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Colorado Rockies: 3 players who deserve an All-Star Game roster spot

By Kevin Henry |
Apr 11, 2017; Miami, FL, USA; A general view of the MLB All-Star game logo inside Marlins Park prior to the game between the Miami Marlins and the Atlanta Braves. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 11, 2017; Miami, FL, USA; A general view of the MLB All-Star game logo inside Marlins Park prior to the game between the Miami Marlins and the Atlanta Braves. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
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Apr 11, 2017; Miami, FL, USA; A general view of the MLB All-Star game logo inside Marlins Park prior to the game between the Miami Marlins and the Atlanta Braves. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 11, 2017; Miami, FL, USA; A general view of the MLB All-Star game logo inside Marlins Park prior to the game between the Miami Marlins and the Atlanta Braves. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /

The All-Star Game will be upon us in less than a month. The greatest players from the American and National League (including representatives of the Colorado Rockies) will descend upon Miami for a star-studded game that is rightly called “The Midsummer Classic.”

While there is little we know for sure about this year’s All-Star game, we do know this … Colorado will be represented. As of this writing, Charlie Blackmon had the second-highest number of votes for an outfielder and looked like he would nail down one of the starting spots. Nolan Arenado trails Kris Bryant of the Chicago Cubs in the race to start at third base, but it’s widely expected that Arenado will earn his third consecutive trip to the All-Star Game.

We also know a couple of other things about this year’s All-Star Game. The new Collective Bargaining Agreement assures us that the winner of this year’s game will not automatically get home-field advantage for the World Series. Additionally, the All-Star Game roster sizes have shrunk from 34 to 32 players under the new CBA.

That’s a very important notation and one that could affect a trio of Rockies who are deserving of All-Star bids but may be squeezed out in the numbers game.

Let’s take a look at three Colorado players not named Arenado or Blackmon who should be playing in Miami on July 11.

May 21, 2017; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Greg Holland (56) throws against the Cincinnati Reds in the ninth inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
May 21, 2017; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Greg Holland (56) throws against the Cincinnati Reds in the ninth inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /

Greg Holland has been lights out for the Rockies this season and should easily get the call to come out of the bullpen for the National League.

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Prior to Wednesday’s game in Pittsburgh, Holland has appeared in 25 games for the Rockies this season and was 23-for-23 in saves with a 1.14 ERA. In the 23.2 innings that he’s pitched, he’s allowed just 10 hits and struck out 32 batters.

How effective has he been for Colorado this season? He’s the only reliever with more than 20 saves in either league, with Craig Kimbrel of Boston and Tampa Bay’s Alex Colome second in Major League Baseball with 18 saves each.

Holland was recently called the best offseason signing by any Major League team, and the 31-year-old right-hander has proven Colorado’s faith in his recovery from Tommy John surgery was well-founded.

His success to lock down games has been a welcome change for a Rockies bullpen that has struggled mightily in recent years. With Holland as the closer, Colorado has found one of the weapons it has been missing. His dominance is one of the reasons why the Rockies have a National League-high 41 wins.

May 23, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Chris Rusin (52) pitches during the seventh inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
May 23, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Chris Rusin (52) pitches during the seventh inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

It’s not often that the Rockies have to lobby to get a pitcher brought onto an All-Star Game roster. However, as Colorado fans can attest, this is no ordinary season.

Colorado Rockies
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Colorado Rockies

While Greg Holland might get a lot of credit for what he does at the back end of a game, Chris Rusin is making a huge impact for the Rockies in whatever way he is needed. The 30-year-old southpaw is having a solid season serving as Colorado’s bullpen glue.

Whatever Rusin has been asked to do this season, he’s done … and he’s done it well. Prior to Wednesday’s game in Pittsburgh, Rusin was 3-0 with a 2.31 ERA in 35.0 innings on the mound this season. Finally able to settle into a role as a reliever, Rusin has seemingly found his groove.

Opponents are hitting just .184 against him this season. That’s well below the career-low .259 average he posted last year. He’s also throwing a career-high amount of strikes, hitting the strike zone with 65.7 percent of his pitches.

Rusin’s season-long appearance also says a lot about what he has meant to the team. On April 13, Jon Gray suffered a foot injury and had to leave the game in San Francisco unexpectedly in the fourth inning. Rusin came in and hurled 3.1 innings, allowing just two hits and one runs, as the Rockies persevered to beat the Giants, 3-1.

When the Rockies have needed him, Rusin has been there this season and performed at a career-best clip. If that’s not worthy of an All-Star appearance, we’re not sure what is. However, his chances are long at best. Middle relievers don’t often get a lot of love from All-Star Game managers. Here’s hoping 2017 is different.

Jun 10, 2017; Chicago, IL, USA; Colorado Rockies first baseman Mark Reynolds (12) hits a single during the ninth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 10, 2017; Chicago, IL, USA; Colorado Rockies first baseman Mark Reynolds (12) hits a single during the ninth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /

When this year’s All-Star Game ballots were printed before the season began, Ian Desmond was slated to be the first baseman for the Rockies. Well, a lot of strange things have happened to the Rockies since those ballots were printed.

Desmond fractured his hand and watched as Mark Reynolds, signed to a minor league deal by the Rockies in the offseason, was slotted in at first base to start the season. Reynolds quipped at one point that he was going to make it tough for Colorado manager Bud Black to take him out of the lineup when Desmond returned. He’s done just that.

Heading into Thursday’s game in Pittsburgh, Reynolds led the Rockies in home runs (17) and RBI (54). His .571 slugging percentage was second only to Charlie Blackmon on the team. He also has a sparkling .958 OPS.

The 33-year-old Reynolds has never been to the All-Star Game. In his 11th Major League season, he’s having one of his best overall campaigns. However, he’s also competing for a spot in a year where there are plenty of first basemen having great seasons (we’re looking at you, Ryan Zimmerman and Paul Goldschmidt, among others).

Next: The 10 best statistical seasons in Colorado history

That combined with the fact that Reynolds isn’t even listed on the ballot may make it tough for him to make it to Miami. He told us earlier this year that making the All-Star Game wasn’t that big of a deal. However, it would be great to see him recognized for the great year he’s having and the solid numbers he is putting up for the National League’s winningest team.

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