Early and often

When I was a kid and went to ballgames, I used to grab piles of the All-Star ballots and punch out those cards. Sometimes I sent them in, other times they just ended up in the bottom of a drawer somewhere.

Either way, I voted. Early and often. And no, I was never one of those kids who voted just for my favorite players. Back then I was a numbers guy and used that as the criteria in which a player merited an All-Star selection.

Yeah, I know, so silly.

Anyway, I still see those All-Star punch cards on display at the ballpark and always resist the urge to pick up stackfuls. These days those ballots are such an anachronism – an old-time relic of the 1980s when something as pedantic as cable TV was seen as innovative. These days, the core of All-Star voting takes place on the Internets where the ballot box can be stuffed by overzealous fans and interns working in the teams’ office.

But not here. No way. The All-Star Game determines which league gets home-field advantage in the World Series. You know, since Bud Selig and the league office have figured out baseball’s performance-enhancing drug problem they can focus on which the hardcore issues like which team gets to host Game 1 of the World Series. He has to do it because the idea of rewarding the team with the best record in the regular season is just so far out there.

OK. While rambling through the Internets last night I figured it was time to vote for which players I thought deserved an All-Star nod. Here they are:

American League
c – Victor Martinez, Cle
1b – David Ortiz, Bos
2b – Placido Polanco, Det
ss – Derek Jeter, NYY
3b – Alex Rodriguez, NYY
of – Ichiro Suzuki, Sea
of – Vladimir Guerrero, LAA
of – Magglio Ordonez, Det

National League
c – Russell Martin, LAD
1b – Prince Fielder, Mil
2b – Chase Utley, Phi
ss – Edgar Renteria, Atl
3b – Miguel Cabrera, Fla
of – Ken Griffey, Cin
of – Carlos Lee, Hou
of – Matt Holliday, Col

***
Speaking of Selig and showing the fans who is boss, MLB is still battling over who owns such public information like statistics produced from acts performed on a wide swath of grass in front of 50,000 spectators and countless others watching at home.

Yeah, that’s right, MLB is still fighting over the statistics used in fantasy baseball leagues.

Along those lines, I ran 15 miles yesterday and I did it on public roads… do I own the statistics from that run or does Selig and the gang want a piece of that, too?

How about the neighborhood wiffle ball game? Little Jimmy hit a bunch of home runs and made a couple of nice catches near the bushes next to the driveway… can he use the term "home run" or is such a statistic “intellectual property?”

***
Meanwhile, reports are that Selig wants to suspend Jason Giambi for not cooperating with the toothless Mitchell Investigation into baseball’s drug problem. You know, because Giambi said, “I was wrong for doing that stuff.”

In other words, Selig is telling the players, “Tell the truth and you will get in trouble… now go tell the truth.”

***
Here’s one for the Phillies fans that keep harping on the signing of Jose Mesa:

Do you think the Phillies really wanted to sign Jose Mesa? Stop and think about it for a second…