2011 MLB All-Star Game: Odds of Making the Team for Each Royals Candidate
With the 2011 MLB All-Star game just three weeks away, it's time to start looking at each club's candidates and their chances of making their respective league's team.
The Royals haven't managed to produce more than one All-Star in a season since 2003, and it doesn't appear to be any different this year.
It's a tough race for that spot, as three outfielders, a DH and a reliever appear to all have a chance at it this season.
Read on to see the odds that I have given each of the Royals' All-Star candidates this season.
CF Melky Cabrera
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Cabrera has been a breath of fresh air near the top of the Royals lineup this season.
He is hitting .275 with nine homers and 42 RBI, to go along with nine stolen bases this year.
He has also been very solid on defense, even making a few spectacular plays in center-field as well.
However, Melky wasn't even in the Top 15 for the A.L. outfield voting from last week, but he will still have a chance at being the default representative for the team.
Odds of making the A.L. team: 50%
LF Alex Gordon
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Gordo, like many others on this list, has been a pleasant surprise this season.
He is batting .281 with 20 doubles, eight homers and 41 RBI, while committing zero errors and picking up eight assists at his left-field position.
Gordon has been one of the most fundamentally sound outfielders in all of baseball this season, but hasn't got any credit for it.
He is way down on the list for A.L. OF voting, but will still have a chance at being the Royals representative because of the solid season that he has put together so far.
Odds of making the A.L. team: 50%
DH Billy Butler
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The new found full-time DH of the Royals is having one of his best seasons at the plate in his young Major League career.
Hitting at .302, he has 24 extra base-hits and has compiled an excellent .403 OBP, striking out only 34 times in 71 games.
The major issue for Butler not making the team would be that his home run and RBI totals are down, as they stand at six and 32, respectively.
He will have an outside chance to make the team, but I see it being a very small chance.
Odds of making the A.L. team: 20%
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RF Jeff Francoeur
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Frenchy got off to a red-hot start to the season, and it seemed like he already had eight homers in the blink of an eye.
He currently leads the team in RBI with 43, and is tied with fellow outfielder Melky Cabrera for the club lead in home runs with nine.
If he hadn't have cooled off over the past couple weeks, Francoeur would have been a sure-bet to make the American League All-Star roster.
Like many others on this list, I see being the default Royals representative as the only way the Jeff makes the all-star team this year.
Odds of making the A.L. team: 50%
RP Aaron Crow
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Crow has been one of the biggest surprises for the Royals this season.
After struggling last year at Double-A Northwest Arkansas, he made the big league team out of spring training and hasn't disappointed.
This season, he is 2-0 with a 1.34 ERA and has seven holds in just over 33 innings of work.
Crow has a decent chance to make the team, but OF Jeff Francoeur will likely be the only Royals representative this season.
Odds of making the A.L. team: 40%
RP Blake Wood
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The former Georgia Tech star has really turned it around in '11 after a rough rookie campaign last season.
Wood has put together a 2.56 ERA in 25 appearances out of the Kansas City 'pen.
The problem for Wood is that he doesn't have many holds or saves to his name, and that will really hurt his chances at being considered for the All-Star game.
Odds of making the A.L. team: 20%
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