"Some-Star" Week!

Tomorrow night is the 2009 MLB All-Star Game, to be held in St. Louis, Mo. The All-Star game use to be an opportunity for fans to see all the games best players on the same field for one night each year. Now, it's more about who's the most popular, the pitchers that are available, and the personal favorites of the managers of last year's World Series teams.

I can remember as a kid hoping to see Tom Seaver face Reggie Jackson, or Steve Carlton try to stare down George Brett. I wanted to know which was faster, Dave Parker's throw to home or Rod Carew's legs as he tagged up from third. I wanted to debate with my Mom about who was the better third baseman, Brett or Mike Schmidt? (My Mom was a National League flunky so she would argue but I know the answer to that one. Brett was one of the best PLAYERS OF ALL TIME, so he's easily the best third baseman of all time.)

Today, you really can't be assured of anything on All-Star night, other than someone is going to overuse the slogan, "This time, it counts!" It shouldn't count! It's an exhibition!

I am a huge fan of the Kansas City Royals which means that over the past 10-15 years, I've suffered through some very unsuccessful seasons. That also means that, if it were not for the rule that every team has to be represented, there would have been several seasons where the Royals were not represented at the mid-summer classic. And, to be honest, that would have been OK with me. I think it's great that guys like Gil Meche, Mike MacDougal, and Ken Harvey got a chance to be an All-Star. But, were they really one of the 25 or 30 best players in the American League those years? I don't think so.

I thought we got past the All-Star team being a popularity contest once we moved on from Little League. I thought that the purpose of the All-Star game was to showcase the Major League's best players for all the world to see. At one time it was about going to a game and punching out your ballot for the guys who were lighting the world on fire THAT SEASON! Once upon a time, the players had a vote too and they would reward those of their peers who were head and shoulders above the rest during the first half.

When did it become about web blitzes and Twitter campaigns? Why does the manager have to ask permission from another manager when a pitcher is 12-2 with a sub 3.00 ERA? Isn't that an obvious All-Star? Why does the game have to determine any aspect of the WORLD SERIES?! (Have I already said that it's a freaking exhibition game!?)

Will I be sitting in front of the TV watching tomorrow night? Probably so. But you can also bet that I will I be thinking back to Pete Rose's tenacity vs. Jim Palmer's pin-point accuracy. Or a young Ken Griffey and his perfect swing vs. Greg Maddox and his disappearing change up down and away. Or Bo Jackson and his unequaled talent vs. the entire National League. That was back when the All-Star game mattered. It was my chance to see the best vs. the best. And those were games worth waiting for.