All-Star snub doesn’t hurt Elizalde

The start of Tuesday’s game with the Bowling Green (Ky.) Hot Rods (Rays) at Fifth Third Field was delayed for more than two hours then postponed. It’ll be made up with a doubleheader at 5:30 p.m. today. Both games are scheduled for seven innings.

It was to have been the start of a six-game home stand following a six-game road trip in which the Dragons split.

Elizalde leads the Dragons in hitting (.316), home runs (7) and RBIs (34), runs (29) and walks (38). He has just four errors, mostly while playing first. In comparison, Daal has 27 miscues. Elizalde is sixth in the league in batting average and second in on-base percentage (.441).

“It doesn’t matter, it’s OK,” he said. “I feel good because I’m playing very good.”

Each Midwest League manager submits an unannounced number of all-star nominees. Elizalde was on the top of Dragons manager Jose Nieves’ submissions as a first baseman.

Elizalde, a former Mexican League standout, will be tuning in from afar to the Midwest League All-Star Game on June 17 that will be hosted by the West Michigan Whitecaps at Grand Rapids.

Representing the Eastern Division All-Stars will be Lansing Lugnuts first baseman Matt Dean, who’s hitting .302 with two homers and 17 RBI’s. He’s also missed 22 of 63 games – more than one third of the season – with injury.

The eight Eastern managers vote on all-stars and a manager can’t vote on his own players.

“In this league, it’s ironic and senseless,” Dragons manager Jose Nieves said of Elizalde’s snub. “It’s kind of sad to see that. I would play him just because of his numbers. Pretty much all the teams are afraid of pitching to him. They pitch around him a lot. That tells you something.”