During a bounce back season from what we want to forget about 2018, Jersey Shore sent 5 players to the All-Star game this year which was played in Boston. 1 All-Star game staple, 1 2nd year selection and 3 new-comers made up this year's class. Though no one was voted in as a starter, it was the tied for the 2nd most players Jersey has ever sent to the mid-summer classic only trailing 2017 where the D-Bags sent 6 players.
2B Mike Bryant: .318/.400/.533, 17 2B, 17HR, 66 RBI. Bryant's 6th full year in the league and his 6th All-Star game appearance. One of 7 players ever to make 6 or more All-Star games. With Jeff Cole coming over to the CL, the reigning MVP Jorge Martinez playing for Seattle and 2 time batting champ Joe Sanders.....2B is a crowded position this year in the CL. Byrant hasn't dissapointed though, having a very Bryant-like season, despite the HR being slightly down. He is currently 2nd in the CL and hits, total bases and RBI.
SP Jose Ramos: 12-4, 3.42 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 2.95 fIP. After missing most of the 2018 season with injury, Ramos has found his 2016-2017 form and has come out of the gate strong here in 2019. Ramos leads the league in BB/9 and is 2nd in FIP, wins and WAR. If Jersey is going to stay atop or near the top of the CL East for the rest of the season they will be relying on their ace to keep it up.
SP Sergio Martinez: 11-1, 2.74 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 4.06 FIP. After being called up at 22 years old for a spot start last season, he won the job and pitched well down the stretch in 11 starts. This year starting the year off in the rotation, Martinez has been very good. Sure he has been a little lucky and bailed out by his defense, but is getting a quality start at over a 70% clip, has hurled one shutout and has won 11 of his 17 starts. At only 23 years of age this could be the first of many All-Star nods for Martinez.
MR/CL Jose Ruiz: 4-1, 23 saves. 2.41 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 2.99 FIP. Being named the closer this off season, Ruiz knew he would have to be good to keep that job with a very talented bullpen. He has been that more so far. Leading the CL in saves with 23, he has converted 23 of 27 saves and is striking out over a batter per inning. In the total of 10 years in the league, this is the 7th time Jersey has had a bullpen arm represented in the ASG.
RF Dave Dodd: .294/.366/.571. 23 2B, 21 HR, 66 RBI. After predicting big things out of Dodd for the 3rd year in a row now, at age 25 it looks like he is finally maturing into a dangerous hitter. He currently leads the CL in total bases, is 2nd in slugging and tied for 3rd in HR and RBI. Maybe most importantly his strikeouts are down again for the 2nd straight year and his numbers across the board are up, including AVG, OBP, SLG and OPS. A good finish and he could finish above Bryant in VORP, which no player has done since 2013, Bryant's rookie season in which he only played in 91 games.
5 All-Stars and a handful of very good candidates to go with a 2 game lead in the East at the break. A very good start for the D-Bags. There are a lot of games to go yet this season, anything can still happen
GO D-BAGS
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