Storyline: Fans are stuffing the All-Star Game ballot box. Light-hitting Omar Infante gets to start?! C’mon! Let’s restrict voting to 1 vote per email address–not 35.
And this is why the fans can’t be trusted to vote-in the deserving ball players, especially at a clip of 35 times each. Why, again, is each fan allowed to vote 35 times each?
Shouldn’t this be a single vote?
Courtesy: bleacherreport.com
So, currently at the MLB all-star game, there are 8 Kansas City Royals in the AL starting lineup. That includes Omar Infante, who’s currently batting .227 with a .234 OBP (June 17, ESPN).
Now, the argument can be had that if you want your favourite player voted in, you need to do the work. But how many people have an hour to spend to vote for their favourite players? If you can get a person to vote once, then you’re doing well.
We now have what could be a mockery of the All-Star Game. Hopefully many of these players will be gracious enough to decline the invitation.
And this situation will likely lead to changes in the voting system. Where do you go with it? MLB understood that it had to go digital. But I don’t think it was prepared for fans from certain markets going insane with their voting. Do you cut it down to one per person? Do you take it out of the fans hands completely?
I don’t know. I prefer having the ten smartest baseball minds figure it out for us. I’d much rather see a player with a monster first half than a Blue Jays player (the MLB team in my market). If you took that approach then you’d take stress off the managers to bring certain players to the game. There’re only so many bench spots. You saw that situation for years with Jeter. He was all-star worthy some years, but mediocre in others. Either people just wanted to see him play or his was a recognizable name on the ballot.
Courtesy: The Sporting News
All of this doesn’t bother me all that much. I rarely watch anything except the Home Run Derby.
I rather see players get the time off to rest. It’s a grueling 162-game season with a limited amount of breaks. And ASG players have to parade themselves around a city, not just play the game. Some players think it’s fun, but I’m sure many of them would rather have a little rest. Players understand that they’re making an obscene amount of money; this is just part of the job.
I used to think that it was a good thing to have the game decide home field advantage for the World Series. It kept some integrity to the game. But, now, Omar Infante and his Mendoza-line batting average is going to decide whether or not the St. Louis Cardinals will play the 7th game at home in this year’s World Series. That’s the exact opposite of what MLB wanted.
If it was me, I’d take the voting down to one vote per email address. If people want to create 100 email addresses, good for them. But most people will vote one or two times. I’d also lengthen the All-Star break a little bit and, maybe, reduce the schedule to 158 games. Give the guys more time off.
Courtesy: christopherpalmquist.wordpress.com
It should be interesting to see how all of this plays out.
In the meantime, please continue to vote for Josh Donaldson. If a potential MVP doesn’t get voted in we should feel ashamed.
Come on Canada, let’s get on the Donaldson bandwagon!
Anybody have an hour to waste submitting 35 entries?
