Freddy Sanchez named to All-Star team

After a one year hiatus, second baseman Freddy Sanchez is headed back to the Mid-Summer Classic.

Sanchez was chosen as a reserve for the 33-player team, which will be managed by Philadelphia’s Charlie Manuel and played at Busch Stadium on July 14. He was the only member of Pittsburgh’s club to earn the All-Star invite and becomes the first Pirates player since Jason Kendall to be a three-time All-Star. Sanchez was also selected as a reserve player in 2006 and 2007.

Sanchez is one of three second baseman on the NL team. Philadelphia’s Chase Utley was voted in as the starter, and Dodgers second baseman Orlando Hudson was voted in through the player’s ballot. With only two shortstops and two third baseman on the NL team, Sanchez will certainly be a versatile option for Manuel. Sanchez already holds the distinction of being the only player ever to have played second, short and third in the All-Star Game.

There is no question that Sanchez’s numbers are All-Star worthy this year. Heading into Sunday’s game against the Marlins, his .316 average was the best among all second baseman in the Majors, with Kansas City’s Alberto Callaspo and Arizona’s Felipe Lopez trailing him for a distant second with .301 batting averages.

Sanchez is one of two players to record six hits in a game this year, having accomplished the feat on May 25 in Chicago. The second baseman has 25 doubles this season – trailing the league leaders by just one – and has 31 multi-hit games, beaten only by Houston’s Miguel Tejada in that category.

Not to be overlooked, either, is Sanchez’s defense. He has committed only one error all year, and his .997 fielding percentage is tops among all Major League second baseman.

In addition to earning the distinction as a three-time All-Star, Sanchez is also now closer to guaranteeing that his $8 million option for 2010 is exercised. The club optioned was to be guaranteed if Sanchez reached 635 plate appearances this year. However, that threshold decreases to 600 plate appearances if Sanchez was named to the All-Star team.

Sanchez entered Sunday with 329 plate appearances this season. If he maintains the same pace, he’ll have 658 by season’s end.

This is the 14th time in the last 16 years that the Pirates will be represented by only one player in the All-Star Game. Left-hander Zach Duke was also expected to get some consideration for an invite, but had dropped to 12th in the league in ERA and had an unassuming 8-7 record, largely the result of inconsistent run support.