Regarding the All-Star Game, I have, as does everyone else, a real problem with the selection process. Personally, I despise the one-player-per-team rule for representation. As a Tigers fan in the 90’s, getting a player selected to the team because that was the rule didn’t make me want to watch the game more. It felt terrible, it felt like CHARITY. The All-Star game should be a showcase for the game, and it should have the BEST players there, not just guys who are having a fluky three month start to the season (cough cough…Joaquin Phoenix…cough…I mean…Jason Marquis…cough cough). Anyways, Keith Law has an article up on ESPN and I agree with almost everything he says, so I won’t harp about it, just read that.

That being said, other than the omission of Ian Kinsler (which was egregious), this wasn’t the worst year ever for All-Star selections. At least the teams somewhat limited the number of relievers they took (although it’s STILL way too many. No more than two or three closers per team please…). Mark Buehrle was an okay pick since there are no other deserving White Sox and the Tim Wakefield pick is fine I guess from a purely sentimental perspective but the Marquis pick is simply indefensible. Kinsler being relegated to the last-chance ballot is one of the biggest snubs in All-Star game history, but other than than, the only other glaring omission on offense was leaving Johnny Damon off the team, who is currently a top five outfielder. But here’s the really good news…NO A-ROD IN THE ALL-STAR GAME!!! WOOHOOO!!!