Joakim Soria missed out on the All-Star Game in 2009 but he was there for it in 2008 in New York. So his thoughts on the 2012 MLB All-Star Game coming to Kauffman Stadium?
"I hope to be in that game," Soria said.
I can think of a few Royals fans that would agree with that.
Meanwhile, other Royals players reacted to the news. Royals catcher Jason Kendall, for example, knows who signs his checks.
"We've got the perfect ballpark for it," Kendall said. "It's the most gorgeous ballpark in the game."
Yeah, as a Kansas Citian I'm biased, but he's got a legitimate argument there.
Scott Podsednik recognized the real reasons the All-Star Game is a big deal: Money and putting Kansas City in the center of the baseball world....for a weekend at least.
"It's good for the organization, it's good for the city," Podsednik said. "It's going to be exciting. Any time you can hold an all-star event in any sport, it means nothing but good things for the city, the economy, for lots of things. There hasn't been any playoff baseball here since, what, 1985? So I think it'll give the fans something to come and get excited about come midseason 2012."
These quotes are coming courtesy of Dick Kaegel of MLB.com and they're further proof that the 2012 MLB All-Star Game was the worst-kept secret in town. Bud Selig made the official announcement at 5:00 p.m. Wednesday evening and by 7:11 p.m. MLB.com had posted quotes from half-a-dozen players....while they were in the dugout during a rain delay.