The other team in Missouri is known for hacking scandals, but Major League Baseball may want to look into how Kansas City Royals' fans have been dominating the All-Star voting lately. For the second straight year, Royals fans have come out in droves to stuff the ballot box.
The league released its first update for American League All-Star game balloting and many of the Royals are at, or near, the top of the voting at each position.
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Royals catcher Salvador Perez leads the AL in fan balloting for the 2016 MLB All-Star Game presented by MasterCard. pic.twitter.com/lpjHfWsvfH
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Catcher Salvador Perez is the top vote-getter among all AL players thus far, with 1,094,942 votes. He leads New York Yankees catcher Brian McCann by an astounding 775,263 votes. Perez is hitting .277/.313/.494, with seven home runs, this year. He leads all AL catchers with a 1.5 fWAR.
Perez is not the only Royal currently leading his position. If the All-Star game took place today, both Eric Hosmer and Lorenzo Cain would be AL starters. Hosmer currently leads Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera, while Cain is second in outfielder voting, behind Mike Trout.
On the one hand, it makes sense that the Royals would dominate the AL voting. The club has represented the AL in the World Series the past two seasons, taking home the title last year. They have been the best team in the league for two straight seasons, so they should have exceptional players.
At every other position, a Royals player ranks second in the voting. Omar Infante, Mike Moustakas, Alcides Escobar and Kendrys Morales are all the second-highest vote-getters at their respective positions.
On the one hand, it makes sense that the Royals would dominate the AL voting. The club has represented the AL in the World Series the past two seasons, taking home the title last year. They have been the best team in the league for two straight seasons, so they should have exceptional players.
With that said, the All-Star game should reward the best players in each league, and that's not the case with many of these votes. Perez, Cain and Hosmer are fine choices, but it's tough to make an argument for Infante over Seattle Mariners star Robinson Cano.
Moustakas over Toronto Blue Jays slugger Josh Donaldson also seems silly, but an injury will keep Moustakas from playing in the contest.
Morales ranking second at DH is particularly egregious. It won't matter, as David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox will easily get the nod, but it's worth noting that Morales is hitting .187/.258/.310 this year. Yikes!
Last season, the Royals were set to have eight starters in the All-Star game after the first AL update was released. As the voting moved forward, Royals players saw their numbers drop. Only three players from Kansas City, Perez, Escobar and Cain, wound up starting the actual All-Star game.
History may repeat itself again this season. It's certainly possible Perez, Hosmer and Cain retain their starting spots, but all the other Royals should drop as the voting rolls on.
Then again, after what we saw last season, it's probably foolish to count Royals fans out in any and all matters related to All-Star voting. They, like the team they support, have proven to be relentless.
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