As ESPN and others try to make some kinds of all-time all-star teams, I figured it would be an interesting exercise to find the best all-stars the Royals have produced.  So, by position, here they are.

Stats: .291/.421/.484, 20 hr, 121 WALKS!!!!

Comment: Career highs in homers, walks, rbi, 3rd of 4 career all-star appearances, finished 9th in AL MVP voting for a 1st place Royals team.

via www.baseballtoddsdugout.com

1st Base: Mike Sweeney (2000)

Stats: .333/.407/.523, 29 hr, 144 rbi, 206 h, 71 bb to 67 k

Comment: Probably the best all-around year Sweeney had in his time as a Royal, with the only possible exception being 2002, the year he hit .340.  This was the first of his 5 appearances as a Royals all-star representative.

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2nd Base: Frank White (1986)

Stats: .272/.322/.465, 22 hr, 84 rbi, 37 2b, 76 r (career high)

Comment: This was Frank's last all-star game and it came as he was at his peak offensively but before his defensive skills had eroded at all.

via www.studyofsports.com

Shortstop: Freddie Patek (1976)

Stats: .241/.318/.306, 1 hr, 50 sb, 19 2b, 3 3b, 43 rbi, 50 bb

Comment: Only Royal SS to make the all-star team, though there have been many better seasons by Royals shortstops.  Moreover, it wasn't as if there were 6'3 power hitters playing the position in the 70's.  Patek must always be viewed through the lens of his era for that reason alone.

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3rd Base: George Brett (1980, surprise!)

Stats: .390!!!/.454/.664, 24 hr, 33 2b, 9 3b, 118 rbi, 204 OPS+

Comment: The best season by any Royals player to date, this should not be a surprise.  The only downside to that unbelievable season was that Brett was hampered by a rather unfortunate injury...

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Outfielders:

LF: Bo Jackson (1989)

Stats: .256/.310/.495, 32 hr, 105 rbi, 172 so

Comment: This was at the height of Bo-mania across the country, and it was capped off with a moonshot homerun to lead off the All-Star game for the AL.  Bo knows.

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CF: Amos Otis (1973)

Stats: .300/.368/.484, 26 hr, 93 rbi, 63 bb to 47 so, 13 sb

Comment: Probably the second best CF in franchise history next to Beltran, and 1973 was maybe only his second best season, as in 1978 Amos put up better numbers, finished 4th in MVP voting, but did not make the all-star team.

via www.vintagecardtraders.org

Odd-man out in CF: Carlos Beltran (2004)

Stats: .267/.367/.548, 38 hr, 104 rbi, 42 sb, 3 cs, 36 2b, 9 3b

Comment: The stats above are for the full season, as Beltran is the only member of this all-star team that played for the NL all-star team in that year.  Beltran spent most of the first half of 2004 with the Royals before being traded for the three-headed Teahen/Buck/Wood beast.  Beltran created a memorable summer for those in Houston and possibly the greatest postseason in history in 2004.

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RF: Jermaine Dye (2000)

Stats: .321/.390/.561, 33 hr, 118 rbi, 41 2b

Comment: Voted to start in RF by the fans (yeah, the same fans that put Josh Hamilton and Dustin Pedroia there this year).  This would be Jermaine's best year as a Royal, and it was only slightly better than Danny Tartabull's year in 1991 (though Danny's 171 ops+ is much better than Dye's 135).

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Pitchers:

SP #1: Zack Greinke (2009)

Stats: 2.12 ERA, 127.1 ip, 129 k, 4 hr allowed, 5 cg, 2 so, 10-5 (season in progress)

Comment: The best first half of any Royals starter ever, including possibly the best 9 start run of any starter in MLB history to begin this season.  Zack should be named the AL starter unless ESPN succeeds in its efforts to let Wakefield roll out in his wheelchair and throw knuckleballs as the AL all-star starter.

via www.midwestsportsfans.com

SP #2: Bret Saberhagen (1987)

Stats: 18-10, 3.36 ERA, 257 IP, 15 CG, 163 k, 1.163 WHIP

Comment: Not even close to Saberhagen's best season, as a Royal or otherwise, but Saberhagen was the AL starter in 1987, in the middle of the most dominant portion of his career.

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SP #3: Steve Busby (1975)

Stats: 18-12, 3.08 ERA, 260 IP, 18 CG, 160 k, 1.206 WHIP

Comment: Those stats reveal why Busby's arm was a ticking time bomb, but he was one of the best pitchers in the AL for a four year run, and this was his best season.

via www.baseball-almanac.com

SP #4: David Cone (1994)

Stats: 16-5, 2.94 ERA, 171 IP, 132 k

Comment: Cone won the strike-shortened season's Cy Young Award with what could have been his best professional season.

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RP #1: Joakim Soria (2008)

Stats: 1.60 ERA, 67 IP, 42 saves, 39 hits, 0.861 WHIP

Comment: Soria's 2008 was historical in dominance, only to be overshadowed by names under bright lights in LA, NY, and Boston.  If Soria had a better team, he could have been even better.

via royals.mlblogs.com

RP #2: Dan Quisenberry (1983)

Stats: 1.94 ERA, 45 saves, 139 IP, 118 h

Comment: The Q turned in his best season as the most dominant groundball inducing force ever seen, leading the league in saves, games pitched, and games finished.

via badseed57.mlblogs.com

So there they are.  Yes, there is room for debate at several spots, but this is who I picked.  Have a great All-Star break.  Hopefully my next post will be a revised and updated Ryan LeFebvre drinking game.