Three members of the Washington Nationals will be traveling to Kansas City for the 2012 MLB All-Star Game on July 10. Shortstop Ian Desmond made the list as a reserve, while his teammates Gio Gonzalez and Stephen Strasburg will join the National League pitching rotation for the game.
At Federal Baseball, SB Nation's Nationals blog, Patrick Reddington lays out the case for Desmond's All-Star worthiness.
The Nats' 26-year-old shortstop is tied with the Astros' Lowrie at +2.6 fWAR as the most valuable shorstop in the NL after 76 games (76 for Desmond, 70 for Lowrie). In 334 plate appearances this season, Desmond has a .276/.305/.483 line with an NL-leading 23 doubles, the second-most HR's (13 to Lowrie's 14) and the second-highest wRC+ (112 to Lowrie's 129).
Desmond and Starlin Castro of the Chicago Cubs are backing up starter Rafael Furcal of the Cardinals on the All-Star roster.
Outfielder Bryce Harper is one of five players up for a vote to make the NL roster's final spot.
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