Grinder. Selfless. Mentor. Competitor. Winner.
Those are some of the most frequent ways Mitch Moreland has been described throughout a career that is now in season No. 9. But All-Star?
Nobody likely would have ever thought of that one. But when it came time for the players and coaches around baseball to vote on their All-Stars this summer, that is exactly what Moreland became. It was the ultimate tribute to a man who has never been anything close to a self-promoter.
When Red Sox manager Alex Cora revealed his team’s All-Star selections prior to the game against the Royals on July 7, he went through the list one by one.
"Mookie Betts." Clap. "J.D. Martinez." Clap. "Chris Sale." Clap. "Craig Kimbrel." Clap.
Then came Cora’s final two words.
"Mitch Moreland." Clap? Try eruption.
