May 29, 2013; St. Louis, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals left fielder Alex Gordon (4) hits a double off of St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Lance Lynn (not pictured) during the seventh inning at Busch Stadium. St. Louis defeated Kansas City 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

As June begins I am starting to think about All-Stars despite the fact that I almost never watch any of the actual game.  The Royals have had some pretty terrible All-Star selections through the years due to the every team gets a player rule.  It was seriously embarrassing to send the likes of Ken Harvey and Mark Redman as our lone representative in the past.  Over the last couple of years the Royal sent has been of better quality, but it would be nice to have more than one All-Star.  It is possible this year since both James Shields and Ervin Santana should be in the conversation, but we can’t vote for them.  Of the position players (and DH) that we can vote for, the Royals only have one worthy candidate.  Alex Gordon deserves to be an All-Star this year.  We should be supporting (vote here) him as much as possible and here is why:

Gordon has had two very good years leading up to 2013, and has established himself as one of the best outfielders in the game.  If you look at hitting production here is how he ranks among American League outfielders (min. 150 PAs) so far this year.

OPS – 8th (.851)

OPS+ – 7th (131)

wOBA – tied for 7th (.368)

wRC+ – tied for 8th (131)

How about traditional stats?

AVG – 1st (.326)

R – tied for 5th (35)

HR – tied for 20th (6)

RBI – tied for 9th (31)

There is only one thing that Alex is not doing really well in, and that is home runs, which also may make it much harder for a typical fan to realize how good he has been.  A lot of the players that are ranked ahead of him consistently in the OPS+ and wOBA type stats have some issues that in my mind make Gordon a better selection.  Matt Joyce has played quite a bit less and is only hitting .266 and is not a particularly good defender.  Coco Crisp hits for less power and average, and he has not played nearly as much as Gordon.  Kelly Johnson has spent a significant amount of time at other positions and was not an every day player until recently.  Daniel Nava hits very poorly against left handed pitching and has never shown this ability before and is a bad defender.

With all of that there are two outfielders clearly ahead of Alex right now.  Mike Trout is one and is just other worldly good, and no one is as complete a player in the outfield in baseball right now.  The other is Jose Bautista who got off to a slow start

May 31, 2013; Arlington, TX, USA; Kansas City Royals left fielder Alex Gordon (4) reacts after striking out during the third inning against the Texas Rangers at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

but is now raking and has a track record over the last 3+ years that makes him an All-Star in my opinion.  So that leaves the third starting outfield position open to a handful of candidates that I think Gordon can beat.

Mark Trumbo is raw power, but I think Gordon’s on-base skills and defense are enough to beat him out.  Alex Rios got off to a great start and has faded to where he is statistically behind.  Then you have the Nelson Cruz, Michael Morse, and Chris Carter‘s of the world that really only have power as a skill and nothing else.  Once you get past all of these there is only one player that I think you could make an argument for, Adam Jones.  He does a lot of things well, and hits for a little more power than Gordon including 11 homers.  Jones does not walk at all and is not a gold glover, but he plays center instead of left so I would probably not hold Gordon’s defense above Jones.  I could be talked into either guy as number three and the other as fourth.

Here is the rub.  I think Alex Gordon is the third or fourth best outfielder in the American League this year, and has proven over the past few years that he should be in this group.  What I think doesn’t matter though, and fan voting will not be in his favor.  Fans vote for their market, and Gordon’s KC market is too small.  Also, fans don’t care about defense which is one of Gordon’s best attributes.  Lastly, the fan voters care a lot about home runs which is his weakest point.  My guess is that Royals fans will only have one representative to watch yet again, and that it will be James Shields.  So far in the voting Gordon is 8th among AL outfielders.  He is even behind three players I didn’t even consider.  Torii Hunter who is slugging .427 with 2 HR, Nate McLouth who is similarly power challenged and has a track record of awful play, and who is behind Gordon in average on-base, and slugging are all ahead of Alex.

Old memories, meet the new park. (Photo Credit: Denny Medley-US PRESSWIRE)

The All-Star Game is at the K for the first time in 39 years. As a 25-year-old, I wasn’t even in existence when the Royals were last in the postseason, let alone for the All-Star Game. Therefore, I can’t even remember a big MLB event at the K. To add insult to injury, I haven’t been to a Royals game since I was roughly 10. I haven’t lived in Kansas City since I was three.

And now I don’t get to be there for the biggest event at the K in 27 years.

It’s not easy being a long-distance fan of any team. You wait patiently for the team to come to your city, if only to see all these guys you’ve heard about. You dish out money to watch the games however you can, and then MLB blacks out games seemingly based on randomly-determined boundaries at times. Other Twitter fans or bloggers attend games, are special guests, meet players, or have at least spent significant time at the home games in the past. But it’s not always like that.

In my lifetime, I think I’ve been to two games at the K. Otherwise, I’ve been to roughly 15 Royals games in Minneapolis and Atlanta. And so, I wanted to attend the All-Star Game, especially since I don’t know when the next big event will take place at the K. But life has other plans, and it doesn’t always work the way you hope.

At this time of year, however, we Royals fans get to finally cheer for something. Like booing Robinson Cano on Monday night or having what many media members called the best crowd that they’d ever seen at a Futures Game, Kansas City fans are baseball fans. They love their Chiefs and their Tigers/Jayhawks/Wildcats/others, but they’re big baseball fans. The World Series in 1985 and the general success of the teams of that era ensured that the city was inundated with baseball fans of all ages. And they’re still around. They’re still baseball fans.

The only problem is that there hasn’t been very much to cheer for.

Well, this is the time to cheer. I already drive around with Royals tags on my car and frequently wear Royals gear, but this is the time we can be even more proud. As long-distance fans, we all get the questions about why in the world we would root for the Royals. I can’t count how many times I get that when other fans realize I bleed Royal blue. But that’s the biggest challenge of all. We’re separated from our team and our stadium, but we’re still fans.

So, this goes out to all the long-distance Royals fans that couldn’t get to Kansas City for the All-Star events or that can’t get to games at the K. It’s to all of you that don’t get to see everyone in person or meet the players you watch and read about. Enjoy the All-Star Game tonight. For once, the K will be on national television. Fox is required to show a game in Kansas City. And it’s all the best playing in the stadium we love. Unfortunately, we don’t get to see the Royals themselves, but, just like the Home Run Derby, it’s the excitement of big baseball in a beautiful big park. It’s baseball in Kansas City.

Have heart, long-distance fans. This is a huge event for Kansas City. It may even rejuvenate the fan presence for games. And, most importantly, it holds us over until the next big event at the K.

Just hope we don’t have to wait another 27 years.

Let me explain.  A South Carolina resident who visits Kansas City and orders Pulled Pork with mustard BBQ sauce, hash, and Brunswick Stew (South Carolina & Georgia specialties) will be disappointed at almost any restaurant.  A Kansas City tourist visiting Texas’ BBQ Mecca in Lockhart who orders hickory smoked ribs will no doubt think Texans have no idea how to make barbeque.  A Texan looking for tender mesquite smoked brisket and pinto beans in Memphis will come up empty handed.  Someone from Memphis looking for dry rub…  well, you get the picture.  BBQ means different things to different people and you need to understand the specialty of each area if you want the best experience during your visit.

A few of the All Stars of Kansas City BBQ

There is a variety of great BBQ in Kansas City and no doubt you can find a few local restaurants that can smoke brisket with the best of the Texas Que joints, there are a few places with noteworthy pulled pork, and you might find some dry rub someplace, but I recommend you try a different approach.  When in Rome, do as the Romans.  If you’re in Kansas City for an All Star visit, let go of your BBQ inhibitions and indulge in the local specialty.  You absolutely must try the ribs.

Your first stop has to be the original Arthur Bryants at 17^th and Brooklyn just a few blocks from the Negro Leagues Museum, one of John Madden’s favorite haunts, and the restaurant Calvin Trillin of the New Yorker famously called, “possibly the single best restaurant in the world.”  The sandwiches of beef or ham or sausage are magnificent huge stacks of smoky meat, but don’t be swayed.  The big thick long or short end ribs are the stuff that dreams are made of.  So get in line, grab a plate, and be ready to order through the window while you watch the king-of-all-ribs chopped and wrapped in old school butcher paper.  Be sure to get a side of fresh cut fries.  And don’t forget to try the oh-so-vinegary original sauce, which is a bit of an acquired taste, but a must have for all visitors. No other restaurant has contributed more to the BBQ legacy of Kansas City than this one.

Another very popular heavy-weight of Kansas City BBQ is Oklahoma Joes, located in the sweetest smelling gas station on earth at 47^th and Mission Rd.  Named after the smoker the owners used in the American Royal BBQ competitions over 20 years ago, their ribs are the equal of Arthur Bryants and a proud representative of a KC tradition.  Be prepared to wait in a long line, I promise you won’t be the only fans checking out Oklahoma Joes during All Star week.

If you are unable to travel far from the stadium during your All Star visit, consider checking out LC’s BBQ at 5800 Blue Parkway.  With a 93% approval rating on Roadfood.com and 91% on Urbanspoon.com, this place is a little off the beaten path, but well worth the trouble to hunt it down.  With mismatched tables and styrofoam boxes for plates, LC’s defines the expression “greasy spoon.”  Their spoons may be greasy, but their BBQ pit is a little bit of heaven.

If you’re looking for something a little more upscale, you’ll want to try Fiorella’s Jack Stack BBQ at any of four locations complete with table clothes and actual waiters rather than a serving counter.  How many BBQ joints have you visited that are highly rated by Zagat’s?  In addition to the awesome ribs, you must try the delicious cheesy corn bake, and my favorite hickory pit beans.  Just be sure you’re prepared for a little sticker shock when the bill arrives, Jack Stack is a tiny bit pricier than it’s downscale cousins in KC.

It would be virtually impossible to name all the great BBQ ribs in Kansas City in one short article, but I’ll at least mention a few of my honorable mention locations:  Gate’s BBQ (my Dad’s personal favorite), BB’s Lawnside BBQ (check out the made from scratch raisin and vanilla bread pudding drizzled with sweet bourbon sauce – yummy!), Rosedale BBQ (my son’s favorite BBQ sauce), and Danny Edwards Boulevard BBQ (the successor to the legendary Jake’s Eat It and Beat It BBQ).  One thing I can tell you for certain, no matter which one you choose, you’re sure to have an All Star BBQ experience.

All-star picks can be a point of great contention and, in my case, are often embarrassing. This is because I make a lot of my picks based on my gut reaction mixed with a sprinkling of statistical success and often, my picks don’t make a lot of sense. But I’ve decided that I’m not worried about ridicule this year and I’m going to go into this selection process cold and allow you to make the journey with me.* I’m filling out my ballot as I write this. I’m not Buster Olney. I don’t care. Let’s do it. (more…)

The BBA Press Release follows below. Read on to find out the selections:
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