The day of his selection, he raised his average to a league-leading 363. He's also been among the league leaders in batting average with runners in scoring position (.390), doubles (26) and hits (98).
He went three for four with four runs batted in Sunday's 9-8 loss to the Detroit Tigers.
Sanchez will be joined by teammate Jason Bay, who was voted by the fans as a starter.
Sanchez was relegated to the bench after the Pirates acquired free agent Joe Randa and had to accept his role as a utility player. He became a full-time starter only after Randa went down with an injury in late April.
"It's an unbelievable feeling," Sanchez told MLB.com. "Coming from Spring Training and not knowing how many at-bats I'd even get this year and knowing my role as a utility player, it's just unbelievable. I can't even describe it."
Getting the chance to play every day is what Sanchez attributes to his overwhelming success this season.
"Anybody that knows me knows that I am not a cocky person. But in this game, you have to have confidence," Sanchez said. "It's kind of hard to break that utility label sometimes. You get that label, and that's all you are. I always felt that, given the opportunity, I could do some things."
Sanchez has certainly made a believer out of his manager.
"Shame on me for saying Freddy Sanchez is a utility player for what this guy has done," said Jim Tracy. "Freddy Sanchez is a winner."
Sanchez proved popular with the public, as he led all Major League players with 856,685 write-in votes.
"I have to thank the fans of Pittsburgh," Sanchez said. "To have the most write-in votes just goes to show you what kind of sports town and baseball town this really is. Without them, I wouldn't have been able to get in."
A favorite with teammates as well as fans, Sanchez's selection to the All-Star Game impressed Bay.
"I'm more thrilled for Freddy," said Bay. "I called my wife and told her Freddy made it. And then I said, 'Oh yeah, I did, too.'"
Sanchez and Bay will be the first pair of Pirates teammates selected to an All-Star Game since Jason Kendall and Brian Giles in 2000.
Sanchez was taken in the 30th round of the 1996 first-year player draft by the Atlanta Braves but chose instead to attend Glendale College and played for two other National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics colleges before being drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 11th round in 2000.
Sanchez finally made his way to the majors with the Pirates last September after toiling in the minors for almost the entire 2004 season. The local star played shortstop, second base and third base for the Red Sox before being traded to the Pirates in July of 2003.
He was the 1996 Foothill League Player of the Year for the Bulldogs and played for three coaches in his four years on varsity at Burbank.gnp-freddy-CPhotoInfo991SJKS520060705j1gdofnc(LA)
