The Major League Baseball All-Star Game is supposed to feature the best players in both leagues facing off against one another. However, fan voting for the All-Star Game has ruined this in some ways. Usually, the more well known players get into the game without even producing well, or well enough. Some of the players are injured most of the first-half of the season and still get to participate in these festivities. It's just mind boggling how fans vote these players in, and then the guys who actually do deserve the honor get left out. How stupid does that sound?
Now let's look through a few players who got the nod for the All-Star Game who aren't very deserving. You can see the rosters here: http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/all_star/y2009/roster_league.jsp.
I'm only looking at the starting lineups since those are the only players fans vote into the game. Here are the names I came up with after doing the research: Josh Hamilton, and Dustin Pedroia in the American League, and Yadier Molina in the National League. You can even make an argument that David Wright and Carlos Beltran don't deserve to start, but they both have put up excellent batting averages with good statistics overall. Beltran is declining his invitation anyway because of an injury that will keep him out of the All-Star Game. Ryan Zimmerman or Mark Reynolds probably deserve to be the starting third basemen's for the National League, but you can't really argue the decision of fans voting for Wright.
Dustin Pedroia statistics: 3 HR/30 RBI/.290/.368/.393/BA/OBP/SLG
Robinson Cano statistics: 13 HR/43 RBI/.303/.335/.489/BA/OBP/SLG
I would've posted Ian Kinsler's batting statistics, but he is leading the Final Vote ballot for the All-Star Game. As you can see Robinson Cano is much more deserving of an All-Star appearance this season. Pedroia has a minuscule slugging percentage of .393 this season, while Cano is slugging at a .489 clip. It's is such a drastic difference, that it doesn't make any sense whatsoever for Pedroia to be the starting second baseman in the All-Star Game. This fits perfectly with an average fan's thinking "he won the MVP award, so he deserves to be in the All-Star Game." Pedroia might be an excellent defender to help his case, however Cano has been a pretty good defender this year as well, showing off his range and making some good plays at second. That plus Cano's offense should have gave him the edge over Pedroia. I wonder how Red Sox fans will react to this.
Yadier Molina statistics: 73 games, 5 HR/27 RBI/.281/.347/.381/BA/OBP/SLG
Brian McCann statistics: 63 games, 8 HR/ 33 RBI/.304/.388/.495/BA/OBP/SLG
Brian McCann battled an injury earlier in the year, and is arguably the most underrated catcher in baseball. McCann has probably been the best offensive catcher in the national league for the past few seasons, and he's proving that once again this season. Although McCann has played in 10 less games than Molina, he has 3 more home runs and is slugging .114 points higher than him. Molina is a gold glove defensive catcher, but McCann isn't awful defensively either. In the end who would you rather have representing your team? McCann or Molina?
Josh Hamilton's statistics: 6 HR/24 RBI/.240/.290/.456/BA/OBP/SLG
Jermaine Dye's statistics: 20 HR/51 RBI/.291/.364/.571/BA/OBP/SLG
Dye clearly deserves to be in the All-Star Game, but he's getting snubbed by not even getting a chance to be on the Final Vote ballot. Hamilton has been injured most of the season, and is a direct example of what I was speaking about. Players should have a certain amount of plate appearances to be allowed to participate in fan voting. Dye is tied for second in the league in homeruns and is slugging at a .571 clip. This one isn't even close, Dye overwhelmingly beats out Hamilton for a starting outfield spot in the All-Star game. The problem with fan voting, is that you have many average baseball fans who don't much of anything except for well known players.
Average fan: I'm going to vote for Joshy Ham-Ham *gulp gulp gulp*
Intellectual fan: But he hasn't done anything this season, are you drinking??
Average fan: WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, HE WENT CRAZY AT THE HOME RUN DERBY LAST YEAR!!! *gulp gulp gulp*
Intellectual fan: Yeah, but were supposed to vote for players who have played well this season...
Average fan: Ah what do you know! HAMMY-HAMMERING HAMILTON WOOHOO!
Intellectual fan: WTF!
As you can see, your average fan isn't very knowledgeable and is at best a crazy psychopathic alcoholic. I think Major League Baseball should put the voting for the All-star game into baseball analysts hands, either that or expand each teams rosters. I would probably prefer both. On another note who would you rather see in the All-Star game? Is your favorite player getting snubbed? and how do you think MLB should approach fan voting?
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