I propose a change in the All-Star voting system for Major League Baseball. Polls close tomorrow and I looked at the paper today to see the standings. The list is dominated by Red Sox, Yankees, and Rays. This is a great representation of the AL East, the problem is the fan voting.
Sure players like Youkilis, Texiara, Pedroia, Bay, and Longoria deserve to be there, but all it is is a popularity contest. You want incontrovertible truth? Each team gets one player for each position for voting (three for outfield, and pitchers are different). The Red Sox have been largely troubled at shortstop this year. Things have been turning around as Nick Green is proving to be a player you can win a World Series, and Lugo is finally rising to full potential. However, the shortstop choice for the Red Sox on the ballot is Jed Lowrie.
Jed Lowrie, who has spent most of his time on the DL, and the Minors is the Red Sox choice. These are his stats: 5 games, 18 at bats, and one hit. Two walks, and 8 strikeouts. His Batting Average stands at .056 along with his slugging, and his on base is .150. What does this add up to? Fifth place out of 14 shortstop choices for the All-Star Game. Sure he has to make up 300,000 or so votes in a little over 24 hours to make it, but he still has over 700,000. I'm furious. If this is the America that I am being forced to live in, I don't want to live anymore.
Sure fifth place means nothing, but this is a ridiculous moment in Major Leage Baseball history. I propose that we change the All-Star voting style to a choice by the Baseball Writers of America, the same people that choose the Hall of Famers and whichever players get the most votes, they go to the All-Star Game. Another idea is to eliminate it as a whole, keep the Home Run Derby (which only makes sense to take place in Yankee--I'm sorry, The New Yankee Stadium) and have four players from each league. Whichever player wins, his league gets Home Field Advantage in the World Series. Or we could be lame, eliminate everything, and just go back to Best Record. But come on, chicks always have, still do, and always will, dig the long ball
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If you can manage to care about the All-Star Game, I am beyond impressed. I gave up on that one years ago. The only thing that irritates me about it these days is that they tie home field advantage in the World Series to a meaningless exhibition game that the even players don't seem to care about. Add on that Chris Berman annually makes it impossible to watch the HR Derby with the sound on, and you've got the worst three-day stretch of the baseball season.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't irritate you that Jed Lowrie is fifth in shortstop voting?
ReplyDeleteThe only thing that makes the All-Star Game Break watchable is the hour long softball game with celebrities and worn-out players that airs after the Home Run Derby at 11 PM. The only thing that makes this irritating is the fact that is was filmed a week earlier
Really? That is definitely interesting. Congrats for finding out the only thing about the all-star game that can be described as such. Because the rest of the thing bores me to the point that I really can't even muster up the energy to care. Let Lowrie start. Whatever. If I want to determine who the actual all-stars are, I won't wait for a nationwide balloting process to end. I'll just look at some leaderboards.
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