Not Saved By The Bells

You won't be hearing Hells Bells by ACDC at the All-Star Game this season, but you could probably make a case to why Trevor Hoffman should be on the National League All-Star team. 

His line: 18 of 19 saves, 1.93 ERA, 0.94 WHIP.

In any year, that line might easily get you into the All-Star game, but not this year.

Let's take a look at the closers who got in on the NL side (stats as of July 5th):

Heath Bell - 23 of 24 Saves, 1.49 ERA, 1.05 WHIP (25 career saves)

Jonathan Broxton - 20 of 22 Saves, 2.72 ERA, 0.86 WHIP (39 career saves)

Francisco Rodríguez - 21 of 24 Saves, 1.59 ERA, 1.18 WHIP (229 career saves)

Francisco Cordero - 20 of 21 Saves, 1.80 ERA, 1.14 WHIP (231 career saves)

Ryan Franklin - 20 of 21 Saves, 0.84 ERA, 0.84 WHIP (38 career saves)

With numbers these five closers have put up this season, it's no wonder that Charlie Manuel couldn't find room for Major League Baseball's all-time saves leader. Trevor Hoffman commented on not being selected to the NL All-Star team, "It's always a tough decision to fill out a team of players from around the league. I would have been very blessed if I had the opportunity to go. It's not an easy process to choose a team...I obviously would have liked to have gone, but it isn't in the cards this year. It's an inexact science."

You can tell he was disappointed not being selected to the NL All-Star team at age 41 while putting up numbers that are better than his career average. He had a streak of 18 and 2/3 innings of not allowing a run to score to start the season. I was there to see him give up that first run to the Chicago White Sox at Miller Park back on the 14th of June. It was bound to happen, but he didn't let it bother him as he only allowed runs scored in two other games since then.

I would like to say that he saw snubbed from the team, but with the competition this year being so great, it's understandable not seeing him on the team this season. Let's hope he can continue to pitch well into the second half of the season and keep those saves rolling in.