Salvador Perez due for even more time behind plate
NEW YORK (AP) After making the most starts behind the plate of any big league catcher in a century, Salvador Perez wants more.
The Kansas City Royals star was among 29 players on the roster announced Friday for the Major League Baseball all-star postseason tour of Japan.
Game 7 of the World Series last week was Perez's 158th start at catcher during the regular season and postseason, the most since at least 1914, according to STATS. Perez topped the 156 starts made by the Chicago Cubs' Randy Hundley during the 1968 regular season.
Also on the roster from the AL champion Royals are Game 7 starter Jeremy Guthrie, backup catcher Erik Kratz and shortstop Alcides Escobar. No members of the World Series champion San Francisco Giants are making the trip.
Among the players on the roster who were announced previously are Houston's Jose Altuve and Colorado's Justin Morneau, the two league batting champions; and the Los Angeles Dodgers' Yasiel Puig.
Los Angeles Angels first baseman Albert Pujols, Washington outfielder Bryce Harper and Baltimore outfielder Adam Jones withdrew because of personal and family commitments, the Major League Baseball Players Association said.
While there are just two players who were full-time outfielders this year, Houston's Chris Carter, the New York Mets' Lucas Duda and Tampa Bay's Ben Zobrist also could see outfield time.
The tour includes a five-game series against Japan's national team from Nov. 12-18 that will be preceded and followed by exhibition games.
Boston's John Farrell will manage the MLB stars, and his staff includes Cleveland manager Terry Francona, Red Sox third base coach Brian Butterfield, Toronto bench coach DeMarlo Hale, Texas pitching coach Mike Maddux and Red Sox pitching coach Juan Nieves.
The roster:
Pitchers: Jeff Beliveau, Tampa Bay; Jerry Blevins, Washington; Chris Capuano, New York Yankees; Randy Choate, St. Louis; Jeremy Guthrie, Kansas City; Tommy Hunter, Baltimore; Hisashi Iwakuma, Seattle; Mark Melancon, Pittsburgh; Franklin Morales, Colorado; Hector Santiago, Los Angeles Angels; Matt Shoemaker, Los Angeles Angels; Jose Veras, Houston; Tsuyoshi Wada, Chicago Cubs; Rob Wooten, Milwaukee
Catchers: Drew Butera, Los Angeles Dodgers; Erik Kratz, Kansas City; Salvador Perez, Kansas City
Infielders: Jose Altuve, Houston; Robinson Cano, Seattle; Chris Carter, Houston; Lucas Duda, New York Mets; Alcides Escobar, Kansas City; Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay; Justin Morneau, Colorado; Eduardo Nunez, Minnesota; Carlos Santana, Cleveland; Ben Zobrist
Outfielders: Dexter Fowler, Houston; Yasiel Puig, Los Angeles Dodgers
