As of today, there will be eight Yankee & Red Sox players starting for the AL All-Star game. This is a joke, something needs to be done. Let the players and coaches vote the players without the fans having a say on who starts. Let the fans vote on the reserves. Here is who will start right now.

First-Ortiz(Boston)
Second-Cano(Yanks)
Shortstop-Jeter(Yanks)
Third-A-Rod(Yanks)
Left-Manny(Boston)
Center-Damon(Yanks)
Right-Guerrero(Angels)
Catcher-Varitek(Boston)

I'm not really a baseball fan, but that just doesn't make sense to me at all. Are those two teams that good? I mean if 8 of the 9 starters come from those two teams you would think they would both be winning like crazy since the all star game is meant to be the best players.

I'm not really a baseball fan, but that just doesn't make sense to me at all. Are those two teams that good? I mean if 8 of the 9 starters come from those two teams you would think they would both be winning like crazy since the all star game is meant to be the best players.

Most of those guys are being visibly outplayed by other guys, but they're just popular.

If you went with the best players presently ..

C: Joe Mauer (MIN)
1B: Jim Thome (CHA) - If he counts. But if Ortiz who is also a DH is leading 1B, Thome ought to count.
2B: Robinson Cano (NYY)
SS: Miguel Tejada (BAL)
3B: Mike Lowell (BOS)
OF: Ichiro (SEA)
OF: Vernon Wells (TOR)
OF: Alex Rios (TOR)

Which is why having fans vote on All-Stars will always provide these joke results. It's a popularity contest, nothing more.

Which is why I always blast those touting a player's HOF credentials in saying he's an X-time All-Star.

Which is why having fans vote on All-Stars will always provide these joke results. It's a popularity contest, nothing more.


The same could be said about the NFL, and any sport really. I do think the NFL having it after the season helps get "better" results.

The same could be said about the NFL, and any sport really. I do think the NFL having it after the season helps get "better" results.

All Pro is more important then Pro Bowl selection. MLB needs that, beyond Silver Slugger and Gold Glove.

Bug, it boils down to who's got home games during voting periods, and since they allow online and global voting, who's got the most support in large metropolitan areas.

Yeah, Bud, that's gonna help those small-market teams gain visibility.

can I vote for yao ming?

Sorry, but I'm just giddy about how there will probably be 6 Mets involved.

You're absolutely wrong.

Historically, the flubs are much more on the side of the managers who the reserves. Also, small "great" baseball towns tend to have the most travesties as far as stuffing ballot boxes.

The worst ever was an NL team in the 70s that was, basically, all Reds.

All-Star selections are supossed to be a popularity contest. It's marketed as a game of stars, not as a game with the guys who had the best first few months of any given season (which would be really silly). Alex Rios has had a better first half, but most fans would rather see Manny in that game - I don't see the problem with that.

You're absolutely wrong.

Historically, the flubs are much more on the side of the managers who the reserves. Also, small "great" baseball towns tend to have the most travesties as far as stuffing ballot boxes.

The worst ever was an NL team in the 70s that was, basically, all Reds.

I remembered that since I was a huge Big Red Machine fan. In 1976, they had 7 All-Stars but I don't think all of them started. The ones I remembered were Bench, Morgan, Perez, Rose and maybe Concepcion. It would hard pressed to find 5 other NLers more deserving (depending where Rose was picked). Schmidt was at 3rd. Garvey would be the only argument you can make at 1B. The other All-Stars were Griffey and Foster.

Most of those guys are being visibly outplayed by other guys, but they're just popular.

If you went with the best players presently ..

C: Joe Mauer (MIN)
1B: Jim Thome (CHA) - If he counts. But if Ortiz who is also a DH is leading 1B, Thome ought to count.
2B: Robinson Cano (NYY)
SS: Miguel Tejada (BAL)
3B: Mike Lowell (BOS)
OF: Ichiro (SEA)
OF: Vernon Wells (TOR)
OF: Alex Rios (TOR)

thome has been real good to start the season, but how about chris shelton?

he has been better than both of them thus far

You're absolutely wrong.

Historically, the flubs are much more on the side of the managers who the reserves. Also, small "great" baseball towns tend to have the most travesties as far as stuffing ballot boxes.

The worst ever was an NL team in the 70s that was, basically, all Reds.


Yeah I remember going to Reds games when I was a little kid and grabbing stacks of ballots to vote all the Reds players in.

I'm just happy that there are Blue Jays worth voting for again.

Considering how much the networks fall over themselves to show the Yankees and Red Sox games, is this really surprising?

SI

thome has been real good to start the season, but how about chris shelton?

he has been better than both of them thus far

I'm a Tigers die hard, and I will say Shelton doesn't deserve it. Amazing start but 2 HR since, and hes 6 for his last 53 after tonight.

As of today, there will be eight Yankee & Red Sox players starting for the AL All-Star game. This is a joke, something needs to be done. Let the players and coaches vote the players without the fans having a say on who starts. Let the fans vote on the reserves. Here is who will start right now.

First-Ortiz(Boston)
Second-Cano(Yanks)
Shortstop-Jeter(Yanks)
Third-A-Rod(Yanks)
Left-Manny(Boston)
Center-Damon(Yanks)
Right-Guerrero(Angels)
Catcher-Varitek(Boston)

I vote for a recount

I have no problem with All-Star games as popularity contests for the fans. In fact, I think that it is a good idea. The fans want to see who they want to see, so let them (whether fan desire is controlled by the media is another question).

But, to then have the game actually affect something on the competitive field (home field advantage in the World Series) strikes me as borderline insane.

There were about 1,000,000 better ways to handle the "All-Star Game ended in a tie" situation.

Yeah I remember going to Reds games when I was a little kid and grabbing stacks of ballots to vote all the Reds players in.

Good man, good man.

The All-Star game is a relic from the pre-TV era and it's usefulness to baseball started to end when ESPN started broadcasting MLB game. With DirectTV, the internet, ESPN--there is no purpose for the All-Star games except for old(er) fogeys to point and say "It was better when . . ."

Are you saying that the All Star Game is on the fritz?

All-Star selections are supossed to be a popularity contest. It's marketed as a game of stars, not as a game with the guys who had the best first few months of any given season (which would be really silly). Alex Rios has had a better first half, but most fans would rather see Manny in that game - I don't see the problem with that.

Then you must not realize that the MLB all-star game affects homefield advantage in the world series. I see a huge problem in making it a game of historical stars instead of the best players in the league each year when it ultimately decides which league has home field advantage in the world seires.

Then you must not realize that the MLB all-star game affects homefield advantage in the world series. I see a huge problem in making it a game of historical stars instead of the best players in the league each year when it ultimately decides which league has home field advantage in the world seires.

That's all true, but I don't think the difference is really meaningful in terms of who wins the game. Manny playing 3 innings doesn't give the AL a huge disadvantage VS. Rios playing 3 innings. In baseball, the result of any 1-game is basically a toss-up, and that's even more true when you through a bunch of random players on the field. Home field for the WS is arbitrary no matter how they do it - alternative years, All-star game result, or even better record (because 99 wins in the AL can't really be fairly compared to 97 wins in the NL).

Then you must not realize that the MLB all-star game affects homefield advantage in the world series.

It actually doesn't yet. That was a 2-year agreement that got extended another year, which was last season.

They haven't said whether the Union will agree to make the All-Star game count for homefield advantage again this year.

It needs to be awarded to the team with the best record. Talk about rewarding a team that wins a lot of games, versus a wild-card team that's lucky. Giving them home field because their league won the all-star game, tilts the scale even more unfairly to them.

That experiment needs to end.

Which is why I always blast those touting a player's HOF credentials in saying he's an X-time All-Star.

MLB All-Star: Someone recognized by the most number of fans at his position based on his ability, performances, career or just plain fame.

Hall of Fame: Fame. See above.


I see your point, yes, but this is the counter-argument, for better or for worse, especially in these days of ESPN.

Joe Mauer always makes me smile, because where I come from "mower" is slang for lesbian.