NL All-Star Rosters Announced: Hudler and Pena Lead the Way

By KYLE KEOUGH
Double Day AP

Dan Hudler and Rafael Pena have a legitimate chance at becoming the first Most Valuable Player and Cy Young winner from the same team in Double Day history.

They'll also be headlining the All-Star Game together.

Hudler, the reigning Most Valuable Player in the midst of perhaps an even more productive season, will start in left field over Home Run Derby finalist and young stud Les Cloud, while Pena (11-2, 1.65 ERA) remains a potential choice for the NL starter.

Hudler, the league leader with 101 RBIs, is joined by teammates Pena, SP Rafael Mercado, RP Larry Wakefield, 2B David Gonzalez, 3B Keith Lee, and RF Pete Relaford as honorees, giving the Durham Tobacconists (61-30) 7 All-Stars on the night.

The surprising Wichita White Stockings' (54-37) play warranted five selections, among them ace SP Mark Post, #2 and 12-game winner Randy Nichols, RP Cecil Floyd, C Ozzie Flores, and 1B Julian Ibanez.

Meanwhile, the Louisville Colonels (61-30) and Toledo Maumees (62-29) had to settle with three selections each, despite owning the two best records in Double Day (Louisville is tied with Durham for second-place).

The Colonels send closer Gabe Buehrle, Cloud and starting CF Julian Julio, but starters Glenn Benson and Bono Stone did not get the invite.

The Maumees send SP John Cooper, starting RF Rico Mateo, and surprising selection Ryan Hurst, who has suffered through a sub-standard season three but will be in Toronto thanks to a dearth in relief pitching.

A few long-overdue first-timers made this year's roster. Among them is prolific SP Mark Post, last year's reigning MVP Dan Hudler, and veteran SS Buddy Walker.

Here are all the invitees to the 25-man NL All-Star team. We've separated them into first-timers, second-timers, and third-timers:

First-Timers
SP Mark Post, Wichita White Stockings
SP John Cooper, Toledo Maumees
SP Gary Mann, Omaha Spikes
SP Benny Truman, Omaha Spikes
SP Arnold Dougherty, Chicago Whales
RP Bartolo Mota, San Diego Electrics
RP Cecil Floyd, Wichita White Stockings
C Ozzie Flores, Wichita White Stockings
1B Vic Colome, Chicago Whales
2B Johnny Durbin, Honolulu Asahis
2B David Gonzalez, Durham Tobacconists
SS Buddy Walker, Omaha Spikes
SS Rodney Wynn, Detroit Wolverines
LF Dan Hudler, Durham Tobacconists
LF Les Cloud, Louisville Colonels
CF Julian Julio, Louisville Colonels
RF Rico Mateo, Toledo Maumees


Second-Timers
RP Ryan Hurst, Toledo Maumees
RP Gabe Buehrle, Louisville Colonels
RP Scot Raines, Tampa Bay Seminoles
1B Julian Ibanez, Wichita White Stockings
3B Keith Lee, Durham Tobacconists
3B Robert Robinson, Oakland Oaks (Season Two All-Star Game MVP)
CF Fritz Neugebauer, Oakland Oaks

Third-Timers
RP Larry Wakefield, Durham Tobacconists
SP Rafael Pena, Durham Tobacconists
SP Rafael Mercado, Durham Tobacconists
SP Randy Nicholas, Wichita White Stockings
C Derek McDermott, Chicago Whales
RF Pete Relaford, Durham Tobacconists