Justin Turner Deserves an All-Star Nod

Turn down this article and immediately go vote for Justin Turner for the 2015 All-Star Game. I completed my fan duty by writing in Justin Turner’s name for third base in the National League the 35 times allowed. If I could vote 3,500 times for the NRI turned superstar, a once rejected Met, I would. Justin Turner has not only impressed this season for the Dodgers, but he has been a force to be reckoned with ever since he was invited to Spring Training before the 2014 season.

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Red Alert.

Justin Turner, who has played in 64 games out of the 74 games the Dodgers have played thus far, has been extraordinary. Heading into the All-Star Break, Justin Turner is third in the N.L. amongst third basemen with a .324 batting average. Turner proved that he can play nearly everyday while manning the hot corner and providing consistent offense out of the Dodger lineup. Turner is pretty much tops in OBP (.395) amongst third baseman in the N.L., and he’s been this successful continually since breaking with the team in 2014.

Now it is a bit tempting to push the button on the All-Star ballot for old friend Juan Uribe. His jolly face next to the Atlanta Braves logo makes me both smile and cry silently to myself, but no I must vote for JT and his magnificent red hair (Uribe’s belly is also magnificent).

I also think Adrian Gonzalez, Joc Pederson, Zack Greinke, Clayton Kershaw and Kenley Jansen all deserve All-Star nods, but Justin Turner’s importance to this team the past two seasons has really reached a point when we should really start talking about the 30-year old SoCal native more.

Turner is having a career year, and he’s already hit a career-high 10 homeruns with half the season to go. In fact, I would argue that Turner had a homerun stolen out from under him during Thursday’s series finale against the Cubs. Turner’s monster shot bounced off the very top of the netting on the wall at Wrigley, and it should have been called a homerun. Nevertheless, Turner is having a huge month of June. He’s hitting .353 with 5 homeruns and 16 RBI for the month so far.

Interesting Turner stats:

Turner is hitting .440 with 3 homeruns and 12 RBI on the first pitch.

Turner is actually hitting a lot better as a starting third baseman (.368) than a pinch-hitter (.154).

Turner is only hitting .143 with no homeruns against left-handed pitching (19 games).

Justin Turner deserves to be recognized as an All-Star even if it would mean a spot on the National League bench. Like his fiery locks which blow in the wind as he rounds the bases after he hits a homerun, Justin Turner has ignited Los Angeles with his personality and his bat.