MLB All-Star Voting Foul

KEVIN B. BLACKISTONE,

AOL

Posted: 2008-07-08 15:52:51

Filed Under: MLB, Sports

Sports Commentary

The last time I saw Albert Belle he was strolling through a Las Vegas casino several years ago with a gorgeous woman in tow. He was out of baseball by then after a dozen Major League seasons. He departed Baltimore without ceremony, unless you count his 381st home run hit in his final at bat on Oct. 1, 2000.

I thought I’d have seen him again by now, accepting induction to baseball’s Hall of Fame. After all, Belle was arguably the most-feared hitter (of baseballs and trick-or-treaters) of the ‘90s and compiled more home runs and RBI than first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee Kirby Puckett.

But Belle will never be so honored for one reason: most of my Baseball Writers’ Association of America peers didn’t like him because he often went out of his way to show he didn’t like them. After his second year on the Hall of Fame ballot in 2007, Belle, who was convicted of stalking in 2006, couldn’t garner the requisite five percent of votes to remain on the ballot.

Players often complain, and rightfully so, of being judged sometimes by their personalities rather than what they do on the field. Well, guess what? It turns out they are just as guilty of human feelings as the rest of us.

How else to explain the All-Star teams that were revealed Monday that included Boston catcher Jason Varitek instead of White Sox backstop A.J. Pierzynski?

After Twins catcher Joe Mauer won the fan and player voting, baseball went to its voting rules book to determine Mauer’s backup for next Tuesday’s game. It stated the second highest vote winner from the players’ ballots is to go. That was Varitek, who as of Monday was batting a measly .218 with seven home runs and 27 RBI. Pierzynski at the same time had a .296 average, as many home runs and six more RBIs.

But Varitek is liked by his teammates and opponents. Pierzynski is loathed even by some of the guys in his own dugout.

So it doesn’t matter if the fans are picking All-Stars (What did they see in an injured Alfonso Soriano?) or the players, who have been allowed to vote since the 2002 All-Star debacle. Both are capable of mucking up the works and did. Fans got weeks to cast ridiculous ballots. Players got the weekend of June 27-29.

As a result, once again we will be treated to an All-Star game made up of some guys who don’t belong and void of some others who do.

Then there is the matter of seven Red Sox and seven Cubs that made the midsummer classic while the best team in baseball, Tampa Bay, got a pitcher and catcher in reserve.

What a joke.

Unfortunately, the manner in which the All-Star teams are assembled isn’t something that can be laughed off anymore. It can’t be since baseball added the incentive of awarding World Series’ home-field advantage to the league that wins the All-Star Game.

This is a Roger Goodell approach to making a problem go away. Issue a record-heavy fine and say the offense was no big deal. It is incongruous.

Latest MLB Photos

Los Angeles Dodgers starter Derek Lowe pitches to the Colorado Rockies in the first inning of a National League baseball game in Los Angeles, Thursday, Aug. 21, 2008. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

** RETRANSMIT CLARIFIES ZAMBRANO HIT HOME RUN ** Chicago Cubs' Carlos Zambrano (38) points to the fans as actor John Cusack, left, points back at him after Zambrano hit a solo home run against the Cincinnati Reds during the third inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 21, 2008, in Chicago. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

Chicago Cubs' Carlos Zambrano (38) points to the fans as actor John Cusack, left, points back at him after hitting a solo home run against the Cincinnati Reds during the third inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 21, 2008, in Chicago. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

Cleveland Indians' Grady Sizemore watches his three-run home run off Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Josh Newman in the eighth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 21, 2008, in Cleveland. Sizemore went 4-for-5 and drove in seven runs in the Indians' 10-3 win. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Josh Newman wipes his brow after giving up a three-run home run to Cleveland Indians' Grady Sizemore in the eighth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 21, 2008, in Cleveland. Sizemore drove in seven runs in the Indians' 10-3 win. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

Chicago Cubs' Carlos Zambrano pitches against the Cincinnati Reds during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 21, 2008, in Chicago. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

Cincinnati Reds' Josh Fogg pitches against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning of a baseball game on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2008, in Chicago. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

Chicago Cubs' Alfonso Soriano, left, is congratulated by Aramis Ramirez (16), and a bat boy after scoring on a ground out by Derrek Lee against the Cincinnati Reds during the first inning of a baseball game on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2008, in Chicago. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

Baseball needs to fix (as in repair, not what ex-NBA ref Tim Donaghy would do) its All-Star voting system again, or rescind the awarding of home-field advantage in the World Series to the All-Star Game winning league. If it chooses to fix the voting this is where it should start -- with the statistics.

Why should a game so steeped to the minutiae of numbers refuse to consider them for its showcase event? Forget using fan and player votes. Instead, use batting averages, RBIs, home runs, on-base percentages and the like, combined with fielding percentages, to determine the top players at each position. For pitchers, rely on wins and ERA and saves, obviously. You don’t have to be Billy Beane to figure that out.

And why should Tampa Bay’s chances of hosting the World Series at The Trop, where it had a league-high 36 wins through Monday, be jeopardized by last place Cleveland’s pitcher Cliff Lee being an All-Star? Dump having every team represented.

If anything is to be left to fans and players, now that we know both groups can’t escape their own bias before filling out ballots, make it a certain few numbers of All-Stars to fill out the rosters. When there is an overlap with what the statistics demand, take the next highest vote getters.

And as much as fans and players often dislike the writers and broadcasters who cover the games, baseball should include those journalists in the voting as well. After all, who sees more of every team? Just weight our votes along with the other human beings who are tangled in nonsensical emotion.

Kevin B. Blackistone is a panelist on ESPN's Around the Horn, a host on XM Satellite Radio, a frequent sports opinionist on other outlets and the Shirley Povich Chair in Sports Journalism at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland. A former award-winning sports columnist for The Dallas Morning News, he currently lives in Hyattsville, Md.

2008-07-08 12:38:42

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studleydowright2 10:03:06 PM Jul 10 2008

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if like has been reported over 70% of players at one time were doing steriods why is bonds being singled out ? id love to see all the players take a lie detector test to seewho really was on the juice and then suspend them.... BUT WAIT !!!!!!!!!! BUT THEN YOU COULDNT HAVE ANY GAMES WITH MOST OF THE PLAYERS SUSPENED

taylorseamless7 11:08:29 AM Jul 10 2008

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bonds is a lying ,cheating, steroid using A=hole.....yet he got voted in numerous times..........it's more of a popularity contest...............like the nba,they start their all-star voting about a month into the season,..when nobody even has any real stats......what's so frickin hard about a system that say's who's having the best year,not who's the most popular .....just another aspect of baseball that shouldn't be in place,but everyone is so frickin helpless,they cant' or won't change it....more BULLSH?I from mlb.....you can have that crap......

hrcat864 08:49:27 AM Jul 10 2008

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So, Kevin, let me get this straight. You're upset that a surly Albert Belle is not in the Hall of Fame with 381 homers? Well neither is fan and media favorite Dale Murphy with 398. Murphy also has 2 MVP awards. Could it be possible that they just didn't have the numbers?

joeljoey5160 03:42:28 AM Jul 10 2008

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I just can't get into the all star game. Their is not a reason that no white sox pitcher is not on it. AJ may be a jerk, but he is a very good catcher, who calls a good game and hits for average. I'll take this jackass on my team any day off the week.

sjanjammer 11:10:43 PM Jul 09 2008

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fans vote for their favorites rather than vote for someone who is having an all star season but taking the fan vote out will cause a huge lack of interest in the game. Players, managers, and coaches should not vote. The manager and coaching staff for the game should decide who fills out the roster while the fans vote for the starters. The all star game should not decide who gets home field advantage in the series as the only option. If the teams met in interleague play, the team that won the season series should get it. If they did not play each other then the better interleague record should decide it. If a tie-breaker is needed, then and only then should the all star game factor into the equation. The all star game is the one thing baseball has always done best and MLB needs to keep it that way.

sjanjammer 11:03:09 PM Jul 09 2008

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Fans tend to pick their favorites no matter how good or bad of a season they're having but taking the fan vote out takes a lot of interest out of the game. Players, managers, and coaches should have a say in it for only the substitutes and should not be voting. Only the staff for the game should decide among themselves who fills the roster. Reggie Jackson once made the starting roster batting .199, most likely because he had success in earlier all star games, getting voted in by the fans. There is no set criteria a player is required to meet to be eligible. The game should not decide who gets home field in the series. That should be decided on who won the season series in interleague play if they played each other; if not then it should go to the team with the better interleague W-L record. If a tie-breaker is still needed then and only then should the all star game decide which club gets home field advantage. The all star game is the one thing baseball has always done best. MLB needs

ham201 09:38:21 PM Jul 09 2008

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yo people, i dont care what yall say about tek's stats or anything, he has earned the respect of the league and every one knows it. he's a striaght leader. and insperation. and he can hit some nice home runs and base hits. so i dont see what yalls deals are with him having respect. you give it you get it.

sstainker 09:22:14 PM Jul 09 2008

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hey mike,take your spam elsewhere....poker.com

srosen7672 09:21:38 PM Jul 09 2008

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The All Star game is outdated. It had appeal before TV and before inter league play. All fans now see all players as often as they want. The only value of the game is to give most of the players three days off. Its just a meaningless exhibition interrupting the season. lets just get rid of it. who cares who makes the team and who doesn't. Lets play ball!

studleydowright2 09:08:17 PM Jul 09 2008

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so lets see--varitek is making 10 million a year and batting a mighty .218---- time of a-rod to get a raise--- perhaps 50 million a year acording to the V-TEK scale time to send varitek to triple a ball to get back his swing and start earning his paycheck

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