Twins hope Perkins, Dozier are named All-Stars

Only four and a half games separate the Twins from the American League Central division-leading Kansas City Royals, but there's a much larger gap in popularity with the fans.

Kansas City, the defending American League champion, led all MLB teams with four players voted in as starters for the July 14 All-Star Game in Cincinnati.

Minnesota had none.

All-Star reserves will be announced on ESPN at 6 p.m. Monday, and four more players from each league will be up for the final Fan Vote.

Twins manager Paul Molitor believes three of his players – closer Glen Perkins, second baseman Brian Dozier and outfielder Torii Hunter – have a chance to make the All-Star team.

"We can hope that somehow we add more than Perkins, who I would think would be a lock," Molitor said Sunday, according to the Pioneer Press. "Dozier, the body of work is pretty good. You can make a case even for Torii (Hunter) or someone like that."

Perkins is arguably the best closer in baseball this season. He's locked down a franchise record 27 consecutive saves to start the season.

Dozier, who is at or near the top of almost every offensive statistical category among American League second basemen, got some last second support from pitcher Trevor May in a bid to get Dozier voted in as a starter. It didn't work, but the video is hilarious.

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Since the beginning of the 2014 season, Dozier leads all MLB second basemen in home runs, walks and runs scored and he ranks second in OPS and RBIs, thus giving Hardball Talk plenty of ammo to call him the best second baseman in the big leagues.

Dozier competed in the home run derby last year; Perkins has been to each of the past two All-Star games.