Giants get two All-Star reps despite dreadful first half

DENVER — Manager Tony Vitello gathered the Giants in the visitors’ clubhouse of Coors Field about two hours before first pitch Saturday and relished the chance to deliver a rare bit of good news.The third-worst team in the National League will have two representatives at next week’s All-Star Game in Philadelphia.Logan Webb and Luis Arraez were both selected by their peers.“I didn’t want to mess it up,” the rookie manager said.

“It’s my first go-around.”Vitello called it an “honor” to inform Webb that he would be an All-Star for the third straight season and that Arraez had earned his fourth nod following a one-year hiatus.In both cases, it would have been hard to see coming just a few months ago.Webb had planned to spend his All-Star break on a wildlife ranch, and it sure looked like he would have his schedule available when he landed on the injured list after his eighth start.At the time, he was sporting a 5.06 ERA.But he turned around his season so dramatically, allowing three total earned runs over five June starts, that he was named an All-Star a day after earning his first National League pitcher of the month honors.“To be honest, I didn’t really expect this,” Webb said.“But it’s always nice to be recognized by your peers and teammates, coaches around baseball.

Obviously it’s a cool honor.I’ll take as many as I can get.”Because he is lined up to make his final start of the first half on Wednesday, Webb should be an option for National League manager Dave Roberts.Webb had improved his ERA to 3.09 by the time selections were finalized, before he was shelled for seven runs on 11 hits in Friday night’s 15-3 loss, raising the mark back to 3.66.“Obviously after yesterday,” Webb said, “I don’t really feel like an All-Star today.”Nobody was happier to learn that Arraez had regained his All-Star status than Ron Washington, who the second baseman said was “like my grandfather right now.

… He was very excited.”It�...