The Atrocities that Are the 2010 MLB All-Star Game Rosters

I haven’t been this furious about something baseball related in a long time-probably more so than the Galaragga missed call.

The 2010 All-Star Rosters (outside the starting lineups) are nothing short of disgraceful.

You can view them here: http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/all_star/y2010/roster_league.jsp

To start, overall both starting lineups are fair. Instead of Chase Utley, Martin Prado (who SHOULD be starting in the first place) will play. But there’s nothing I can really complain about. Derek Jeter isn’t a great choice, but the fans would never pick Andrus over him.

So let’s start with the American League bench. Overall, it’s pretty good, but I think Joe Girardi showed his AL East rival Blue Jays too much respect by picking three of them (John Buck, Vernon Wells, Jose Bautista). Wells deserved it, but the other two didn’t; frankly, Jorge Posada or Kurt Suzuki would have been better choices at catcher, and Magglio Ordonez or Alex Rios (mentioned below) as the outfielder. I’m not particularly pleased with Paul Konerko being snubbed and knocked down into the Final Vote, since White Sox reliever Matt Thornton, a setup man, is not as deserving as Konerko and his 20 bombs. Alex Rios is also a MASSIVE snub, as he’s playing one of the best center fields in baseball and has 13 homers to go with over 22 steals. Oh yeah, then there’s Kevin Youkilis, only one of the best all-around players in the league (with the average, power, and glove, you could say THE best), and Nick Swisher, who’s another guy having a very good year.

The pitching is another story. Girardi picked CC Sabathia and Phil Hughes from his own team-neither deserving. Sabathia has had a good season, but my problem is that a quarter of his starts have been stat-padders against the Orioles. With Hughes, you’re talking about a young guy who has pitched well. But another guy who has pitched incredible baseball and leads the majors in strikeouts, Jered Weaver, missed the game. Did I mention that Jered Weaver’s ERA is a whole run above Hughes’?

There’s nothing else I can complain about, since you have to give each team a player, hence Trevor Cahill and Fausto Carmona. But that isn’t to say that Shaun Marcum, Ricky Romero, Francisco Liriano, Felix Hernandez, or Jeff Niemann (to start) shouldn’t have made it.

An aside: the “one player for each team” rule is flat-out ridiculous. MLB contradicts itself multiple times over when they form the All-Star Game. It’s supposed to be a “fans’ game,” a fun exhibition contest. But now, they’ve tried to give it a bigger draw by making it “mean something?” What is that to the fans? Who cares? I feel like it was just made that way because of the tie back a few years ago. Not to mention it’s unfair that players who will not play in the World Series, or many meaningful games in-season, have an effect on the game. Why in the world does Evan Meek impact who has home-field advantage in the World Series? And if the game means something, why do you make each team contribute a player, so Joe Schmo’s like Evan Meek, Ty Wigginton, and Omar Infante eat up the spots of more-deserving players? And who wants to see them play anyway? Please…

But now I’ll take on the NL Roster, which is even worse…you’ve got the starting lineup correct. But the bench and the rotation…(vomits)

Meek, Arthur Rhodes, and Brian Wilson are three relievers who couldn’t deserve these bids less. First off, I don’t remember any setup men in recent memory in the All-Star Game. And if you are going to bring setup men, you pick Arthur Rhodes over Luke Greggerson or Mike Adams? And you pick Brian Wilson over Heath Bell, the anchor of the best ‘pen in baseball? I understand Meek is the Pirates’ player, I’ll run with that for now, but how do you not take Andrew McCutchen? That would fit in a San Diego reliever as well…there’s no logic to this.

As far as more rotation snubs, I think Pelfrey definitely deserved it, but the truth is, there are a ton of great pitchers in the NL this year, and that’s life. Roy Oswalt also deserved to be in the game, as the lone Astros rep, but that would knock another pitcher out. However, I still think he should be their All-Star over Michael Bourn. Michael Bourn?!?!?

Then there’s Matt Holliday. He’s a good player. But he’s a $100 million man who’s hitting .298 with 11 homers and 39 RBI’s. This guy is made out to be a star, and he’s nothing better than a good player, and no better than a 5-hitter on a truly competitive team. A guy like Joey Votto, who is a leading MVP candidate, needs to be on the roster over this guy. Carlos Gonzalez and Ryan Zimmerman, on the final vote, are also better picks. Especially when Gonzalez who is an outfielder who’s STRICTLY BETTER than Holliday, numbers et al.

Then Infante. Infante. INFANTE! This guy’s hitting .311, but in 164 at-bats! What’s he making it for, his versatility? I don’t even know what to say about him. Guy has 9 extra base hits. 51 hits total, slugging under .400. I’m speechless.

Oh yeah, adding in more obnoxious snubs-Mat Latos, Josh Willingham, Colby Rasmus, Jayson Werth, Brennan Boesch, Jaime Garcia.