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All-Star Game, once the greatest show on earth, has become a three-ring circus
Excuse me for being old, but when I think of the All-Star Game, I think of outfields composed of Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle, and Al Kaline, or Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, and Frank Robinson.
Sorry, but Josh Hamilton, Carl Crawford and Ichiro Suzuki, or Andre Ethier, Ryan Braun and Jason Heyward just don't do it for me.
Even the presence of Miguel Cabrera in the American League's starting lineup -- but by default, not because he actually deserves it and garnered the necessary votes -- doesn't pique my interest.
The All-Star Game, which began as a sideshow to Chicago's 1933 World's Fair is now a full-blown three-ring circus, complete with a Home Run Derby (a novel idea that has been blown way out of proportion), a red carpet (6,000 yards of it according to one report), and a softball game pitting former big leaguers against celebrity musicians and actors. Hollywood hogwash.
As a kid, I used to think the All-Star Game was the greatest show on earth -- next to the the World Series which was also contested during the afternoon and actually meant something, of course.
I much confess that, as a kid, I always rooted for the National League. Back in the day, they were the guys who won all the time.
My favorite teams, when I was growing up, were the Brooklyn Dodgers, the Milwaukee Braves, and then the San Francisco Giants, mainly because of Mays.
You know a guy is old when two of the teams he used to root for are extinct.
Meanwhile, all of baseball, starting with Bud Selig, should be embarrassed that Brennan Boesch is not on this year's All-Star team.
Nick Swisher? Give me a break. As far as I'm concerned, his ballot-stuffing selection is just one more reason to hate New York.
Back in the 1950s I wouldn't think of missing the All-Star Game. Now I won't waste my time watching it.
How about you?
Sorry, but Josh Hamilton, Carl Crawford and Ichiro Suzuki, or Andre Ethier, Ryan Braun and Jason Heyward just don't do it for me.
Even the presence of Miguel Cabrera in the American League's starting lineup -- but by default, not because he actually deserves it and garnered the necessary votes -- doesn't pique my interest.
The All-Star Game, which began as a sideshow to Chicago's 1933 World's Fair is now a full-blown three-ring circus, complete with a Home Run Derby (a novel idea that has been blown way out of proportion), a red carpet (6,000 yards of it according to one report), and a softball game pitting former big leaguers against celebrity musicians and actors. Hollywood hogwash.
As a kid, I used to think the All-Star Game was the greatest show on earth -- next to the the World Series which was also contested during the afternoon and actually meant something, of course.
I much confess that, as a kid, I always rooted for the National League. Back in the day, they were the guys who won all the time.
My favorite teams, when I was growing up, were the Brooklyn Dodgers, the Milwaukee Braves, and then the San Francisco Giants, mainly because of Mays.
You know a guy is old when two of the teams he used to root for are extinct.
Meanwhile, all of baseball, starting with Bud Selig, should be embarrassed that Brennan Boesch is not on this year's All-Star team.
Nick Swisher? Give me a break. As far as I'm concerned, his ballot-stuffing selection is just one more reason to hate New York.
Back in the 1950s I wouldn't think of missing the All-Star Game. Now I won't waste my time watching it.
How about you?
posted by Jim Hawkins at
9:22 AM
5 Comments:
Swisher got in because of ballot stuffing while batting .300 and coming off a World Series win. How is that different from the way Inge got in last year? Oh yeah, the World Series part.
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Amen.
Expanding the All Star rosters has minimized the impact / requirement to become an All Star, hence we now overvalue what are good solid major players into All Stars.
In addition to production, All Stars should have a certain 'wow' factor that clearly sets them apart from their peers. Swisher doesn't have it, Inge didn't have it and, frankly, half the players that are in the AS game don't have it. Brennan Boesch, by the way, has IT. He should clearly have been on the team this year.
Let the players, managers and beat writers select the All Star teams and end the fan vote altogether. If, however, MLB insists that the fan vote is meaningful, let the fan vote determine the reserves, after the truly deserving starters have already been selected.
Nothing's as good as it was.
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