Andrew Stetka: Schoop's All-Star nod is well-deserved

For the first time since 2011, the Orioles will have just one representative at the All-Star Game. Second baseman Jonathan Schoop can always refer to himself as an All-Star now, and rightfully so. While some may have wanted to see Trey Mancini or Welington Castillo get the nod as the O's representative, Schoop is the right man for the job.

It's also hard not to feel great for Schoop. He's been stuck in a very deep pool of second basemen in the American League for the first few years of his career. It includes the likes of AL starter José Altuve of Houston, Seattle's Robinson Canó, Boston's Dustin Pedroia, Starlin Castro of the Yankees and Detroit's Ian Kinsler. Folks in Baltimore have always seen his capability, but he hasn't received much national recognition until now. In just his fourth full season, Schoop has proven capable of being a standout player. Offensively, he's on pace for his best season. One of the biggest issues in his game has always been his walk total. This season, he's already drawn 18 walks, compared to a career-high 21 last season. He's also tacked on nearly 40 points to his career batting average and is nearly 100 points better in OPS compared to his average numbers.

In reading the quotes coming from Schoop, you can also get the sense about how much this means to him. He's a player that has worked hard to develop his game throughout the minors and even since he got the call to the big leagues. He also carries a torch from the island nation of Curacao, becoming just the fourth All-Star from the country. Schoop seems to have always been overshadowed, but this gives him a chance to get some of the accolades that many in Baltimore know he deserves.

There's also an underlying feeling to me that this All-Star nod for Schoop is important not just for him personally, but for the team as well. At just 25 and in his fourth full season, Schoop represents the brightest, most controllable asset for the franchise moving forward. Not many people believe the O's will be able to retain Manny Machado beyond next season. There have even been calls to shop Machado at this year's trade deadline because of that. But Schoop and Machado are very good friends, and perhaps I'm grasping at straws, but maybe there's something to that. Maybe it becomes a small factor in where Machado eventually ends up. That could be a pipe dream, but crazier things have happened. If the draw of continuing to play with Schoop isn't enough for Machado to stay, the second baseman is then next up. As I said, he's the brightest, most controllable asset for the O's as they forge ahead. Schoop is set to hit free agency in 2020, giving the Birds two full season after this one to convince him to stay. While Schoop isn't as valuable on the open market or as talented as Machado, he's certainly worth trying to keep around long term.

For now, Schoop's season is something to embrace. There's a reason he's the only O's rep for the All-Star Game, and that's because no one else was really all that deserving. Some could even argue that if there wasn't a rule requiring every team be represented, that Schoop wouldn't even be worthy. I disagree with that notion, however. Schoop has emerged as the budding star that many in Baltimore have season for years now. He made the transition in moving on from Brian Roberts an easy one for Orioles fans. Now he can build on an outstanding first half and look forward to emerging as a yearly candidate for the Midsummer Classic. Hopefully he can continue his rise and convince his pal that wears No. 13 to stick around to see it first hand.

Andrew Stetka blogs about the Orioles for Eutaw Street Report. Follow him on Twitter: @AStetka. His thoughts on the O's appear here as part of MASNsports.com's continuing commitment to welcome guest bloggers to our little corner of cyberspace. All opinions expressed are those of the guest bloggers, who are not employed by MASNsports.com but are just as passionate about their baseball as our roster of writers.