There are roughly 750 MLB players on active rosters, with (my guess) an average of four players per MLB disabled list. [Disclaimer: I could find no resource with total MLB numbers. If someone can find one I would be grateful] That makes a total of 870 players under contract in the major leagues, which would make it the second largest league in terms of players at the highest level (football being first, hockey behind and basketball way behind). Of that 870, 67 players were voted and/or selected for the All Star Game to be played this Tuesday. As of this writing, we're up to 84 "All Stars," which is roughly 10% of the total number of people that played in the majors this season by my count.
So, if you've been selected for the All Star game you're allowed to a) invent an injury, b) beg off the team, or c) actually get injured in order to get your three days off. Obviously getting injured is not the ideal way to get out of the game, nor do I hold it against a player that is legitimately injured from not participating. Begging off and inventing an injury to me seem to be the same thing - making an excuse to get out of the game. Look, the fans voted most of you into the game...unless you're really hurt suck it up and play a few innings! Nothing ticks off the fans more than being given the metaphorical finger.
After the famous All Star Tie Bud Selig made the All Star Game count - the winning league also won home-field advantage for the World Series. This smacked of dumb on so many levels. With this rule, the token picks of a couple of junky teams in whichever league can decide where Game 7 might be held. As a fan of the Yankees, I don't like the fact that a member of the Royals (heaven forbid he's pitching) might give up the go-ahead run and force the Yankees to go to Philadelphia for game 7.
Also, let's not forget that some of the best players on both sides have begged off the team - we're already into the second tier of backups being named for this season. It's getting to the point where you don't even pay attention to the "fan voting" and you simply wait until the final changes are made a day or so before the game itself. As a fan, I can't get excited if half (or more) of the players that were selected aren't playing.
How useless is the All Star Game? Scott Rolen, he of the .276 OBP (yes, on base percentage, not batting average) is a replacement because he was third in the third-baseman voting. Nothing against Scott Rolen - he's been a good player for a long time - but when we're putting a guy that makes an out MORE THAN 70% OF THE TIME into a game that could potentially decide the World Series location, it's time to reexamine what we're looking at.
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