Watching Andres Gimenez blossom into one of the best all-around second basemen in the league has been one of the best and most exciting developments in the Cleveland Guardians‘ 2022 season.
He was always a promising player, but his bat lagged behind his good defense, speed, and intangibles.
2022 was the year in which the offense finally caught up to the defense, making him an unquestioned regular in the Guards’ lineup.
Before Friday’s action, Gimenez was slashing .308/.355/.502 with nine home runs, six stolen bases, 26 runs scored, and 37 RBI.
Those are incredible numbers for a second baseman, especially considering he slashed a putrid .218/.282/.351 last year.
His excellent performance in 2022 earned him national recognition, and with it, votes for the All-Star Game.
In fact, Gimenez was on the verge of earning a spot among the All-Star finalists to start the game.
Here are your AL vote leaders at 2B! pic.twitter.com/2Nom7MfnIP
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) June 30, 2022
Those are the results of the first phase of fan voting for the Midsummer Classic, to be played in Los Angeles on July 19.
Selection Process Details
The top vote-getter in each league make the All-Star Game as a starter.
Those players turned out to be Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. and New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge.
The top two vote-getters in each position will advance to the next phase of voting.
Gimenez finished third in his position behind Jose Altuve and Santiago Espinal (Toronto Blue Jays’ voters are historically very supportive).
That doesn’t mean Gimenez won’t make the All-Star roster, as he can still get selected later by managers and coaches.
But he missed the chance to be named a finalist.
In any case, he should be proud of the season he has been having.
Without him, the Guardians wouldn’t be as high in the standings.
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