As the Arizona Diamondbacks take a few days off to relax, spend time with family, and prepare for the second half of the season, three players were busy putting their best foot forward to represent the organization during the All-Star break in Kansas City the past few days.
After an impressive first half of the season which saw him go 9-5 with a 3.04 ERA, Arizona starter Wade Miley was selected to represent Arizona in the 2012 All-Star game. The Arizona rookie, who was not even in the starting rotation to begin the season, jumped at the opportunity to display his talent against the league’s elite.
Miley got that opportunity in the ninth inning of Tuesday night’s midsummer classic. With an 8-0 lead, Miley was called upon in the bottom of the ninth inning to help secure the shutout. After giving up a leadoff single to Minnesota star Joe Mauer, Miley was able to get Texas shortstop Elvis Andrus to ground into a fielder’s choice to Chicago Cub shortstop Starling Castro. That would be the only out that Miley would record, as he was replaced by Pittsburgh reliever Joel Hanrahan.
For Miley, it was an experience that he will never forget. The opportunity to represent his organization, pick the brains of other elite pitchers such as Philadelphia starter Cole Hamels, and establishing a friendship with boyhood hero Chipper Jones, in his last season as a big leaguer.
Arizona Diamondbacks Triple-A prospect Tyler Skaggs was another player who had the opportunity to represent the organization during All-Star weekend, as the Reno Ace starter was a late addition to the Futures Game on Sunday evening. Skaggs, who started the Futures Game last year, was asked to join the squad when Arizona starter Trevor Bauer was called up to the big league squad a few weeks ago.
This season, Skaggs is 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA with Triple-A Reno, after going 5-4 with a 2.84 ERA in 13 starts with Double-A Mobile. Skaggs tossed a scoreless fifth inning, allowing one hit and striking out one hitter in aiding the U.S. team to a 17-5 victory over the World team.
Opposite Skaggs on the World Team was Arizona Double-A prospect Alfredo Marte, who started in left field for the World Team. Marte, who is hitting .295 with 15 home runs and 50 RBIs in 66 games in Double-A Mobile this season, went 0-3 in the game, including a fifth-inning fly out against fellow Arizona prospect Skaggs.