Red Sox well-represented on All-Star team

BOSTON - The All-Star Game isn't a meritocracy, which is not news.

Every team has to have at least one player on the All-Star ten, so some deserving players will be left off, some undeserving ones on the roster. The word “snub” will be used, but that’s ridiculous. Nobody is really snubbed at All-Star time. The leagues just run out of uniforms.

“It’s a tough process,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of the balloting. “We voted in Seattle (June 15-17). That’s early. From Seattle to yesterday, there’s a lot of slumping guys, a lot of guys that step up.

“I feel bad for A.J. (Hinch) because A.J. has nothing to do with that. It’s the players and coaches who vote. I read stuff and they’re killing A.J. but it’s not his fault. It’s a tough process. Because when I voted I felt, this is too early, and I got a few wrong.”

The Red Sox have nothing to complain about with this year’s process. They have five All-Stars at present with Andrew Benintendi a possibility.

If he makes it, Benintendi would join Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez, Mitch Moreland, Chris Sale and Craig Kimbrel on the American League squad.

The first All-Star Game was in 1933 and coincided with the Red Sox’ resurrection that began when Tom Yawkey bought the team. A few of the team’s all-time greats were done before that first game — Tris Speaker, Cy Young, Harry Hooper, etc. — so they don’t count in a lot of the franchise’s All-Star history, but it has been a rich one.

For instance, who holds the team record for most games played in a Red Sox uniform without ever making an All-Star team?

That would be the vastly underrated Rick Miller, a smooth outfielder and wonderful pinch hitter who played 1,101 games for Boston without an All-Star sniff. All told, Miller was in 1,482 big league games over 15 seasons and was never an All-Star.

Miller had two stints with Boston sandwiched around some time with the Angels. The Red Sox have had dozens of players who had two separate tours of duty with the team — William Cuevas is the latest — but only one player who was an All-Star in both of them.

That was George Scott in 1966, then again in 1977 after coming back from the Brewers.

Like all teams, the Sox have had deserving players not make the team and undeserving ones make it. Two players in that category who stand out are Scott Cooper in 1993 and ’94 and Jerry Moses in 1970.

Oddly, Dwight Evans was an All-Star only three times, in 1978, 1981 and 1987. Ellis Burks was an All-Star just once, in 1990, and Mike Greenwell twice, the two years before. Bill Lee was a one-time All-Star in 1973 and Luis Tiant was selected just twice, in 1974 and ’76. Tim Wakefield made it only once, in 2009, and Tony Conigliaro’s only All-Star selection was 1967 when he was a starter.

Three players were All-Stars in their only seasons with Boston. Pitcher Erik Hanson did it in 1995, Mark Loretta was the American League’s starting second baseman in 2006, Adrian Beltre a reserve at third base in 2010.

Cora was never an All-Star, so he never had to consider if he would take part in the Home Run Derby or not. Two of his sluggers, Ramirez and Betts, are declining the opportunity.

“Never had that problem,” the manager said. “It wasn’t gonna mess up my swing and I wasn’t gonna get tired. It’s gonna be fun regardless of who’s in there, and I know people want to see J.D. but when you watch J.D. take batting practice, it’s not fun. He’s working on his craft. Mookie is the same deal.”

Betts, Martinez, Sale and Kimbrel have all been All-Stars before, and all but Martinez with the Red Sox. Moreland, at age 32 going on 33, is a first-time All-Star and soon could be joined by Benintendi in that category.

He is among the candidates for the fans' choice from the American League. He's competing against Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons, Twins outfielder Eddie Rosario, Yankees outfielder Giancarlo Stanton and Mariners shortstop Jean Segura.