by: Mark Pagliuca
In an attempt to keep writing, I am offering a brief critique on Major League Baseball’s summer spectacle commonly known as the All-Star Game. This is the 71st all-star game in 67 years. If you can remember, no game in ’45 and two games from 1959 – 1962. This summer classic is the time when standings don’t matter, the players are out there with their camcorders and notepads getting autographs from the players they see as stars. The game is fun again. No one cares, or is supposed to care, about the money or about contracts. Being voted in by the players is an honor all by itself. That means the fans like them.This high school-esque popularity contest is indicative of the Prom. The prom King and Queen and their court was usually the most popular kids in school, not necessarily the ones who did the most for the school. Maybe I’m bitter because I wasn’t the popular kid in school or the kid who helped the school. I had my friends and I played my game. You could say I hit a metaphoric .290 in school. Not deserving of the All-Star team, but still a fan favorite in my hometown, and the occasional Roto league.
Through the years we’ve seen great players make it and former great players make it. I am not trying to disrespect any players, because at least they made it to the big leagues. The main argument for All-Star voting is a game of popularity versus performance. There is an argument for both sides. Is the game a playful exhibition of fan favorites and future hall of famers regardless of performance? Or is this a game set to reward the hardest working, best performing baseball players in all of baseball? There is split, because there is a mixture of one-year wonders and the player who sells the most jerseys in every game.
The game is fun and for popularity, which is why fans vote for the starters. Why then do the managers choose the pitchers? If we are given the opportunity to choose the best position players, why not allow us to choose the pitchers also? Could it be the fans would choose players who were good last year, like David Cone (1-7, 6.40), or the year before instead of picking players like James Baldwin (11-3, 3.79) or Al Leiter (10-1, 3.04)? I really can’t defend the All-Star game as pure popularity, I tried, but I just don’t believe it.
I would like to elaborate on what I said a little earlier, “The game is fun and for popularity…” The game itself is fun, the popularity helps the team and revenues. I, whole-heartily, believe the All-Star game is for the best performing baseball players in professional baseball. There are few players in the land who slave and struggle to work harder than anyone else without reward or recognition. That recognition comes when their colleagues want your autograph and you play in the all-star game. There are also players who still play hard but sometimes perform better, you can’t argue with the skills and talents you’re born with. I have to thank the managers of every all-star game, because they are allowed to pick the players the fans forgot about, the deserving ones. Cal Ripkin is one of the best infielders ever. I am in awe of all he has accomplished. I don’t believe he is deserving of an all-star appearance this year. This will be his 17th all-star game, many of which he deserved. Manny Ramirez hasn’t played a baseball game in over a month. He was on pace for an all-star appearance. John Valentin has only played in ten games all year and came in 8th above Eric Chavez. The last few years there have been players who, by the break, had better numbers and more deserving to start. This year is no different, the fans voted for the most popular, and the managers will decide the most deserving. I have the utmost respect for Cal Ripkin, John Valentin, and Manny Ramirez. They are on the DL so wouldn’t play anyway. My question to them or any other player is: If you knew you weren’t the best player at your position in your league, would you allow the most deserving to take your place if the manager selects him?
I believe this game is for the guys having great first halves. Fans deserve to see the best baseball players. I would hate to take the voting out of the hands of the fans after all I like voting for the best players, but what other method would baseball use to make sure the best players are out there. Maybe allow the players and coaches to choose. Perhaps the baseball writers, then they would have to choose a pitcher (that’s for all Sox-Pedro-MVP fans). Leaving the voting to fans is just the way it’s going to be. I won’t like it very much when I see a future hall of famer who’s played in 15 games making the all star team, but I will have to live with it.