Orioles third baseman Manny Machado just turned 24.
On Tuesday, he’ll be starting in the All Star Game for the first time (he was a reserve in 2013 and 2015).
And apparently AL manager Ned Yost has no concern throwing Machado into the fire. Yost announced his lineup today and Machado is batting third – the spot usually awarded to a team’s best, all-around hitter.
Machado is hitting behind Los Angeles’ Mike Trout and in front of Boston’s David Ortiz. Not bad company at all.
The Orioles’ young third baseman certainly deserves the recognition. He is hitting .318 with 19 homers and 53 RBIs in 83 games this year for the first-place Orioles.
One interesting note, however, that’s not tied to the All Star Game but is an extension of players’ popularity.
On Monday, Major League Baseball reported the Top 20 sales of its Majestic jerseys on mlbshop.com (from Jan. 1, 2016 to Sunday) and Machado didn’t make the list. No Orioles did.
Only three players from the AL East were in the Top 20: Ortiz, No, 1, Toronto’s Josh Donaldson (19th) and Boston’s Dustin Pedroia (20th). Former Oriole Jake Arrieta, now with the Chicago Cubs, was seventh. The Cubs had three representatives in the Top 7.
Here are the starting lineups for Tuesday’s All Star Game in San Diego:
American League:
2B Jose Altuve
CF Mike Trout
3B Manny Machado
DH David Ortiz
SS Xander Bogaerts
1B Eric Hosmer
RF Mookie Betts
C Salvador Perez
LF Jackie Bradley Jr.
P Chris Sale
National League:
2B Ben Zobrist
RF Bryce Harper
3B Kris Bryant
DH Wil Myers
C Buster Posey
1B Anthony Rizzo
CF Marcell Ozuna
LF Carlos Gonzalez
SS Addison Russell
P Johnny Cueto
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On Jerseys - I already have a Machado jersey, and as a frequent Orioles game attendee have plenty of free shirts (Hawaiian and other) to wear, along with my older Wieters jersey. I feel like most people who want "Player X"'s jersey on the O's probably already has it, with the exception of Trumbo. Its quite possible that given Trumbo's lack of star status combined with his one-year rental agreement that just not too many people are seeking his jersey right now.
A converse opinion is that the O's have 5 All-Stars and 3 others who were worthy of the trip. Perhaps the demand for O's jerseys is much more spread out than some other teams.
I suppose those scenarios are true. I just thought Machado would get a little larger run