The starters for the July 14 All-Star Game in Cincinnati were selected based on a vote of the fans, and Kansas City fans supported their team. Josh Donaldson ended up as the top vote-getter in the AL while relative disaster – I say relative because these matters are trivial compared to real-world issues, of course – was averted when Jose Altuve overtook Omar Infante at second.
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When there’s a twinge of disappointment that your team has only four starters on the American League All-Star team, it’s a sign of how far a once-struggling franchise has come in a very short time. Even if fans and most players treat the game like an exhibition, Major League Baseball is the only sport where the All-Star Game outcome has real repercussions. The Royals quartet will be joined by Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera, Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout, Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson, Seattle Mariners designated hitter Nelson Cruz and Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve. But the fans (with MLB’s help) spoke loudly and often in the last month of voting, and as a result, only four Royals will be taking the field as starters in Cincinnati: Salvador Perez behind the plate, Alcides Escobar at shortstop, Lorenzo Cain in center and Alex Gordon in left.
Alex Gordon will make his third All-Star appearance, but his first start. “As much as I think we have players here that are All-Star caliber players, we certainly have one who without a doubt deserves to be in that starting lineup”. In the closest vote at any position, Cruz’s 10.6 million votes edged Morales’ 10.32 million.
Washington outfielder Bryce Harper set a mark for National League players at 13.86 million, topping the previous record of 7.62 million set three years ago by San Francisco catcher Buster Posey, who was elected to start again this year.
Major League Baseball said 620 million votes were cast, breaking the mark of 391 million in 2012. In addition, the Cardinals’ Matt Holliday, who finished third among NL outfielders behind Harper and Stanton, has been sidelined since June 8 when he strained his quadriceps muscle and is uncertain when he will return. “I’ve got a few more hurdles to clear with my running, but I feel like I’m getting pretty close”.
Pitchers, reserves and final-vote candidates for the All-Star Game will be announced Monday.
Frazier finished with 9,233,686 votes.
“I was really nervous”.
Look, the Royals should be heavily represented and I never said otherwise.
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NL starters include Arizona first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, Miami second baseman Dee Gordon and St. Louis shortstop Jhonny Peralta, who also was suspended 50 games following MLB’s investigation of the Biogenesis of America clinic. He was a reserve last season, when he walked in his only at-bat and was second in the Home Run Derby.
