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When Bud Selig initially introduced the idea that the All-Star Game winner gets home-field advantage in the World Series, I thought, “Bravo!” At long last, the modern ballplayer will take this event as seriously as Ruppert Jones did back in ‘84.

Alas, last night’s game was another yawner. Players laughing, cutting up, etc. Some took it seriously, others clearly didn’t. It was better than the 2002 monstrosity, during which:

A. Torii Hunter robbed Barry Bonds’ homer, then found himself atop the cheater’s pimpled shoulders.

B. We were given a tie.

C. Selig was officially cemented as a turd.

Zach Duke is headed to St Loius, As a member of the Pirates.
Duke was named to replace the injured Matt Cain.
Cain was struck neaqr the elbow on his pitching arm with a batted ball.
Duke, when informed last week that Freddie Sanchez would be the Pirates lone All Star, said all the right things. He was [...]

It is not a common occurrence in the All-Star game to have a rookie on the squad. In the generations of baseball history there have been 84 rookies named to the Mid-Summer Classic.

The National League (or “senior circuit,” as I love to hear it called) allowed 34 rookies to appear in the festivities sans a few days off. The American League has had 50.

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.

Arizona Diamondbacks Dan Haren and Justin Upton were selected today to the National League All-Star Team. Haren was pretty much a shoo-in after his great first half of the season. Upton’s selection is well deserved, but was still in doubt not only because of the number of good outfielders out there, but also because he’s on a team destined to finish in the cellar this season.

Getting two all-stars tells me this team has stars on it, and more than just Haren and Upton. They just for some reason have not gelled together and have failed to produce consistent positive results.