With baseball’s All-Star Game returning to Cincinnati for the first time since 1988, and with Pete Rose cleared to participate in the festivities, there will be a distinct Reds flavor at Great American Ball Park on July 14.
But the major leagues’ summer showcase will also be colored blue — Royals blue.
Four Kansas City players were voted in as starters for the American League when the final fan ballot totals were announced Sunday night: catcher Salvador Perez, shortstop Alcides Escobar, and outfielders Lorenzo Cain and Alex Gordon.
The Royals’ unlikely run to the brink of a World Series title last season — and their daring style of play — has given a boost to their popularity, so much so that Major League Baseball was nearly confronted with an embarrassing situation.