When the All-Star teams were announced Monday afternoon, Dozier wasn't on the American League roster. He was, however, one of five "Final Vote" candidates for the AL. He joins the likes of Xander Bogaerts, Yoenis Cespedes, Brett Gardner and Mike Moustakas among the five players hoping the fans will vote them into next week's midsummer classic.
The fact that Dozier needs to win the Final Vote just to make the All-Star team is pretty ridiculous. Houston's Jose Altuve is the starting second baseman on the American League, and Cleveland's Jason Kipnis is a reserve. Boston infielder Brock Holt, who has played more at second base than any other position this year, made the All-Star team as a utility player.
In just about every offensive category, Dozier leads or is near the top of all AL second baseman. Home runs? He has 17 of them, easily the most in the AL for second basemen. RBIs? His 42 -- including the two from the walk-off homer -- lead his position group as well. And the 63 runs Dozier has scored not only lead all second basemen in the AL but is tied for tops among all players in the American League. (Toronto's Josh Donaldson also has 63; oh, and Donaldson is an All-Star.)
The one offensive category Dozier falls short in is batting average (he's now hitting .260), but that's a stat that has become less valued by many in this day and age. The fact of the matter is Dozier is producing runs, and producing them at a high level -- an All-Star level.
This may sound cheesy, but from a media perspective, Dozier is an All-Star in the clubhouse as well. Few players are as accommodating as Dozier -- who happened to be gracious enough to catch my ceremonial first pitch before my last game in late June. After interviewing him just once in spring training several years ago, Dozier had already remembered my name. That's a rarity in this business, but it goes to show just how good a guy Dozier is off the field.
Fans can cast ballots in the Final Vote until Friday. The hashtag the Twins have used for Dozier is simply #VoteDozier, which was trending in the Twin Cities after Monday's walk-off 10th-inning homer. If you're a Twins fan, you've probably already voted for Dozier, and rightfully so. He deserves a spot in next week's All-Star Game, where he should join his Twins teammate Glen Perkins in Cincinnati.
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