2015 MLB All-Star Game: Missourans invade Great American Ball Park
According to Google maps, for civilians living in two cities in the heart of America’s Midwest, Cincinnati is easily accessible driving east along the I-70. Kansas City is roughly 590 miles away if road-trippers decided to travel through St. Louis. But that might not be an option for some, so the route just north that passes through Indianapolis is an alternative.
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As for baseball fans in St. Louis, Cincy can easily be reached via roughly a five hour car ride through either Indianapolis or Louisville. Either way, for baseball fans who decide to travel to Great American Ball Park on July 14 from Kansas City or St. Louis, two things appear evident: 1) There should be plenty of options to eat some good BBQ along the way and 2) Royals and Cardinals fans give a damn.
The latest MLB All-Star Game balloting as of May 27 has a heavy bias placed on Major League Baseball’s two Missouri teams. If fans get their way and it’s mostly Royals and Cardinals in the lineup, it could be a glimpse into the future of how any single game of this fall’s World Series could play out. Both clubs look like real contenders right now and they certainly have a passionate fan base to support them through October.
All-Star voting is a subjective process. It’s kind of like the right to freedom of speech. But to anyone that is more than a passive fan of the game, this years results seem a bit ridiculous. As it stands, the Royals have five players who would currently occupy a starting role in July’s Midsummer Classic:
- C Salvador Perez (1.44 million votes)
- SS Alcides Escobar (1.19)
- 3B Mike Moustakas (1.26)
- OF Lorenzo Cain (1.37)
- OF Alex Gordon (0.991)
Then there is 1B Eric Hosmer, 2B Omar Infante, DH Kendrys Morales who all place second in voting at their respective positions. Hosmer and Morales are both having fines seasons, but the discrepancies becomes apparent when Alex Rios‘ name appears ahead of outfielders like Michael Brantley, Hanley Ramirez and Josh Reddick on the American League ballot. Rios has not played since April 13.
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Even further snubs are more ignorant. Royals and Cardinals fans — like any other baseball fan — should first and foremost be fans of the game as a whole when it comes to All-Star Game voting, not merely just fanatics of their home town players. Perez is a very good catcher, both offensively and defensively, but Stephen Vogt and Russell Martin are two fellow backstops who should not be overlooked in favor of Perez this season.
Infante is second on the ballot for second basemen, while someone like Jason Kipnis‘ name doesn’t even appear in the top five. Kipnis is third in MLB for hits and batting average and is pacing himself nicely for a 20-20 season. Infante, meanwhile, is hitting .238 with zero long balls on the season.
Meanwhile at third base, Moustakas is finally hitting for average in his career, but what he is doing is dwarfed by Josh Donaldson in Toronto in most categories — both from a historical track record perspective and current production. Donaldson (.314) is hitting only 15 points lower than Moose, but he is dominating the AL competition at his position after that. The 29-year-old leads all AL third basemen in R (+14), H (+3), HR (+3), RBI (+6) and OPS (+.084) by fairly substantial margins.
Over in the National League, things aren’t so wholesome either. St. Louis Cardinals players set to start in this year’s MLB All-Star Game are as follows:
- C Yadier Molina (0.859)
- SS Jhonny Peralta (0.595)
- 3B Matt Carpenter (1.11)
- OF Matt Holliday (0.979)
2B Kolten Wong is second to only Dee Gordon at his position, while 1B Matt Adams (who is hitting .243/.281/.375) comes in fourth at the first base position. He currently has more votes than hometown Reds first baseman, Joey Votto, who is slashing.275/.373/.461 with three more home runs than Adams.
The Missouran biases run deep and rampant in this years balloting and voting. While managers will choose the pitching staffs, starting lineups have been selected by the fans since 1970. A number of starter-worthy players could find themselves elected in reserve roles this season.
Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, OH is easily accessible to most fans from Kansas City and St. Louis, but access to the starting lineup for a majority of their position players should not be.
A full preview of updated AL balloting can be viewed here, while the NL can be viewed here.