Alright ladies and gentlemen it is that time of the year where Jersey Dan gets to complain about the Major League Baseball All Star Game. The system and shenanigans surrounding the MLB All Star Game is just plain dumb, stupid, and embarrassing; and you people are going to hear about it.

The first shenanigan is the fact that this game is what considers home field advantage for the World Series. Now in most sports not involving the words foot and ball, home field advantage is decided by who has the best record in the league. Unless Major League Baseball decides to hold their championship series at a neutral site, the team with the best record should get home field advantage, simple as that. I don’t get why Buddy Selig doesn’t think this is a great idea. Of course, as most of us know, Buddy isn’t a man known for his great ideas. The point is, this game was made for the fans. It was made as an exhibition for the fans, and the fans lost out on the exhibition factor. As a fan, when I watch an All Star game I want to see players having fun and giving us the most entertaining game possible. Not only have the players been stripped of their fun exhibition, the fans have been stripped of enjoying the game.

While on the issues of the common Major League Baseball fan, I would like to get into the issue of voting. If this game is determining home field advantage for the World Series, then fans should not be allowed to vote, that way the best players get in guaranteed. I mean we are all Mets fans here, but none of you can seriously tell me that if Paul Lo Duca would have gotten voted in, that you could justify him over Dodgers catcher Russell Martin. This issue can be alleviated by one simple decision; make the game an exhibition again (notice the recurring theme here). If the game is an exhibition then the fans can vote for whoever the hell they want, and it won’t matter in the long run, because the game is just a good time for all, and nothing serious. And furthermore, fans should also be able to vote for pitchers. I mean what the hell is the deal with that? Do major league managers really think that we can only “analyze” position players? Let the fans vote for all the starters.

My third issue with this game is that David Ortiz was voted in as a starter at first base. Newsflash baseball fans of America: David Ortiz is a designated hitter. In San Francisco (the site of this seasons All Star Game) they play baseball the way it was meant to be played aka no designated hitter. The fact that Ortiz will be starting at a position he doesn’t even play is a joke. Yeah don’t get me wrong, Ortiz can hit a baseball through the walls of Attica, but that does not mean he deserves the spot over someone who actually plays the position. How about guys like Ortiz’s teammate Kevin Youkalis (you know the guy who actually plays first base for the Red Sox) who get snubbed even though he is having a great year. The man is having a career year, is one of the most popular players up in Boston, and he wasn’t even on the ballot. Hey Major League Baseball, you really dropped the ball on that one.

I’ve also been hearing in the Facebook forum from certain posters, that fans should be not be allowed to vote for the all star team. How is that a good idea? This game has been stripped from the fans enough already, and you want to strip their right to vote. I can’t think of any other sport that doesn’t give the fans the right to vote for their all star game. That would be an insult to the game and to the fans.

Also, another thing that makes me tick is the fact that every team has to be represented. Are you really telling me that Kansas City Royals starter Gil Meche deserves to be on the American League All Star team? For goodness sake the guy has a losing record. No fan would ever vote for Meche, or even want to see Meche in the game. Once again Major League Baseball drops the ball.

I ask Major League Baseball one thing, and one thing only. PLEASE GIVE THE ALL STAR GAME BACK TO FANS!!!!

JD