Cubs monopoly in NL All-Star infield

[July 06, 2016]  (The Sports Xchange) - For the first time in 53 years and only the second time ever, four players from one team will comprise the starting infield for a Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

All four Chicago Cubs infielders - first baseman Anthony Rizzo, second baseman Ben Zobrist, shortstop Addison Russell and third baseman Kris Bryant - were voted as starters for the Midsummer Classic next Tuesday in San Diego.

Only the 1963 St. Louis Cardinals previously had all four infielders in the starting lineup.

Center fielder Dexter Fowler will join his team mates, making the Cubs the first team since the Cincinnati Reds' Big Red Machine in 1976 to have five starters in the lineup.

Also on the NL roster will be Cubs pitchers Jake Arrieta and Jon Lester.

Other National League starters will be San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey and outfielders Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals and Yoenis Cespedes of the New York Mets.

In the American League, the Boston Red Sox landed four starters in shortstop Xander Bogaerts and outfielders Jackie Bradley Jr. and Mookie Betts - all first-time starters - and designated hitter David Ortiz, who will make his 10th appearance.

Two Kansas City Royals players - catcher Salvador Perez and first baseman Eric Hosmer - were named to the AL starting lineup along with Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve, Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado and Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout, who will make his fifth appearance.

The All-Star starters reflect a youth movement, with 12 of the 17 players voted into the lineup at age 26 or younger. The American League's starting infield and catcher are all 26 or younger, an All-Star first.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo (44) hits an RBI single during the seventh inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The Chicago Cubs won 6-4. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Perez topped all vote-getters with 4,965,838 votes, while Rizzo was the NL leader with 3,242,670 votes.

The tightest race was for second base in the NL. Zobrist finished with 3,013,407 votes to edge the Washington Nationals' Daniel Murphy by 88 votes.

(Editing by Larry Fine)

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