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I have been watching All-Star games for a number of years. In fact, when I began watching them, they played two each summer.

Therefore, I would say I know just a tad about the Mid-Summer Classic.

Fan voting makes the entire thing a sham; a popularity contest, if you will.

Baseball is a game of numbers, and the numbers should speak well for themselves. The notion that a franchise should have at least one representative is medieval. Who wants to see someone like John O’Donoghue (1965) of the Kansas City A’s, on the All-Star team with a 4-12 record and an ERA right at 4? This is not a blast at O’Donoghue, in fact, I liked him.

The baseball fan is not a moron, despite what MLB would like you to think. People should not pay money to watch a sub-standard athlete participate in a contest designed to showcase the best they have to offer.

If Albert Pujols was batting .265 with 8 homers and 35 RBI, he would not belong there. Obviously his stats already look like a season total, so he is in and I am glad.

Josh Hamilton, however, does not deserve to be there this year. I don’t care if he knocked the eye out of Lady Liberty in the Home Run Derby last year.

Dustin Pedroia is another one who is there by popularity and eating high off the hog of a large market team.

Some people definitely differ with my opinion on this matter. They would prefer to see an aging Barry Bonds or a Hank Aaron out playing in front of the world in mid-July, regardless of what their numbers tell us they really have left.

Although Mark Teixeira is having a good year with the New York Yankees he is being outplayed by small market man Justin Morneau. Similar instances could be cited right down the lineups.

I don’t like the fact that a pitcher can only pitch three innings. That is precisely why you end a game because of a dead-pitcher pandemic.

I do think that every attempt should be made to get everyone in the game at least for an appearance.

I think players, coaches and managers should vote on all of the players, position and pitchers. They should be only able to vote on players not on their team. If San Diego or Washington doesn’t have an ambassador, so be it. No teams should be immune to the disgrace of zero participants.

Just one more thing; I would like to see the players wearing the uniforms that have been prepared for them for the Home Run Derby, during the All-Star game.

Now, grab a hot dog and enjoy the game.

By Cliff Eastham
BR Writer/SJ Contributing Author