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By Budros

June 15, 2007 4:20 PM | Link to this

Score the “All-Stars” like the BCS and see how that works out. It would be better than the joke it is now. You know it’s crap when a guy on the disabled list for most of the season gets on the all-star team. And giving home field advantage to the winner of the all-star game is even more ridiculous. Selig needs to go.

By Philip

June 15, 2007 4:21 PM | Link to this

I think we should test all the nominees for any/all drugs ad then admit only those who are compleetly clean.

By Jeremy

June 15, 2007 4:21 PM | Link to this

Yes, it is a JOKE! Have you noticed that it might be the National League Mets vs the American League all-stars..And they allow you to vote over 20 differnt times..what does this help do??

By jay

June 15, 2007 4:21 PM | Link to this

Fans shouldn’t be deciding on the starters because the game actually means something to the World Series teams.

By Mike

June 15, 2007 4:23 PM | Link to this

All star game is a game for the fans, so I think it’s great that the starters are voted in - whether they are the best player at that position or not. It’s who the most fans want to see. The deserved players most likely will be on the team anyway. Always a snub or two, but no big deal.

By Wes

June 15, 2007 4:32 PM | Link to this

I definetly agree that given the importance of the game in determining home field advantage in the Series, fans should have nothing to do with determining who gets to play. I don’t really have any problem with allowing a democratic system, or for that matter with having the game affect the Series, but you can’t have both. It needs to be either or. My personal preference would be to keep the fan-voting and just give home-field to whichever team has the best regular season record.

By Drew

June 15, 2007 4:41 PM | Link to this

I think that the players should vote for the starters now that the game means so much (HF advantage). it’s going to suck to see people having great years get snubbed.

By Andy

June 15, 2007 4:51 PM | Link to this

Of course the voting system is flawed. Carlos Beltran leads the entire NL in votes !!!! That is just ridiculous. He shouldn’t even be starting in the All-Star game. Jason Bay, who plays for the Pirates, is a great player but because he plays for a small market team, he is 15th in voting among outfielders.

By TW

June 15, 2007 4:52 PM | Link to this

No more of a joke than the past two presidential elections…

By rob

June 15, 2007 5:04 PM | Link to this

I agree with Jay, if they fans are voting and the winner decides the Home field advantage in the world series, im voting for Lester Kanoodle, Ryan Kunkelman and Maury Lowenstien for the starting outfield of the american league!…..* What a JOKE, LET THE TEAM WITH THE BEST OVER ALL RECORD….BE THE WORLD SERIES HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE WINNNER*

By rob

June 15, 2007 5:06 PM | Link to this

Andy, if Carlos Beltran played for the Braves, you would be proud of the fact that he is leading the league!…its all where you live, ….its all who you root for….

By Marietta Dawg

June 15, 2007 5:07 PM | Link to this

The All-Star game is for the fans, so I’m all for allowing the fans to select the starters. I believe that players and coaches also get to vote, but only for the bench players. I also think that it stinks that the fans can only select position players. Why can’t we vote for pitchers??? The only problem that I have with the process is that the winner gets home-field advantage for the World Series. I think that home-field advantage should go to the league that has the best record during interleague play.

By Matt

June 15, 2007 5:51 PM | Link to this

Edgar Renteria is the best shortstop in baseball, and he is fifth in the national league in votes. Barry (sits out every other game)Bonds is 4th in outfielder votes and Andruw (overrated) Jones is fifth.
Ken Griffey Jr., my favorite player growing up, is third. He should not be starting, but should certainly have a place on the team.
Fans do not need to have a say in the starting lineups for the all-star teams, especially if the world series home field advantage is at stake, which is another joke.
The managers and coaches of each team should select the starters and reserves, and the fans can maybe have a vote for 3 or 4 players on each team. I used to love all-star voting and the festivities but now I’m realizing what an awful mess the whole thing is and how much major league baseball needs to re-think some ideas.

By kudzu

June 15, 2007 6:07 PM | Link to this

Leave it to some bed-wetter to slime some silly political jab into the fray…well done TW

By Robert

June 15, 2007 6:18 PM | Link to this

I dont know if All-Star game voting is a joke, but, based on past results, I can tell you that Manger of the Year voting certainly is

By Najeh Davenpoop

June 15, 2007 6:46 PM | Link to this

Every All-Star game is a popularity contest except the NFL. The NFL is smart by making the fan voting only worth 1/3 of the total, with players and coaches being the other 2/3. Some undeserving players make the Pro Bowl, but not many. If the MLB wants a truly worthy All-Star team, they should switch to this system. As it is, only the pitching staffs are selected by coaches, and they are usually made up of deserving players — the exception being when they have to fill out rosters by following the “one player per team” rule.

By bobble19head

June 15, 2007 7:15 PM | Link to this

Its a game for the fans, but I think the players should have some type of involvement in the selection, the managers and the fans.

Fans = starting lineup players = backups manager = backups

By Fansgameonly

June 15, 2007 8:18 PM | Link to this

It’s for entertainment value only, so why shouldn’t it be anything but a popularity contest. Why not invite Hollywood celebrities to play? I’d love to see Clooney take a high-90 fastball in the face. Funny stuff…

By Fansgameonly

June 15, 2007 8:18 PM | Link to this

It’s for entertainment value only, so why shouldn’t it be anything but a popularity contest. Why not invite Hollywood celebrities to play? I’d love to see Clooney take a high-90 fastball in the face. Funny stuff…

By Jogger

June 15, 2007 8:19 PM | Link to this

Sometimes I think the voting is just for popularity- but then again, fan favorites are the Yankees and Cardinals. Plus some other big names. I like seeing A-Rod, Jeter play and Pulojo’s, Edmonds. And Andrew Jones is overrated. I think Edmonds is much better at center field.

By Patrick

June 15, 2007 9:56 PM | Link to this

Now that home field advantage is at stake for the winning All-Star team, what benefit is there for voting for the best players in the league opposite your favorite team? My ballots this year featured lots of votes for KC Royals and Devil Rays.

By Billy

June 15, 2007 10:52 PM | Link to this

Anybody with half a brain knows it’s nothing more than a popularity contest!

By Johnny Rocker

June 16, 2007 12:31 AM | Link to this

KATY TEMPLE IS HOT!

By Phog

June 16, 2007 1:57 AM | Link to this

All-Star picks should either go to the sports writers or to the managers.

The only time All-Star voting by the fans wasn’t a joke is when Rico Carty was voted in. Carty wasn’t on the ballot that year as back then only a few select folks were put on the list. Now everybody and their brother is. I’m surprised Biff Pocoroba isn’t listed.

No one votes for the most deserving these days. Fans are actually encouraged to vote for their hometown boys.

By Lex Luthor

June 16, 2007 3:32 AM | Link to this

Duh, isn’t it supposed to be a popularity contest!?!

By BLA1

June 16, 2007 3:32 AM | Link to this

One phrase, Barry Bonds an All Star? What a joke! Just like baseball’s drug testing policy. This is a popularity contest and it’s not very popular.

By la brave

June 16, 2007 7:07 AM | Link to this

the only problem with the fan based voting is that when a player’s career is over a big part of his HOF credentials are based on his all star appearences. take chipper for example…when his career is over and it’s obvious to everyone involved that he was one of the dominant if not THE dominant 3rd baseman the 90’s and 00’s that the voters point to his all-star elections as proof or non proof of his election…but because he didn’t receive the votes year after year they will say he wasn’t ‘the man’ at third base…though some years it was rolen who had a couple of years and the bulk of media attention during his years or now the kid from the Mets…so there was always someone just a little bit better but over the course of the last 12 years no one is even close but the lack of all-star appearences will hurt Chipper’s chance of getting into the HOF cause with his borderline numbers we could point to All star appearences…but we don’t have that and based on performance alone chipper would have been a perennial all-star but based on fan based shi-ite he hasn’t been there and that will affect his HOF votes and that is where the problem lies.

By GoodGrief

June 16, 2007 7:08 AM | Link to this

The managers should pick the all stars. Come on people, this current process is a joke…

By Connie

June 16, 2007 8:41 AM | Link to this

Every year I keep hoping that the fans will vote for the player having a good year and not just make it a popularity contest, but no, it never happens. I agree with all of your choices in the paper today as to who should play each position.

By MJ

June 16, 2007 8:47 AM | Link to this

Hey TW

President Buch won in a totally legitimate manner and did not try to buy the election as Snore did so get over it and leave the politics out of it. This is about sports and not politics.

By MJ

June 16, 2007 8:48 AM | Link to this

Hey TW

President Buch won in a totally legitimate manner and did not try to buy the election as Snore did so get over it and leave the politics out of it. This is about sports and not politics.

By MJ

June 16, 2007 8:50 AM | Link to this

Hey TW

Why don’t you leave politics out of it. Oh sorry I guess you are one of those that still thinks Big Al really won and cannot get over it. Well, then what is your excuse for Kerry getting clobbered

By bonedaddy

June 16, 2007 9:19 AM | Link to this

All pro sports is a joke, glorified by steroids and thug behavior. Save your money, invest it in your own bank account and not those of pro athletes.

By humbug

June 16, 2007 9:28 AM | Link to this

The all star selection process has nothing to do with the production level of players to be selected. It's purely a warped popularity contest. It begins with composing the list of players to be considered and carries over to unqualified voters. Some are fans and some are just computer junkies. To add the home field advantage to the winner does nothing to improve this very flawed system. The fans should have nothing to do with the selection, that should be left to knowledgeable baseball people.

By Richard

June 16, 2007 9:58 AM | Link to this

Yes the system sucks! I already voted for Andrew(.215 avg)and cannot erase my vote now.He is certainly not deserving of any award except ” homerun ego of the year”. Thank goodness for DVR. I can fast forward his every laughable at bat.

By Ben

June 16, 2007 10:02 AM | Link to this

Flawed?? BAAAHHAHAHAHAHAHA! It’s a joke just like what baseball has become. Just call it the Most Popular Player Game. Fanboy’s should have no say in who makes it to the game. Case in point - the last year Cal Ripken went I think he was batting somewhere around .200. All Star game should be about excellence not sentimentality or popularity. The current incarnation is laughable at best. I haven’t watched it in over 10 years.

By Kelly

June 16, 2007 10:53 AM | Link to this

The All-Star game should go back to what it was intended to be. A weekend for fans to see their favorite players on the same field. NOT the determining factor of home field advantage for the World Series!!!! MLB really dropped the ball on that one. Home field advantage is something you earn for having the best record, not for winning the All-Star game!

By NW

June 16, 2007 11:08 AM | Link to this

Hey TW: I totally agree with you. Bush was the only President in American History that was SELECTED, and not ELECTED. MJ get real. A blind could see that the 2000 Presidential election was rigged, thanks to good old boy Jeb Bush!

By NW

June 16, 2007 11:09 AM | Link to this

Hey TW: I totally agree with you. Bush was the only President in American History that was SELECTED, and not ELECTED. MJ get real. A blind man could see that the 2000 Presidential election was rigged, thanks to good old boy Jeb Bush!

By Matthew Knowls

June 16, 2007 1:16 PM | Link to this

Beyonce May Seek Restraining Order SLIDESHOWS: View The Day’s Top Photos VIDEO: Watch The Latest News (AP) ATLANTA Pop superstar Beyonce may file papers requesting a restraining order against an Atlanta photographer who she claims has been stalking her for 2 years.

According to reports, Beyonce fears for her safety after allegedly being stalked by Sandra Rose, 46, who began stalking and harassing her in 2005.

According to sources close to Beyonce, Rose, a photographer specializing in celebrity events, was commissioned to photograph a party following a Destiny’s Child concert in 2005. Rose introduced herself to Beyonce and a conversation followed. Following their brief meeting, Rose began sending nude pictures of herself and sexually explicit emails to Beyonce’s publicist offering to perform [sexual act] on Beyonce and saying that she wanted “a relationship” with Beyonce.

After Beyonce and her publicist declined her advances, Rose reportedly became enraged and began a campaign of threatening emails, phone calls, and faxes to Beyonce’s publicist and her management company.

Beyonce was reportedly so distressed by Rose’s harassment that she cancelled a month of album promotion and left the country out of fear for her safety.

According to sources, Rose’s harrasment of Beyonce is sexually-charged and may escalate to violence.

“Ms. Rose’s attempts to contact Beyonce often contain disturbing sexual references and graphic sexual language,” says sources.

In the restraining order Beyonce may request that Rose stay at least 300 feet from her as well as her family and employees, and be barred from attending her July 20 concert at Phillips Arena.

Sources close to the incident agree that a restraining order is prudent in the situation. “Her fascination with Beyonce has grown into an obsession that we fear may grow into something much worse. If given the opportunity we fear that she may harm Beyonce.”

By Matthew Knowls

June 16, 2007 1:17 PM | Link to this