MLB: An All-Star — or two — for Twins

By Andy Greder
St. Paul Pioneer Press
MINNEAPOLIS - Twins closer Glen Perkins on Monday was named an American League all-star for the third consecutive season, while second baseman Brian Dozier was left off the league’s roster of reserves.
Dozier, whose 45 extra-base hits leads the AL, will have one more shot at making the team as one of five players on the Final Vote ballot for the last spot in the All-Star Game on July 14 at Cincinnati.
Houston’s Jose Altuve was named the AL starter at second base, while Cleveland’s Jason Kipnis was named as a reserve by AL manager Ned Yost.
After his selection was announced, Perkins thanked fans and turned his attention to his “disappointment” the Twins didn’t have more all-stars. The Twins (43-39) entered Monday night in second place in the AL Central.
“It’s an opportunity to represent Minnesota, the people of Minnesota and the Twins,” said Perkins, a Stillwater native and Lakeville resident.
Dozier, who had his second-consecutive strong first half, was left off the team for the second straight season.
“(Dozier) deserves it,” Perkins said. “Hopefully we can get him in if he is one of those last couple of guys. … He belongs. He’s an all-star player. Nothing against any of the other guys that are going. I get to see him a lot, and I like him out there.”
Twins President Dave St. Peter wasted no time in hitting the campaign trail on behalf of the second baseman.
“#VoteDozier,” St. Peter tweeted.
Also on the AL Final Vote ballot are Boston’s Xander Bogaerts, Detroit’s Yoenis Cespedes, New York’s Brett Gardner and Kansas City’s Mike Moustakas.
There was no doubt about Perkins, who leads the American League with 27 saves. He is 27 for 27 in save situations, matching the Twins’ record for consecutive successful saves set by Joe Nathan in 2004. Perkins has a 1.31 earned-run average, with 32 strikeouts in 34-plus innings.
In front of Yost, Dozier was 2 for 17 against the AL Central-leading Royals in a four-game series last weekend.
When the 2014 All-Star Game was played at Target Field, Perkins and catcher Kurt Suzuki were named to the AL team. They formed the battery as Perkins earned the ninth-inning save.
“As far as topping that, it’s probably not going to happen,” Perkins said. It’s still an honor, and it’s something that I will never get tired of.”
Perkins also went to bat for Dozier for the second straight July.
“He had a really good first half last year,” Perkins said. “You build that reputation of being a good player, so it’s not just, ‘Hey, he was good for half a season.’ Well, he’s been the best second baseman in baseball for the last year and a half.”
In the “first half” of 2014, or 92 games, Dozier had 18 home runs, 16 doubles and 45 runs batted in, albeit with a .242 batting average. He finished the season with 112 runs, second in baseball to Mike Trout’s 115.
This year, Dozier is batting .260 with 16 home runs, 26 doubles and 40 RBIs in 81 games.
The Twins have had five other Final Vote nominations, but none has been selected: Lew Ford (2004), Torii Hunter (2005), Francisco Liriano (2006), Pat Neshek (2007) and Delmon Young (2010).
If Perkins ends up being the only Twins all-star, it will be the first time since Joe Mauer in 2012 in which Minnesota received only its mandatory selection.
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