Baltimore Orioles Charge Gunnar Henderson $206 Million’ under suspicion for Breaking the…..

As Gunnar Henderson awaits All-Star turn, baseball world discovers his ‘electric’ talent

Gunnar Henderson has reached a significant junction on his road to baseball stardom. And this week crystallizes the transition he’s about to make: From regional delight to national star, from Baltimore Orioles favorite to a regular on the game’s biggest stages.

On Wednesday night, Henderson will almost assuredly be named to his first All-Star Game as the American League’s starting shortstop (he leads fellow finalist Bobby Witt Jr. by a nearly two to one margin), likely joined by teammate Adley Rutschman and perhaps another Oriole or two.

On Friday, tickets will go on sale for an Aug. 5 “Meet The Birds” event at Jimmy’s Famous Seafood, where fans can take photos with Henderson, buy raffle tickets and indulge in one of the more than two dozen menu items featuring Maryland crab.

Henderson, who just celebrated his 23rd birthday, for the moment sounds more bullish on the seafood feast than the prospect of his first All-Star Game. Jimmy’s, he says, has been “so good to me and my family,” no small matter for a kid from Alabama whose No. 1 pastime beyond the diamond is pulling fish out of the water.

He’s arguably the best player in the AL, with his 6.2 WAR leading the major leagues and giving him an objective edge. While others argue that crown belongs to New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge until someone takes it, Henderson’s 26 homers to Judge’s 32 and .988 OPS to Judge’s 1.158 are buttressed by the fact he’s producing those numbers while playing shortstop at a Gold Glove level.

Henderson, Orioles ace Corbin Burnes says, is simply “electric on both sides of the ball.”

Now, he’s set to restart a Baltimore tradition.

Cal Ripken Jr. set an All-Star Game record by getting elected via fan balloting 17 times – from 1984-87 and 1989-2001. The latter span covered the early, peak years of shortstop superstars Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Nomar Garciaparra, a testament to the love fans had for Ripken leading up to and in the aftermath of him breaking Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games played streak in 1995.