This is wrong on so many levels (except for Curtis Granderson’s inclusion).
First, is the All-Star Game between everyone’s favorite players (as above picture says) or the league’s best players? Well, according to Bud Selig, the game actually matters; it determines which league gets home-field advantage in the World Series.
If you are a fan of a team you think might make the World Series, you would be wise to ignore MLB.com’s advice and vote for who you think are the best players. And even if you are a fan of the Astros, you should still be voting for the best the league has to offer.
Second, the fact that the ballots opened less than a complete month into the season (I’m 99 percent sure of this) is absurd. If I vote — I usually do — it will be in the last few hours before ballots close. As should everyone else. How else can you best judge the best possible group of All-Stars? That’s why you won’t find a single link here to vote until July.
I plan to keep you updated on the voting as the results pour in, but I won’t post my ballot until the last few hours before it closes.
I’d like to re-post something I wrote last year for my final point on the All-Star Game. Nothing’s changed.
Of all the rules in baseball that could be changed (instant replay, realignment, etc.), the All-Star Game’s meaning is the most disturbing to me. The fans’ vote turns into a popularity contest, automatically generating snubs, but the game’s outcome determines home-field advantage for the World Series. Even MLB.com admits more-deserving players don’t get selected year after year. Evidence?
Above is a snippet of an article’s headline from MLB.com. By saying “inevitably” it proves MLB knew the system was flawed before the vote, but still didn’t change the rule. With a fan vote, the All-Star Game should have no meaning and the team with the better record in the World Series should get home-field. I’d love to hear someone refute this point in the comments.
Again, I’d love to hear someone refute this point in the comments.
