Keep in mind as you read this that I am a life long Royals
fan. I grew up in the heyday of the 70s
and 80s. I have suffered through some of
the worst team managements in the history of sports. Despite the last quarter of a century, I
still love my team and the city and area it represents. I want my team and Kansas
City to be shown in the best light possible.
As far as the process of how the All Star teams are
selected, I don’t have much issue in general.
I think more thought could be put into the whole process of picking the
reserves, though. There is too much
chance for selfishness. I will hold up
Ron Washington as an example of this. I
like Washington. It can be conceded he has been good in his
tenure as manager of the Rangers. I do
have a problem though with his selection of Elvis Andrus to this team. It is not that I think Andrus is
undeserving. It is the fact that Washington
added Andrus as the seventh Ranger on the team (Yu Darvish was added as the 8th
Ranger later). For the first time in
many years, the Royals had more than one legitimate candidate for this
exhibition. With the game in Kansas
City, Alcides Escobar should have been selected in
addition to the Royals’ best player, Billy Butler. Escobar, the leading hitting shortstop in the
majors, would not have been a pity pick.
Escobar, and the hometown Royals, deserved more than just Butler,
who will probably get one pinch hit at-bat.
The Royals fans deserved more and the Rangers were already over
represented as it was.
Then there is the case of Robinson Cano. Some writers have complained about the
childishness of the Kansas City
fans in their relentless booing of Cano and their glee in his utter failure
during the Home Run Derby. The fans were
irritated because Cano failed to select Butler
for the derby. They booed him because he
said he would select Butler. I personally heard an interview with John
Kruk and Cano and the Yankee said as much.
Then he did not pick Butler. He has since told at least two different stories
on why he didn’t. The fans booed him
because he flat out lied. Period. He lied and has made excuses. The derby is supposedly strictly about the fans. Cano and MLB have proved otherwise. The fans booed as a way to show their
displeasure and that is their absolute right.
Shame on those who fail to understand that.
The Royals fans showed their class by warmly welcoming
former Royals, Carlos Beltran and Melky Cabrera. The fans appreciated their efforts on behalf
of the organization and are happy for their successes. The Kansas City
natives were very warm in their greeting of Chipper Jones, playing his first
ands last game in Kaufman Stadium. The
fans aren’t classless, just frustrated at the lack of things to cheer about and
the lack of respect shown them by those who made decisions concerning the All
Star selections. There should be some
consideration to the home team every year when it comes to the rosters and
derby. It would cost the league nothing
and would mean everything to the home fans.
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