Cincinnati Reds left-hander Andrew Abbott's season has been so sparkling to date that, if he'd been left out of the All-Star Game festivities, it would've represented a statistical rarity if not an outright baseball crime. Thankfully, he was bestowed the honor before things got too hectic - though he didn't find out the traditional way. Instead of pumping his fist at the Selection Show after sitting with rapt attention, he earned his plaudits a few days later, informed by a wry Terry Francona in the dugout, followed by a screaming teammate cluster.
"We were all sitting in a circle.