Kansas City Royals Dominating All-Star Voting

Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

Alcides Escobar: .278/.316/.368, 1,191,268 votes

The Kansas City Royals leadoff hitter would seem to be a strange choice to be leading American League shortstops in the All-Star vote. After all, his OPS+ is 89 this season, he has little power and has only stolen three bases. It is not as though the statistics jump out and scream that Escobar should be starting on the national stage.

Of course, it helps that perhaps the best hitting shortstop thus far in the American League, Marcus Semien, plays in Oakland and no one knows who he is. Semien has a .290/.337/.459 batting line with six home runs and seven steals, yet is third with 354,954 votes. The closest competition to Escobar is another glove first shortstop in Jose Iglesias, who is hitting at a surprising .333/.388/.423 clip this season. However, Escobar has a 364,886 vote lead on the Tigers shortstop.

Given the production from Semien and Iglesias, it seems unthinkable that Escobar would even be in the running to start the All-Star Game. Even if the fans are voting based on defense, Iglesias is very comparable to Escobar in the field. It seems that one of the added perks to success is getting that unexpected All-Star in subsequent seasons.

If we look at Alcides Escobar through neutral eyes, it is hard to imagine him making the All-Star team. However, the Kansas City Royals shortstop looks like he could be well on his way to starting the game come July.

Chances of starting: Fair to middling

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