(In addition to appearing at The Captain’s Blog, this post is also being syndicated at TheYankeeAnalysts.)
Since baseball unveiled its 68 All Stars last Sunday, the combined roster for both squads has swelled to 84 players. In addition to the 14 original selections who either backed out or were disqualified from the competition, two replacements were also forced to withdraw. As a result, more attention has been paid to who isn’t attending this year’s All Star Game than those actually making the trip to Arizona. Maybe, next year, major league baseball should simply replace the voting process with a game of musical chairs?
The Replacements: 2011 All Star Roster Evolution
| American League | ||
| Original Selections | Reason for Withdrawal | Replacement |
| 3B: Alex Rodriguez* | DL | 3B: Kevin Youkilis |
| SS: Derek Jeter* | Rest | SS: Jhonny Peralta |
| SP: Felix Hernandez | Pitched Sunday | SP: Jon Lester |
| SP: Jon Lester | DL | SP: Ricky Romero |
| SP: David Price | Rest | RP: David Robertson |
| SP: James Shields | Pitched Sunday | SP: C.C. Sabathia |
| SP: C.C. Sabathia | Pitched Sunday | SP: Alexei Ogando |
| SP: Justin Verlander | Pitched Sunday | RP: Micheal Pineda |
| RP: Mariano Rivera | Rest | RP: Jordan Walden |
| National League | ||
| Original Selections | Reason for Withdrawal | Replacement |
| SS: Jose Reyes* | DL | 3B: Pablo Sandoval |
| 3B: Placido Polanco* | Missed last 6 games | C: Miguel Montero |
| OF: Ryan Braun* | Missed last 10 games | OF: Andrew McCutchen |
| 3B: Chipper Jones | DL | 3B: Scott Rolen |
| OF: Shane Victorino | DL | OF: Andre Ethier |
| SP: Matt Cain | Pitched Sunday | RP: Craig Kimbrel |
| SP: Cole Hamels | Pitched Sunday | SP: Kevin Correia |
*Elected as starters.
Source: MLB.com
In all fairness to the players who declined to participate, six were disqualified by rule, five are currently on the disabled list, and two others have missed at least the previous six games leading up to the break. Only Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and David Price declined the invitation despite being able to play during the final weekend of the first half. So, in reality, baseball isn’t experiencing an epidemic flight from All Star participation, but rather a confluence of events that has led to unprecedented turnover. Nonetheless, baseball could, and should, do more to encourage participation.
Currently, once a starter throws a pitch on the Sunday before the All Star break, he becomes automatically disqualified from the competition. As a result of this absurd rule, the same roster spot passed from James Shields to CC Sabathia to Alexi Ogando during the first inning of yesterday’s game between the Yankees and Rays. Other pitchers disqualified because of this mandate were Justin Verlander, Felix Hernandez, Cole Hamels, and Matt Cain, all of whom rank among the very best pitchers in the game.
How will Bud Selig respond to the roster turnover for this year's All Star Game?
Even though most starters who pitch on Sunday usually use Tuesday as their throw day, that’s not exactly the same as harnessing the adrenaline used in an All Star Game appearance. Because ace pitchers are such a valuable commodity, baseball can’t force pitchers to participate on one day of rest, but it could at least permit the option. What’s more, baseball could extend the window for pitchers who throw on Sunday by moving the game back to Wednesday and increasing the break to a full four days for every team.
As previously mentioned, Jeter, Price and Rivera are the only three All Stars who decided to skip the game despite being healthy enough to play during the final weekend of the first half. With all due respect to those players’ bumps and bruises, these are the cases that baseball should most seriously address. In order to deter players from opting for an extended vacation, an “injury grace period” could be instituted. If a player’s injury forces him to miss at least two games immeditaley before the break (as was the case for Placido Polanco and Ryan Braun), he would be exempt from participation. However, if a player didn’t miss any time before the break, but still decided to skip the All Star Game, he would be subject to a two-game suspension.
Finally, if any player not on the disabled list decided to turn down an invitation, he would not be designated as an All Star. Individual ball clubs would still be free to negotiate bonuses and other financial matters based solely on All Star selections, but for the purposes of record keeping, only those who actually made the trip to the game would get credit for being selected to the team.
Although any proposed rule change would have to be negotiated as part of the upcoming CBA, the MLBPA should be a willing partner in any attempt to fortify the All Star Game. After all, a significant portion of the revenue derived from the event is used to fund the player’s pension. Quite literally, no one has more to gain from a robust All Star Game than the players, so Bud Selig shouldn’t have to twist too many arms.
Does the All Star Game even matter anymore? Are changes worth the effort? Although many cynics would likely answer no to both, it would be short sighted to abandon what has long been a marquee event on the baseball calendar. Cities still clamor to host the event, voting participation is at an all-time high, and television ratings, despite having declined over the years, still deliver a sizeable audience for a prime-time summer night. For all those reasons, baseball should work to restore some of its lost All Star glitter, not allow what remains to fade away.
Above all else, MLB players need to realize that while being selected to the All Star Game is an honor, it also carries with it an obligation. In other words, if they stop showing an interest in attending the game, the fans soon will too.
Well, you know where I stand on this topic. The ASG is an exhibition—albeit a highly glorified one—and should be treated as such. It would be very bad, I think, for the league make rules forcing participation. And can one imagine what the players’ union would do with such a mandate?
Also, I strongly disagree that being elected an all star carries with it any obligation. Unlike seeking public office, players do not choose to run for all star. Maybe the election process shpould be changed, such that players would have to indicate several weeks before voting begins whether or not they will run. If that were the system, I could see making a case that winning election carries an obligation.
Lastly, I am not sure that I follow your second to last paragraph. If cities still clamour for the game and voting is at an all time high, in what way has the ASG lost its glitter? From the persepctive of fan popularity, it looks like a case of “let’s not fix what’s not broken.’
(Now, I personally have lost all interest in the ASG, but for reasons largely unrelated to the topic proposed here. Several factors contributed to my disinterest, but the two largest are 1] interleague play and 2] {ironically} ‘this time it counts.’ In other words, thanks, Mr. Selig.)
Anyway, we’ll have to agree to disagree on this one.
I don’t agree with the notion that the ASG is “just an exhibition”. Historically, considerable importance has been placed upon it, and now, the WS home field rides on the outcome (an idea I like, so we’ll have to disagree there as well). Just because a game doesn’t count in the standings doesn’t mean it’s “just an exhibition”. It is a real game that baseball promotes heavily, so it should be taken seriously.
Although players don’t campaign for selection, playing in the All Star Game should be looked upon as part of their job. As in all jobs, we sometimes have to make undesirable business trips, but that comes with the territory. When you consider that most of the money made goes to fund the players’ pension, it seems pretty obvious that they should view participation as an obligation. For the same reason, the MLBPA should be amenable to any changes that improve the game.
Despite still being popular, the All Star Game is not held in the same esteem by fans and players alike. That’s what I mean by lost glitter. Considering the realities of the modern day, there’s nothing you can do about much of this decline (more saturation, other entertainment options, interleague cross over, etc.). However, baseball shouldn’t just shrug its shoulders. Any incremental improvement is worthwhile, and nothing helps the game more than creating a perception that the players care.
I still love the All Star Game, but when I was younger, it was by far my favorite day on the baseball calendar. I wouldn’t be surprised if many kids today still feel the same way. I realize many in my generation and older have become cynical about the ASG, but I still consider it to be one of the season’s highlights and think every effort should be made to keep it that way.
For the same reason, the MLBPA should be amenable to any changes that improve the game.
Well, in theory they should. But in reality they would leverage any such request from the league for their own further advantage.
Just because a game doesn’t count in the standings doesn’t mean it’s “just an exhibition”. It is a real game that baseball promotes heavily, so it should be taken seriously.
That baseball promotes it does not ipso facto make it not an exhibition. Baseball promotes preseason baseball, largely to make more money. But the games are not real in meaningful sense of the word. The ASG may be a marquee event, but like the Home Run Derby, it’s still an exhibition. Heck, it’s not even played under the same rules.
What is an exhibition? Wesbter says a public showing (as of works of art, objects of manufacture, or athletic skill). That could be every single regular season game.
Where we disagree is I think this game does have meaning, both from a historical standpoint and, now, because of home field. The ASG may be an exhibition among a season of exhibitions, but I guess I don’t view that pejoratively.
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