Royals’ Slugger Billy Butler An All-Star!
The votes are in and the All-Star rosters are mostly set for the 83rd MLB All-Star Game in Kansas City, MO.
Royals fans were hoping to get more than one representative from the home team in the game, and it’s not like there weren’t multiple deserving candidates. But the Royals got just one, and it was the right decision in my opinion.
Royals’ DH Billy Butler was selected to his 1st All-Star game and will be one of the American League reserves. Coming into today, Butler is hitting .297/.365/.517 with 16 homeruns, 13 doubles, 48 RBI and a .881 OPS on the season. He is currently on pace to shatter his previous single season homerun total with 32 homeruns to go along with 104 RBI.
It is also assumed that Butler will be participating in the Homerun Derby on Monday, July 9th, starting at 7PM CT airing on ESPN.
Third baseman Mike Moustakas, who came into today with a .264/.331/.472 line with 13 homeruns, 17 doubles and 38 RBI and a .803 OPS on the year was another deserving candidate for Kansas City, but I imagine he’ll have his day in the sun sooner than later.
Shortstop Alcides Escobar, who leads the Royals in batting average with a .313/.352/.422 line and also has 13 stolen bases on the season, was another Royal that could have easily made it.
Both Moustakas and Escobar have also played excellent defense this season. This is nothing new for Escobar as he was one of the best defensive shortstops in baseball coming into the season, but Moustakas really improved his defensive skills at third base during the offseason, and has become one of the best at the hot corner this season.
There is a chance however for another Royal to make the team, closer Jonathan Broxton. Broxton, who has notched 20 saves in 23 opportunities for Kansas City this season with a 1-1 record and 2.05 ERA, will be a part of the American League Final Vote. Fans can vote for the final All-Star representative until Thursday, July 5th at 3PM CT. Broxton will be going up against Rangers’ starter Yu Darvish, White Sox starter Jake Peavy, Angels’ reliever Ernesto Frieri and Orioles starter Jason Hammel.
The National League Final Vote includes Braves’ outfielder Michael Bourn, Cardinals’ third baseman David Freese, Nationals’ outfielder Bryce Harper, Diamondbacks’ second baseman Aaron Hill and Braves’ third baseman Chipper Jones, who has never played in Kauffman Stadium in his career.
Here are the AL and NL starters, pitchers and reserves:
OF. Curtis Granderson, Yankees
AL Pitchers
David Price, Rays (Starter)
C.C. Sabathia, Yankees (Injured, replaced by C.J Wilson, Angels)
AL Reserves
NL Starters
NL Pitchers
R.A. Dickey, Mets (Starter)
NL Reserves