[CapitalTigers]

No Inge.

Verlander, Jackson, Granderson are All-Stars
BY JOHN LOWE • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • July 5, 2009

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Three Tigers have made the American League All-Star team: starting right-handed pitchers Justin Verlander and Edwin Jackson and centerfielder Curtis Granderson.



It is the second All-Star selection for Verlander and the first for Jackson and Granderson.


All three Tigers All-Stars were voted by the players. Rays manager Joe Maddon made his picks to round out the team after the players vote.


Verlander pitched in the 2007 game. He is 8-4 with a 3.54 ERA and leads the American League in strikeouts with 130. Verlander's trying to become first Tigers pitcher to lead league in strikeouts for a full season since Jack Morris in 1983.


Jackson has made his first All-Star team. He is 6-4 with a 2.59 ERA, second best in the AL. He's tied for second in the A.L. in quality starts with 13, one behind Royals ace Zack Greinke. He's had some of the worst run support in the league all season.


“I’m just happy for Edwin. He was a big part of what we had done last year," Maddon said on TBS-TV of Jackson, who was acquired in a trade with Tampa Bay in the off-season. "He’s a tremendous young talent. We knew that at any time he could turn into this kind of pitcher. . . . The part of that that has not been talked a lot about yet is the fact we’ve gotten Matt Joyce in return. Now Matt is in the minor leagues. We believe that Matt is going to be a big part of our future."


Granderson has been tabbed an All-Star for the first time, as well. He is tied for the team lead in home runs with 18. Of his 18 homers, 11 have tied the score or put the Tigers ahead. He has a .255 average with 43 RBIs and 14 stolen bases.


Inge can be voted on the team by fans at mlb.com. He is in the running for the final spot, along with Angels infielder Chone Figgins, Rangers infielder Ian Kinsler, Blue Jays outfielder Adam Lind and Rays first baseman -- and former Tiger -- Carlos Pena.


Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols is the fans’ favorite choice to start the game in St. Louis.


The first baseman was announced as the top vote-getter. Teammate Yadier Molina also was elected to start at catcher.


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Also in the NL lineup: Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun, New York’s Carlos Beltran and Philadelphia’s Raul Ibanez in the outfield, Mets third baseman David Wright, Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez and Phillies second baseman Chase Utley.


The AL has Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter and first baseman Mark Teixeira, Boston second baseman Dustin Pedroia and left fielder Jason Bay, Tampa Bay third baseman Evan Longoria, Minnesota catcher Joe Mauer and outfielders Ichiro Suzuki of Seattle and Josh Hamilton of Texas.


Free Press staff and news services contributed.



CLICK HERE TO VOTE

All Star rosters
American League (s-starter, m-manager's pick, p-players' selection)


PITCHERS — m-Andrew Bailey, Oakland; m-Mark Buerhle, Chicago White Sox; p-Josh Beckett, Boston; m-Brian Fuentes, L.A. Angels; p-Zack Greinke, Kansas City; p-Roy Halladay, Toronto; m-Felix Hernandez, Seattle; p-Edwin Jackson, Detroit; p-Joe Nathan, Minnesota; p-Jonathan Papelbon, Boston; p-Mariano Rivera, N.Y. Yankees; p-Justin Verlander, Detroit; m-Tim Wakefield, Boston.


CATCHER — p-Victor Martinez, Cleveland; s-Joe Mauer, Minnesota.


INFIELDERS — p-Jason Bartlett, Tampa Bay; p-Aaron Hill, Toronto; s-Derek Jeter, N.Y. Yankees; s-Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay; p-Justin Morneau, Minnesota; s-Dustin Pedroia, Boston; s-Mark Teixeira, N.Y. Yankees; m-Kevin Youkilis, Boston; p-Michael Young, Texas; m-Ben Zobrist, Tampa Bay.
OUTFIELDERS — s-Jason Bay, Boston; p-Carl Crawford, Tampa Bay; p-Curtis Granderson, Detroit; s-Josh Hamilton, Texas; p-Torii Hunter, LA Angels; m-Adam Jones, Baltimore; s-Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle.
FINAL MAN (one selected by Internet voting) — Adam Lind, Toronto;Ian Kinsler, Texas; Chone Figgins, L.A. Angels; Carlos Pena, Tampa Bay; Brandon Inge, Detroit.


National League


PITCHERS — p-Heath Bell, San Diego; p-Chad Billingsley, L.A. Dodgers; p-Jonathan Broxton, L.A. Dodgers; p-Matt Cain, San Francisco; m-Francisco Cordero, Cincinnati; m-Ryan Franklin, St. Louis; m-Dan Haren, Arizona; p-Josh Johnson, Florida; m-Ted Lilly, Chicago Cubs; m-Jason Marquis, Colorado; p-Tim Lincecum, San Francisco; p-Francisco Rodriguez, N.Y. Mets; p-Johan Santana, N.Y. Mets.


CATCHERS — p-Brian McCann, Atlanta; s-Yadier Molina, St. Louis.


INFIELDERS — m-Prince Fielder, Milwaukee; p-Adrian Gonzalez, San Diego; m-Ryan Howard, Philadelphia; p-Orlando Hudson, L.A. Dodgers; s-Albert Pujols, St. Louis; s-Hanley Ramirez, Florida; m-Freddy Sanchez, Pittsburgh; p-Miguel Tejada, Houston; s-Chase Utley, Philadelphia; s-David Wright, N.Y. Mets; p-Ryan Zimmerman, Washington.


OUTFIELDERS — s-Carlos Beltran, N.Y. Mets; s-Ryan Braun, Milwaukee; p-Brad Hawpe, Colorado; s-Raul Ibanez, Philadelphia; p-Hunter Pence, Houston; p-Justin Upton, Arizona.


FINAL MAN (one selected by Internet voting) — Mark Reynolds, Arizona; Matt Kemp, L.A. Dodgers; Shane Victorino, Philadelphia; Pablo Sandoval, San Francisco; Cristian Guzman, Washington.