The All Star Vote

[DOUGHBOYS]

All Star voting is over. Voting for the All Star game is a little like fixing an election for politicians. The only difference being that we are ENCOURAGED to vote early and often. If having the use of several computers, or being computer savvy, one can vote for a player as many times as they would like.
This, is so baseball can pretend that millions upon millions of people care about who is an All Star. Broadcasters implore fans to vote. In each city, these broadcasters are almost indignant that 'their guy' is not first in the balloting and that it is up to their fans to right that horrible wrong.

The All Star game started as a side show for the Chicago World's Fair. Then became a tradition. It was a one game test a year, twice during the late 50's and early 60's, a showcase of each league's best players. Back in the day, each player was proud of not only their team, but their league as well. Each thinking deep down, their league superior to the other league. Most players then, would play in that league for most of their lives since they were bound to their team unless traded.

With free agency, the game has suffered. With money in All Star pockets, the game, for them, has become just another game to play. Players will use it as a bonus for their contracts, but if they can find a minor injury to elude playing in the game, most will do so. With interleague play, the leagues and teams play each other during the year, watering down the original All Star process. Really, the only thing that separates the two leagues from being virtually the same, is the use of the designated hitter in the American League.

MLB has tried to make the game more meaningful again by assigning the winner home field advantage in the World Series. This may be a plum for a Manager of an All Star team who has a 10 game lead in his division, but few others. Fans don't care about the advantage, thinking they'd be excited just to see their team get in the World Series much less have home field advantage.

Some folks vote for their All Stars as they would a Hall of Fame vote. They want to see a long body of work. They want to see All Stars that they know. Vote stuffers are only interested in THEIR players. Be it their fantasy guy, their local guy, or a guy they know or just love see playing.

As for me, I vote once. Only once. I just want my pipsqueak of a voice tallied. I don't vote for body of work. I don't vote for who has the best stats. I don't vote for any local players because their local players and I don't vote for players because they're on my fantasy team.
I, simply vote for who I want to see. Period.
Here's my ballot:

American League:

C- Joe Mauer
1B- Chris Davis
2B- Dustin Pedroia
3B- Manny Machado
SS- Jed Lowrie
OF- Mike Trout
OF- Jacoby Ellsbury
OF- Coco Crisp


National League:

C- Yadier Molina
1B-Paul Goldschmidt
2B- Jose Altuve
3B- David Wright
SS- Jean Segura
OF- Yasiel Puig
OF- Bryce Harper
OF- Carlos Gomez

First, I haven't voted for a democrat or republican since Reagan, so I don't care if I'm 'throwing away my vote'. I am simply voting, mostly for the players I want to see, and partly for the players who, in my mind, want to play in the All Star game.
I don't care that I left Miguel Cabrera, or Carlos Gonzalez, or Tulo, or whoever else off my ballot.

With the advance of technology, we've each seen some of these players a thousand times. I know every mannerism of a Miggy at bat. I haven't seen Machado as much and would like to see more.
Anyway, that's the way I see it.

And I know most won't like my line of thinking.
Don't worry.
Major League Baseball has made it so this one vote will be buried by a computer savvy guy in the Silicon Valley who thinks that thousands of votes for Brandon Belt, Marco Scutaro, Angel Pagan, and Brandon Crawford is a good idea.
And Major League Baseball, in turn, will also think it is a good idea.