We Go Through This Every Year

It's the first week in July, so you know what happens this time every year? No, I'm not talking about Independence Day, but the announcement of the All-Star Game rosters. Every year there is the usual stuff about who got snubbed, and that the fans did a lousy job voting for the teams. I thought they did a fairly decent job this year. Manny Ramirez was the all-around vote leader. It has been said ten million times that this is the "fans' game," and they have the right to elect the players they want to see. Always remember, the All-Star Game is little more than a popularity contest, and there will always be deserving players who won't get chosen, for various reasons.

Both Curt Schilling and Josh Beckett were passed over for the AL pitching staff. It would have been nice to see them on the team, but I am not bothered in the least. Let them stay home and rest and get ready for the second half. I've heard in some circles that Bobby Jenks was a controversial choice for the team, and he was picked because Ozzie Guillen is his manager. How can a guy who's tied for the major league lead in saves (with Jonathan Papelbon) with a 2.41 ERA be a difficult choice? I don't get it. And I don't want to hear ONE WORD from any Yankee fans about Mike Mussina, Jason Giambi or Judas getting passed over. Joe Torre loaded up his All-Star rosters with Yankees in those years he managed the teams. If Guillen wants to add some of his guys to the roster who he thinks deserve to go, so be it.

And leave it to John Kruk on Baseball Tonight to say something stupid. I was watching the selection show last night, and he questioned David Ortiz being elected at first base because he doesn't play the position often and it wasn't fair to "full time" first basemen like Paul Konerko. What the hell does this guy use for brains? There is NO DH position on the All-Star ballot, so any full-time DHs are listed at the best regular position for All-Star ballot purposes. Big Papi is having yet another amazing year, and the fans elected him at the first base position. Case closed. Kruk is just one reason why I've stopped watching Baseball Tonight on a regular basis. Too often my intelligence is insulted watching shows with so-called "experts" like him on it.