Final Vote Challenge

[CrimsonCowboy]

Freddie Freeman ‏@FreddieFreeman5 34s
Words can't describe how thankful I am to all the fans!! This is a dream come true and it wouldn't of happened without you guys! #GoBraves

[ChapelHillMatt]

Freeman received an all-time record 19.7 million votes

[VirginiaBrave]

Congrats Braves Nation...we beat the hype...

[weso1]

Hopefully Puig will get in too so that Freddie's not known as the guy who kept Puig out of the all star game.

[Julio3000]

The will of the people.

[CrimsonCowboy]

Dear national media,

HAHA!

Sincerely,
Braves Country

[jpx7]

Hopefully Puig will get in too so that Freddie's not known as the guy who kept Puig out of the all star game.

I'm fine with that, actually.

[CrimsonCowboy]

Someone send a crying towel to Bristol, Connecticut. Their "Breaking News" says Puig not voted to All- Star Game.

So to ESPN and Fox as well, 19.7 million voted for Freddie Freeman. Get over it.

[bravesnumberone]

Horray Freddie

[The Chosen One]

Chop Country prevails!

[AJonesATL]

Awesome. Congrats Freddie you deserve it.

[DaneHill]

Is ESPN now dead air and a blank screen?

Congrats, Freddie! Chop chop!

[jpx7]

ESPN does have an initial, immediate response:

But isn't the All-Star Game ultimately a chance to market the sport? It's played at time when little is going on in the sports world outside of sports beloved in Europe (cycling, soccer), and Puig has been one of the big stories of the first half, a reason casual fans may tune in to watch the All-Star Game when they otherwise wouldn't. The argument against Puig is he hasn't earned the spot, that 35 games and 152 plate appearances don't warrant selection, even if he is hitting .394, belting home runs and playing spectacular defense. Of course, he's played more than Kimbrel -- who has faced 131 batters -- but I get it: Puig hasn't proved anything over the long haul.

Though, to be fair to Schoenfield, most of the article concerns Freeman being a fine choice, as far as these things go — I just find it pretty rich that he can't help but bemoan how much more marketable (in his opinion) Puig is relative to Freeman, and therefore the minor travesty that Puig's loss represents.

[BoneThrower]

ESPN should change the title of their article on the Final Vote Challenge to "Hugs, Not Thugs!

[weso1]

If Puig is going to wind up being an awesome player than the marketing will take care of itself. Whether or not he's in this year's all star team really won't effect things much. It's like the Puig supporters are just hung up on this idea that he has to be in the All Star game or the chance to use him as a marketing tool is over forever.

[Julio3000]

Huigs not Puigs.

[BremanFan88]

I wish the Atlanta fanbase didn't suck so we could win these contests...oh...

[VirginiaBrave]

Puig didn't deserve it this year. Keep doing what he's doing and he'll have chances.

[ChapelHillMatt]

You gotta give his teammates a lot of credit for the campaign they ran.

[BremanFan88]

You gotta give his teammates a lot of credit for the campaign they ran.

Also the partnership with Toronto played a role as well.