Kiss It, Chris Capuano!

GARCIAPARRA EARNS FINAL ALL-STAR SPOT

Dodger first baseman elected to National League squad by fans in “Final Man” Vote

LOS ANGELES – Major League Baseball announced today that Dodger first baseman Nomar Garciaparra was named to the National League All-Star team as the winner of the “Final Man” contest with more than four million votes.

“I’m extremely grateful to the Dodger organization for its support and everything it has done over the last couple of days,” said Garciaparra. “Most importantly, I want to thank all the Dodger fans that voted for me and helped me reach the All-Star Game with my hometown team. Getting to wear the Dodger uniform on a national stage is an honor that I will truly cherish.”

Garciaparra currently has a 17-game hitting streak, which is tied for the second-longest in the National League this season. He leads the NL with a .359 batting average and ranks among the league leaders in on-base percentage (.426, 5^th), slugging percentage (.582, 6^th), home batting average (.412, 1^st), multi-hit games (29, T-6^th), batting average with runners in scoring position (.397, 2^nd), nighttime batting average (.358, 2^nd) and daytime batting average (.361, 5^th). He is also the hardest player in the Major Leagues to strike out, as he has fanned just 14 times or once every 20.3 plate appearances.

The Whitter native will be making his sixth appearance on an All-Star team and first in the National League. It will also be his first as a first baseman, the position to which he moved this season after joining the Dodgers. In 64 games at first base, Garciaparra has committed just one error in 614 total chances for a .998 fielding percentage, tying him for the best mark in the National League. Only San Diego’s Adrian Gonzalez has more total chances (637) with just one error. Those two players join Richie Sexson as the only three Major League first basemen with 500 or more total chances and just one miscue.

Garciaparra is vying to become the first player in 104 years to win a batting title in both leagues, as Ed Delahanty (1899 Phillies, 1902 Senators) last accomplished that feat. Garciaparra earned back-to-back batting championships in 1999-2000, the last Major League player to do so. Should he maintain his .359 average through the weekend, it would be the second-highest mark for a Dodger at the All-Star Break since the club moved into Dodger Stadium in 1962. Mike Piazza’s .363 mark in 1996 is first on the list and his .357 average in 1997 is third behind Garciaparra’s current average. Tommy Davis ranks fourth with a .353 average in 1962.         

In five previous All-Star Games with Boston in 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2003, Garciaparra has one hit and one run scored.

In the “Final Man” voting on MLB.com, Garciaparra defeated Milwaukee’s Chris Capuano, New York’s Billy Wagner, Philadelphia’s Bobby Abreu and San Diego’s Chris Young. Fans were able to vote on the club’s official website, dodgers.com and the official site of Major League Baseball, mlb.com. Voting ran from Sunday evening through 3 p.m. PT today and more than a record-breaking 18.5 million votes were cast.