July 03, 2007
All-Stars by Default
Appropriately, Mr. Irrelevant introduces Da Meat Hook All-Stars, players who made the team during the aughties simply because each team had to have one representative. This reminds me of the time Rich Gedman tried to get a better contract from the Red Sox, but was told he was an all-star by default. Maybe we should call this the Gedman all-stars.
I have serious issues with this (outdated) rule, since now it means a team playing for post season home field advantage for it's league, is denied a shot at fielding the best team possible. Thus nullifying the whole idea of fairness in being able to have your best shot at winning. In fact, I haven't even watched the All-Star game since '02 when it was in Milwaukee. It's league instigated cheating...although, individuals who cheat (gamble, steroids, etc) aren't allowed to cheat. Sorry for the rant. Just get sick of the All-Star hype when it's disgusting. I can't wait 'til next wednesday.
They can always just flip a coin for home field advantage. Oh wait, that was kind of like what they used to do, just rotate the home field advantage.
League instigated cheating? That doesn't even make sense. Live by your own credo, don't watch or care about the game - it's only an exhibition.
Many of the players on the list were not chosen because of a requirement that each team have a representative. So I don't see that it really makes any kind of point. Posednik was voted the 05 team in special voting by the fans to fill out the All Star squad. Loretta was voted as a starter to the 06 team by the fans, and surely wasn't the only Red Sox player on the team. Fuentes wasn't added because the Rockies needed a representative--since Matt Holliday was already on the team. Eckstein was one of many Cardinals on the 06 team. This list doesn't really serve as evidence that the rule hurts the quality of the All Star teams. Maybe it provides evidence that the fans or manager or the most likely culprits for poor selections.
Fuentes has blown four straight saves giving him six on the season. Plus, Holliday is already repping the Rockies.
Yeah... most of these guys were not the team's only representative. He only got around to acknowledging the real travesties like Mark Redman and Mike Williams in an update. Here's another: Ron Coomer, Minnesota, in 1999. He had a .770 OPS at the All-Star Break.
I may be in the minority, but I like the 1 player per team rule. Granted its more difficult with the number of teams today, but as a baseball fan I like to see someone from my favorite team in the all-star game and I assume some other people feel this way as well.
And while I despise the home field advantage implications of the all-star game, the 1 player per team rule should have no effect. There are usually only about 2 of these undeserving players and if its a close game the manager can choose not to use them.