Wagner not optimistic about last All-Star chance

Wagner not optimistic about All-Star selection

Billy Wagner didn't pack any extra clothes for the Braves' six-game trip to close out the first half, even though he still has a chance to make the All-Star team as one of the five players on the "Final Vote."

“If it happens, then good, it’s icing on the cake,” Wagner said. “But I’m not going to sit there and pack. I can always wear dirty clothes. Nobody knows the difference.”

He also doesn't think he has a good chance to win the vote. Among the four players Wagner is up against is Joey Votto.

The Reds' first baseman has garnered the most "snub" attention for being left off the National League All-Star team despite being tied for second in the NL with 19 homers and leading the league with a .984 OPS. The other three include the Padres' Heath Bell, Rockies' Carlos Gonzalez, and Nationals' Ryan Zimmerman.

"I won't win the final vote," said Wagner, a six-time All-Star who is 0-for-2 on final vote ballot in 2005 and 2006. "I'm not a fan favorite. ESPN is running promos for Joey Votto, what's that tell you?"

Wagner thinks he has an appealing case, too.

“It’s my last one,” said Wagner, 38, who has announced he’s retiring at the end of the season.

He is also 17-for-20 in save opportunities with a 1.35 ERA and a .165 opponents' batting average, numbers that are equal or better than the Dodgers' Jonathan Broxton, who was voted in by the players.

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel named two middle relievers ahead of Wagner to the team: Evan Meek as the sole representative of the Pirates and the Reds' Arthur Rhodes.

Wagner isn’t holding anything against his former manager. He has known Manuel since they met through Wagner’s college football coach in 1991. They are from the same area in Virginia.

“When I blew out, he called me before the Mets did,” Wagner said of his 2008 elbow injury. “He called me when I signed with the Braves and congratulated me. He’s always been a good friend. ... I saw him today. We didn’t even talk about it because I know it’s difficult. If I get to go, it’s an honor, my kids will love it, I’ll enjoy it. But if not, I was lucky enough to go six times and enjoy all those.”

Fans can vote until 4 p.m. Thursday on MLB.com.

Infante filled All-Star utility requirement

As elated as the Braves were over Charlie Manuel's decision to include Omar Infante on the National League All-Star roster, the Phillies manager has received considerable backlash over the decision in fan blogs, radio call-in shows and the overall media.

Manuel explained Monday that he was instructed to add a utility player to the roster and that's why he chose Infante, over a player such as Reds first baseman Joey Votto, an every-day player with better numbers.

“We were told you had to have a utility player on your team,” Manuel said. “We went over a bunch of names and I thought [Infante] was the best one on there. He can play all the infield positions and he can play all the outfield positions, and he’s hitting .300 or so.”

Infante is hitting .309, including .353 (6-for-17) against the Phillies entering this series that is highlighted by a game-winning single in a 2-1 win June 2.

This year’s All-Star game features a new re-entry rule, which allows a player to re-enter the game once. By having a versatile player like Infante, Manuel can put him back in the game at any position on the field other than catcher without raising any concerns from the Braves.

Glaus hopes to play Tuesday

Troy Glaus missed his third straight game with a sore left knee Monday but is hopeful he can return to the lineup Tuesday against the Phillies.

“It’s definitely way better than it was yesterday and better still from the day before that,” Glaus said. “We’re going in the right direction.”