2011 Fantasy Baseball Stars
by Eddie Mayrose
The wailing and gnashing of teeth will begin later today as Major League Baseball announces the players that will represent their league 
in next Tuesday’s All Star Game. That was actually a carefully written sentence, as quite a few of those named have accomplished nothing close to what a discerning baseball fan would consider All Star stats. In a well-intended system intended to encourage fan participation that has, instead, degenerated into a popularity contest, many actual stars will be watching from their living rooms while less deserving players enjoy the spotlight.
More than a few factors contribute to this annual mess, not the least of which is the voting process. Want a good laugh? Don’t scream about the fact that Troy Tulowitzki currently leads Jose Reyes in the balloting at shortstop. Scan down the page for the real joke: that more than a million think that Yuniesky Betancourt belongs in the game.
The fact that each team must be represented also damages the game’s credibility, creating a distinct disadvantage for the NL, which must fill two more required spots than the AL. Then there’s the nonsense by which the managers have discretion over the selection of substitutes; often abusing the privilege to accommodate their own players. Continue reading »
