KC Royals: All-Star Game or All-Star Fraud
By Paul York
Kansas City Royals second baseman Omar Infante (14) – Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
The premise is simple enough. MLB wanted the fans to vote in who they want to see in the mid-summer classic. A flawed, but understandable concession MLB was willing to make.
What KC Royals fans are doing is made so much easier with our tech-savvy society, but this is by no means uncharted waters. In fact, every year we see a player get snubbed from the All-Star game so some aging veteran can make one last appearance, regardless of the statistics they’ve posted that season. I’m looking at you, Derek Jeter.
So, why am I annoyed at this? I’ll give you two reasons:
The All-Star rosters are big enough they will certainly carry at least five outfielders, if not more. Right now, Alex Rios would be a freaking All-Star.
1. Omar Infante
2. Alex Rios
Omar Infante is currently second in voting at second base. I repeat, the woefully bad, oft-injured, owner of a .241 on-base percentage, Omar Infante is second in all-star votes at second base. He trails the Astros’ Jose Altuve by about 600,000 votes.
Here’s where it gets crazy. He’s nearly a million votes ahead of the of much more deserving candidates in Ian Kinsler, Jason Kipnis and Dustin Pedroia.
Alex Rios has logged all of eight games so far this season. EIGHT! He’s currently fifth in all-star outfield votes. The All-Star rosters are big enough they will certainly carry at least five outfielders, if not more. Right now, Alex Rios would be a freaking All-Star.
Next: The All-Star Game means something