One of the big discussions in the press box before Friday’s game was whether
Not whether he is worthy – he has been the
Because the biggest thing holding Jason Hammel back at a chance for the
He is Jason Hammel. And his chief competition to make the All-Star team includes guys who have been in the top tier for a while:
Well, Hammel did the only thing he could do on Friday night: He didn’t change his name to
For the season, he is 8-2 with a 2.61 ERA (sixth best in the league) and has walked 29 while striking out 87 in 89 2/3 innings.
Those are All-Star numbers.
“Definitely,” said Orioles catcher
Said manager
But if you really want an endorsement, look at what
Now, here may be the best part. This is the real reason Orioles’ fans should want this guy to represent the team in Kansas City (along with, say,
Hammel was asked about whether he felt he made a statement about his inclusion on the team (he has one more start before the rosters are announced on Sunday, July 1). And he dismissed it. Because it is not a team goal.
"I honestly couldn't care less about that. I think we have something bigger going on here, as a team," he said. "If that were to happen, that's awesome. There are other guys that are worthy, too, on this squad. But I don't think we're really thinking about that right now. We're just trying to compete and make it to the All-Star Break going strong."