Associated Press
From demoted A-ball starter to All-Star rookie reliever, Aaron Crow earned a spot in Major League Baseball’s Mid-Summer Classic.
Crow was among the 33 players selected to the American League roster on Sunday, completing a quick rise from struggling prospect to the apex of baseball honors. He is the fourth Royals rookie to make the All-Star team joining Ellie Rodriguez, Kevin Seitzer and Mike MacDougal.
While Crow earned the trip as a dominant setup reliever, outfielder Alex Gordon wasn’t as lucky.
The former No. 2 overall draft pick is in the midst of the best season for a Royals’ left fielder since Willie Wilson in 1980. However, not voted in as a starter, Gordon did not receive a spot on the roster from Texas manager Ron Washington, the skipper of this year’s All-Star team.
However, Gordon is competing against four other American League players in a fan vote for the 34th and final spot on the All-Star roster. The competing players are Detroit first baseman Victor Martinez, Chicago first baseman Paul Konerko, Baltimore outfielder Adam Jones and Tampa Bay second baseman Ben Zobrist.
Voting runs until Thursday.
Crow won’t have to wait, making Washington’s list of pitchers.
“My dad usually can’t shut up,” Crow told The Associated Press, “but when I called him he had just seen it on TV and he was speechless. He couldn’t say anything. It was nice to see him react that way.”
The 12th overall pick in the 2009 MLB Draft, Crow spent last year in the minor leagues as a starting pitcher. He was demoted midseason from AA Northwest Arkansas to Class A Wilmington.
Crow was 9-10 with a 5.73 ERA during the two stops.
However, Crow made the team out of spring training this year after a strong showing out of the bullpen. That continued into the season where the University of Missouri product didn’t allow a run over his first 16 2/3 innings as mostly a setup man.
Crow currently owns a 1.36 ERA in 39 2/3 innings, mostly as a setup man to closer Joakim Soria.
The selection of Crow came at the expense of the perceived favorite to represent the Royals.
Gordon has finally made good on the expectations heaped upon him after being drafted out of Nebraska. Despite leaving Sunday’s game after being hit on his left knee with a pitch, Gordon completed a spectacular series in Colorado. He had five hits in the first two games, and his average sits at .301.
Gordon has 38 extra-base hits thus far — 10 of them home runs — and he’s third in the American League in hits (98) and doubles (24). He’s also driven in 46.
Entering the season, Gordon’s career highs were 16 home runs (2008) and 60 RBIs (2007).