Home|Sports|Today is the last day to vote for ‘Jazz’Sports
Sheldon LongleySend an emailJuly 8, 2022 484 3 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email
At 2 p.m. today, the online voting process for the 2022 Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star Game will close and the starting position players in each league will be announced.
Despite being out with back soreness, Bahamian professional baseball player with the Miami Marlins Jasrado ‘Jazz’ Chisholm Jr. continues to be the leading vote-getter among second basemen in the National League.
In the latest returns, Chisholm has received 58 percent of the votes while Atlanta Braves’ second baseman Ozzie Albies is at 42 percent. They are the only two in contention as the field was narrowed down to the top two vote-getters after phase one of voting. Voting takes place on the website mlb.com.
The MLB All Star Game, otherwise known as the Midsummer Classic, is set for Tuesday July 19 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, USA. The best players in the American League (AL) and National League (NL) are set to face off for bragging rights for their respective league. The game will be televised by FOX.
Chisholm goes into the classic with a .254 batting average, 14 home runs, 45 RBIs (runs batted in) and 39 runs scored. He also has 12 stolen bases. His competitor for the starting second baseman slot Albies has a .244 batting average, eight home runs, 33 RBIs and 34 runs scored with just three stolen bases. Chisholm has an on-base percentage (OBP) of .325 and an on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) of .860. Albies has an OBP of .289 and an on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) of .694.
Defensively, Chisholm has 93 putouts and 123 assists in 220 total chances this season. He has helped turn 21 double plays and has a fielding percentage of .982. Albies has 79 putouts and 149 assists in 231 total chances this season. He has helped turn 33 double plays and has a fielding percentage of .987.
Overall, the numbers certainly favor Chisholm, but he will have to wait until later today to see if he gets the nod.
The loser will still have a shot to be named to the National League team for the game as reserves will be selected via ‘player ballot’ choices and selections made by the Commissioner’s Office, and will be announced on July 10. Each team will have a final roster size of 23 players.
As for Chisholm, he experienced back tightness a little over a week ago, and exited a game in the second inning against the St. Louis Cardinals with the injury. The Marlins star infielder was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right lower back strain, and utility man Luke Williams was called up to fill the roster spot.
Chisholm, 24, was battling a nagging back issue that forced him out of the lineup the previous week. He said the injury dates back to a slide he did early in the season.
Chisholm is widely regarded as the Marlins’ best player and one of the game’s most exciting young talents.
Currently, he is taking part in mobility and core-strengthening exercises at the Marlins’ spring training facility in Jupiter, Florida, in preparation for a return to the lineup. He is scheduled to return to action this weekend, but it remains to be seen whether he will do so or not.
With a 39-41 win/loss record going into last night’s game against the NL East Division leading New York Mets, the Marlins are significantly out of playoff position, but there is still a long way to go. If they’re going to have any shot at playing in October, they’ll need Chisholm back in the lineup as soon as possible.
This is the second time this season Chisholm has missed games due to an injury. As mentioned, he is eligible to play when the Marlins take on the division-leading Mets at Citi Field in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, New York, on Saturday. Following that, the Marlins will host the Pittsburgh Pirates for four games at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, before hosting the Philadelphia Phillies for three games in their final series before the all-star game, on the weekend.
Once again, today is the final day for Bahamians to vote for Chisholm. The cut-off time is 2 p.m. Voting takes place on the website mlb.com.
The Marlins’ leadoff hitter is well on his way to his first career MLB All-Star selection.