Today marks Major League Baseball's 96th All-Star game out in Philadelphia, one of the two teams in our Commonwealth will be very well represented.

The other one leads the major leagues in offense.

Good morning to you.

Good.

Tuesday morning, I'm Dan Kovachievich of D.K. Pittsburgh Sports.

This is Daily Shot of Pirates presented by our friends at the North Shore Tavern.

It comes your way bright and early every weekday.

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Paul Skeens and Braxton Ashcraft will represent Pittsburgh in this game.

They won't play because they both pitched this weekend

and important games for the team that pays the bills.

None of what I'm about to say should suggest or be interpreted in any way

as being a slight on either Skeins or Ashcraft, they're

both deserving as All-Stars by any measure. It's just that this team was defined by something

else. To date and not a single player who swings a bat was even chosen to be out there.

If I stick with just those who have enough plate appearances to qualify for the batting title,

and that's 3.1 per team game.

Brian Reynolds has an 87 OPS that's 15th best in all of Major League Baseball, regardless of position.

This would have been his third all-star appearance to fortify the point and address any

concern that he's, you know, some flash in the pan or just had a nice half-season or whatever.

It's crazy to me that he's not there.

Brandon Lau has 21 home runs.

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