant seventh in the fans’ vote.
“It takes us winning to get that recognition, and we’ve done that the last couple of years,” McCutchen said. “It’s good to see. Being in the All-Star Game is enough in itself. Being No. 1 [in voting for outfielders[ is a plus, really cool.”
“It’s a tremendous honor for him and for us as an organization,” Pittsburgh general manager Neal Huntington said. “It shows that fans across the country are recognizing what a great player he is, and sometimes that’s hard in smaller markets. His personality helps; he’s such a fun player to watch and such a great person, a great guy to root for. It’s so much fun to see the national fans recognize what a great player and person he is by putting this honor on him.”
ANDREW MCCUTCHEN, OF
Prior ASGs: 2011-13
ASG W-L: 1-2
ASG Stats: 1-for-5, 1 SB
How he made 2014 NL team: Elected by fans
Why he’s an All-Star: McCutchen is having a far superior season than in 2013, when he was merely the league’s MVP. Has raised his total game to a new level, and more than 3 million fans have taken note.
DYK?: McCutchen is the first Pirates player chosen to four consecutive All-Star teams since Bobby Bonilla, whose 1988-91 run included one selection as a third baseman and three as an outfielder.
Quotable: “I’ve been on All-Star teams before, but to make it as a starter is a dream come true. It shows that the fans see something in me, and that’s something that means a lot to any player.”
JOSH HARRISON, UTIL
Prior ASGs: None
ASG W-L: N/A
ASG Stats: N/A
How he made 2014 NL team: Manager selection
Why he’s an All-Star: Word of Harrison’s invaluable and versatile play got around; Matheny picked him without seeing firsthand the exploits that began on May 18, after the teams’ previous meeting. Having him on the bench can tip the All-Star scales.
DYK?: Harrison is most likely the first position player to make his first All-Star team with no more than 22 starts at any one position; his 22 starts were in right field.
Quotable: Hurdle: “I’m so proud of him, so happy for him. And so proud of Mike, for fully intending to put together a roster to win the game. Josh can give you so many dynamics to win a game.”
TONY WATSON, LHP
Prior ASGs: None
ASG W-L: N/A
ASG Stats: N/A
How he made 2014 NL team: Manager selection
Why he’s an All-Star: They have all seen him — Watson has appeared in about half of the Pirates’ games — but few have seen him give up anything. He has pitched shutout ball in 90 percent of those games.
DYK?: Watson is the rare left-hander who is even tougher on right-handed batters, fanning them at a greater rate (one out of every three at-bats) than lefties (one out of four).
Quotable: Manager Clint Hurdle: “Tony is a power tool in the bullpen. East Coast, West Coast, Central — everybody’s seen it.”
Immediately following the announcement of the American League and National League All-Star rosters on Sunday, fans began voting to select the final player for each league’s 34-man roster via the 2014 All-Star Game MLB.com Final Vote Sponsored by Experian. Fans can cast their votes from a list of five players from each league until the winners are announced after the voting concludes on Thursday at 4 p.m. ET.
The final phase of All-Star Game voting will again have fans help choose the Ted Williams All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet. During the Midsummer Classic, fans will vote exclusively online at MLB.com and via Twitter in the 2014 All-Star Game MLB.com MVP Vote Sponsored by Pepsi, and their collective voice will represent 20 percent of the overall vote that determines the recipient of the Arch Ward Trophy.
