The 2012 National League All-Star team just got a Bourn identity—as in Atlanta Braves center fielder Michael Bourn.
Bourn was named as a replacement for injured Washington Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond. Desmond is shelved with a strained oblique muscle.
David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweeted out the news:
Bourn was named to NL all-star team replacing Ian Desmond who has strained oblique
— David O’Brien (@ajcbraves) July 7, 2012
This move comes just days after Bourn’s teammate Chipper Jones was named to the team to replace injured Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp.
After not being selected to the original squad, Bourn was added to the “Final Vote” with Jones, David Freese, Bryce Harper and Aaron Hill. Freese won the vote, and it looked as though Bourn’s chances of making his second All-Star team had vanished.
This is a well-deserved selection. For the season, Bourn is hitting .305 with a .360 OBP. He has seven home runs and 32 RBI.
This speedy outfielder does more than make an impact at the plate, though. He is an excellent defensive center fielder and has 23 steals in 30 attempts.
Bourn’s other All-Star appearance came in 2010 as a member of the Houston Astros, and he is well on his way to having his greatest season as a pro. His average and slugging percentage are on track to be career highs.
This was a nice selection for an injury replacement. He deserved to be on this team when it was first announced, but now that point is moot.
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