With the announcement Sunday of the rosters for the Major League Baseball All-Star Game the Northwoods League experienced another first as two NWL alumni were named to the American League squad. Detroit Tigers outfielder Curtis Granderson and Tampa Bay Rays utility man Ben Zobrist are the first pair of NWL alumni named to a Mid-Summer Classic. Pitcher George Sherrill (Kenosha ’97-’98) of the Baltimore Orioles was the first and only NWL alumnus selected in 2008 until Granderson and Zobrist were honored. Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon, who will lead the American League squad, selected Granderson and Zobrist to the team as reserve outfielders.
Granderson seemingly had a case to make the team in 2007, when he became one of just four players in history to post at least 20 doubles, triples, home runs and stolen bases in the same season. This year, the 28-year-old’s home-run power and defensive prowess put him onto the roster in a crowded AL outfield. Granderson entered Sunday tied for the team lead and 10th in the league with 18 home runs to go with a .255 batting average and 43 RBIs. Defensively, only Torii Hunter among AL center fielders has more putouts without an error this year than Granderson’s 189. His highlights include a game-saving catch at the fence to rob Grady Sizemore of what would’ve been a go-ahead home run in the ninth inning of a 1-0 win on May 8 at Cleveland. Granderson played for the Mankato Mashers in 2001 and hit .328 in 44 games and stole 15 bases.
Zobrist has already set career highs with 16 homers, 46 RBIs, 43 runs scored and eight stolen bases in 2009. The switch-hitter has been a valuable asset for the Rays having started games in the outfield, third base, shortstop and since the injury to Rays starting 2nd baseman Aki Iwamura he has taken over the regular 2nd base duties. He has slugged three grand slams and leads the MLB with 3 pinch-hit homeruns. Zobrist spent the summer of 2003 with the Wisconsin Woodchucks and finished third in the NWL in batting with a .319 average. He led the league in runs scored (53) and was second in hits (72) in helping the Woodchucks capture the NWL championship.
The 80th Major League Baseball All-Star Game will be held on July 14th at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. The game will be televised nationally by FOX Sports, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and Sportsnet HD and televised around the world by Major League Baseball International, with pregame ceremonies beginning at 8 p.m. ET.
