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Baltimore Orioles’ Zach Britton with the save for the AL

By Domenic A. Vadala

Jul 10, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles catcher Matt Wieters (32) high fives relief pitcher Zach Britton (53) after defeating Los Angeles Angels 4-2 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 10, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles catcher Matt Wieters (32) high fives relief pitcher Zach Britton (53) after defeating Los Angeles Angels 4-2 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Zach Britton of the Baltimore Orioles got the save for the American League last night as they won the all-star game 4-2.

Zach Britton of the Baltimore Orioles made sure that he was more than just a footnote in last night’s MLB All-Star game. Obviously given the number of players that are rotating in and out of the game (and the rate at which they’re coming and going), sometimes players kind of get lost in the game story. That didn’t happen to Britton in a sense.

Britton was sumoned in the ninth to pitch his normal slot in the game, and he recorded the save. We also don’t always see players always playing in their normal slots in all-star games; sometimes cleanup hitters end up hitting sixth or seventh, and often starting pitchers end up coming out of the bullpen. In Britton’s case, he pitched in the spot he always does.

None of the other Oriole all-stars recorded a hit per se, however Mark Trumbo  did reach base on an error. Brad Brach wasn’t even used in the game. Now in all honesty, I do believe in the idea of letting every player on the roster play. However I also recognize that’s not always easy or possible. 

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    • Needless to say at the very least, I think that a member of every team should see the field. And the Orioles got four of their five all-stars in the game at some point. However the fact that AL manager Ned Yost used Britton in that spot might well tell you how well he’s regarded around the league. Is he the best closer in the American League?

    That’s a tough question. Needless to say, he’s in the discussion. The Orioles and their fans are certainly hoping that Britton saving the game for the American League last night could be a harbinger of things to come. By virtue of winning this game, the American League’s representative in the World Series will have home field advantage.

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    In truth, we’re talking about one game. However that one game is a potential game seven. So if the Orioles happen to trickle through to represent the American Leauge in the fall classic, it would be fitting that it was their closer who shut the door in the mid-summer classic to win that game – for the Orioles, in a sense.

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    The O’s and the rest of MLB will have today and tomorrow off, before things get going again on Friday. The Birds will head to Tampa for the weekend before making their first appearance at Yankee Stadium next week.

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