Baseball fans did a pretty good job of voting for baseball's starters in the annual Midsummer Classic, but one or two horrible selections are enough to suggest MLB should take the task away from the non-experts and give it to baseball writers and broadcasters or players.
Ladies and gentleman, starting at shortstop for the American League, one of the worst infielders in the league, Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees.
Boooooo!!!
One gets the feeling that if the late Babe Ruth was somehow included on the ballot, fans would have him starting in right field.
The American League team is New York-heavy, but that's no surprise, given the population of the Big Apple and networks' overcoverage of the A.L. East, which offers up the best rivalry in the majors (Red Sox vs. Yanks).
But the annual all-star game is supposed to feature the best players and, quite frankly, Jeter, bound for the Hall of Fame, is not even close. He was great once, but he would rank in the lower half among shortstops this year. When the sport's best gather in Phoenix for the game July 12, Jeter should be lounging on a beach in the Bahamas, or finalizing catering plans for his November wedding to movie star Minka Kelly. His only connection to the all-star game should be congratulations he sends to those who deservedly make the two rosters.
Jeter is not one of those who deserves it, but he'll be starting at shortstop because for many fans, all-star voting is mistaken for a popularity poll. Bob Uecker was popular, too, but the closest he got to an all-star game was the announcer's booth.
Jeter has lost his power (56 of his 68 hits through July 1 were singles, and he had but two home runs) and Father Time has taken away much of his range. Hit the ball to the left side of the Yankees' infield and there's a good chance Jeter won't get to it. He was re-signed by the Yankees in the past off-season for sentimental reasons more than anything else. He is, after all, Mr. Yankee of the 2000s, and that's fine. He's just not Mr. All-Star and some other deserving American Leaguer - Asdrubal Cabrera of Cleveland, Jhonny Peralta of Detroit or even Yunel Escobar of the Jays - has been left out of the starting lineup because of it.
Let the fans continue to cheer, but it's time to take away their vote. The Jeter case is proof of voter abuse.
Comedy writer Jerry Perisho: "The LA Dodgers filed for bankruptcy protection. The Dodgers are losing so much money that Cincinnati fans have offered them the moniker of "Big Red Machine."
R.J. Currie of sportsdeke.com: "After a tough match at Wimbledon, Maria Sharapova was asked to flash her engagement ring from Sasha Vujacic. Maria demurred saying it made her self-conscious. I'm thinking she was too tired to lift it."
Currie again: "The Boston Red Sox recent 14-5 win over San Diego was the sixth time in 29 games they scored 14 runs or more. The Bosox are starting to look like the 1930 Yankees, only more Ruthless."
Jerry Greene, ESPN.com: "Reports indicated the Cleveland Browns may make a bid for former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor in the supplemental draft. Oh, come on, he may have done some bad things but hasn't he suffered enough?"
The Los Angeles Dodgers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and comedy writer Jim Barach says, "Who knew that the old Dodgers' mantra of "Wait 'til next year!" would have to do with trying to meet payroll?"
Headline at SportsPickle.com: "Los Angeles Dodgers file for last-place protection."
Barach again, on Winnipeg causing a major reorganizing of the NHL's divisions: "It would be the biggest realignment ever in hockey that didn't involve a dentist."
Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times: Not news: A man at a Twins game sported a Joe Mauer jersey. News: He was shirtless - with "MAUER" and "7" shaved into his considerable back hair. Just be glad the guy isn't a big fan of Jarrod Saltalamacchia."
Driver Danica Patrick, to The Des Moines Register, on flooring it through Iowa Speedway's notoriously bumpy turns: "That took some ovaries to do."
Another one from Perry: "Ex-lightweight champ Juan Diaz has quit the ring to attend law school at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. "In other words, he's going from boxers to briefs."
Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle, on the Vancouver Stanley Cup riot: "One cop was skulled by a brick, and several cops were bitten. Biting? Who invited the Alex Burrows Fan Club?"
Janice Hough, of leftcoastsportsbabe.com: "The Detroit Tigers retired the number of former manager Sparky Anderson, who died last year at the age of 76. Had he lived, however, Sparky might now have been considered too young and inexperienced for the Marlins job."
Cam Hutchinson of the Saskatoon Express: "Is it just me, or has Brayden Schenn been with more teams in the last year than Paris Hilton?"
