Boston Red Sox: Does Cody Ross Deserve an All-Star Nod as a Reserve?

Cody Ross has been one of the best bats in the Boston Red Sox lineup since mid-April and has really solidified this lineup as a right-handed hitter. But does he have the numbers to actually make the All-Star team in Kansas City in July?

My answer would be no based on the fact that he missed a month of the season with a fractured bone in his foot that kept him out of the lineup for 29 games.

In the 40 games that the 31-year-old has played in though, he has hit .270 with nine home runs and 32 RBI.

The most surprising stat is that Ross is only four RBIs away from slugger Adrian Gonzalez and he is the best healthy outfielder that the Red Sox have until Jacoby Ellsbury and Carl Crawford return from injury sometime in July.

It will be interesting to see how Bobby Valentine deals with the outfield situation with the likes of Ross, Daniel Nava and Ryan Kalish all playing really well on the field and at the plate.

Ross has also played every single outfield position. He has yet to make an error in any position, but he has also played some balls poorly. He can catch anything hit at him, but can also misplay a ball that he does not read right away off the bat.

The former San Francisco Giant has battled all season with his bat flips, diving catches and positive attitude, but he can't make the All-Star team with only 40 games under his belt in the 2012 season.

Maybe next year, if he is healthy, he can become part of the All-Star festivities.