What do you think of MLB All-Star voting?

You also have to remember that there is some stupid rule in baseball that says every team must have one representative to their all-star team. That's not the case in the NFL, NBA, or NHL. What this is saying is that before a player like Ellsbury, or Hamilton can get consideration if he's not yet selected, somebody from KC must be on the team, and more than likely it's a pitcher who is probably under .500 with an ERA approaching 5.00. I would say Seattle, too, but Ichiro is a perennial starter on the team.

Players that are put on the ballot were determined based on last year's status. MLB recognized Ellsbury behind Manny, Crisp, and Drew, therefore he gets no credibility, also Ellsbury was called just before the September call-up deadline, and barely made the World Series roster. Years ago, before the internet, fans were allowed to write-in two candidates and the votes would count. Today, players like Ellsbury has to hope and wait for when the manager makes his pick and if he's not selected, then he has to hope he's one of the "final five" that the fans can vote for to make the team.

I like the idea of fans expressing their opinions, but I truly believe a lot of it is favortism. I know many people vote for the same players every year because it's their favorite player, or one will vote for every member of his favorite ball club.

The best way to handle the all-star voting is that fans should account for 1/3 of the vote, managers account for 1/3, and sports writers/announcers account for the other 1/3. By doing this, the ones who has had great seasons, like Josh Hamilton, Ryan Braun, and Justin Morneau can actually earn their way to a starting position.

OMG someone who actually thinks the same thing as me!

Now, I am a Rangers fan, so I may be biased, but I've been saying for a while now that Kinsler deserves the start more than Pedroia. If Kinsler was on the Red Sox or the Yankees, he'd be in first place!!!

And the thing with Hamilton, yeah, it would be nice if he was in first place, but he's still starting.

I don't think Ichiro should start. I'd rather have Vlad.

I'm really glad Mauer is leading now, but it's a very narrow lead.

At least the All Star game is at Yankee Stadium this year so David Ortiz won't start at first. That always made me mad.

I've voted my 25 times and now I'm using my parents' names with their permission, so I'll get 75 votes in. =D

Here is who I've been voting for in AL

1B:Justin Morneau

2B: Ian Kinsler (I <3 Ian Kinsler)

SS:Michael Young all the way!!!

3B: This one changes periodically; I just don't vote for A-Rod. By the way, Hank Blalock was on the leaderboard and he hasn't played since April!

C: Joe Mauer

Outfielders: Josh Hamilton, Vlad, and yes, Manny, because he is Manny.

Frizzer, I know I vote everyday for my Rangers!!!

There's no guarantee that the "right" players would be selected regardless of who does the voting.

A prime example:

Q: In 1999, who won the AL Gold Glove award at first base?

A: Rafael Palmeiro

Q: How many games did Palmeiro play at first base in 1999?

A: 28 (not a mis-print...twenty eight)

Q: Who votes for the Gold Glove award?

A: Managers and coaches of the respective leagues.

Just goes to show ya...

Bill James had the best idea ever about all star voting, if MLB insists on keeping it in the hands of the fans:

Make each major league park into a separate precinct. If a player finishes first in a precinct, that's so many points toward the all star team..if he finishes second, he gets fewer points... add up all the "points" from each precinct, and the player with the most points gets to start.

They could also make online and mail in votes into their own separate precincts.

There are several advantages to this type of system:

1) Each fan's vote, rather than being lost on an indistinct mountain of ballots, might actually make a difference in where a player finishes within a precinct. Since there are a lot of precincts, there are going to be a number of spots that are decided by just a few hundred votes.

2) The idiot vote (i.e. millions of fans voting for their home town players) would cancel itself out, and would leave the actual selection up to the more intelligent fans in determining who finishes 2nd, 3rd, etc. in each district.

3) Small town votes would count just as much as big-city votes, because each is its own precinct.

Of course, no matter WHO ANYONE picks for the all star team, I guarantee I could find at least one player who's just as good or a better selection than that person's pick...

It really doesn't pay to get upset about all star voting. It's the fan's game, let 'em put whoever they want out there. They don't have enough roster spots for everyone who "deserves" to be there.

Robin Yount, when he was playing, was asked if the players or the fans should select the all star team... he replied "I really can't answer that because I'm not sure who the game is supposed to be fore... I'm not sure if the purpose is to honor the players or if the purpose is to put the teams on the field that the fans want to see".

Yount's was a great answer... the question of who should select the team depends on what you think the purpose of the all star game is... is it to honor the players that have been hot for the past 3 months, or is it to put the players that fans want to see on the field?

The All Star voting sucks! Fans should not vote, they don't know enough about the game. The fact that every year David Ortiz and Jose Reyes are in the running no matter what kind of year they are having completely negates the whole event. This year is a joke. Ortiz is not having a great year at all, and there are several others in the running that is just an embarrassment to baseball. It's not a popularity contest, it's about skill of the game. The current system does not reflect that. They should go back to the previous system. God forbid any modern player gets into the Hall of Fame based on how many times they were an All Star. It means nothing!

. The saddest thing about it is that MLB can't decide whether the All Star Game is an exhibition for the fans or whether it is important.The idea that you would allow fans to vote for the rosters of teams that will determine home field advantage for the World Seris (especially when they can vote hundreds or thousands of time) is ridiculous. If the game is truly for the fans, allow them to continue to vote to let them see the players they want to see, regardless of why they want to see them. If the game is going to continue to determine that important advantage, let the players, managers and the beat writers (one per team only please) decide.

I think the All star game should be strictly for the fans, and not be so important. The only reason that it now determines home field is because of the tie they had a few years ago. Sorry, but I personally don't anyone would really be that upset about an exhibition game ending in a tie. The fans got to see the players they wanted, (that's why they stopped the game - the teams had gone through the whole roster) and the outcome of the game wasn't that important in the grand scheme of things.

I did see a funny statement about this a while back. A person suggested that fans keep th vote, but that they be required to know more about the game. How do you determine this/ Do you make people take a quiz before they can vote?

I say get rid of the home field advantage crap, let the game go into extra innings, but have a predetermined stopping point (maybe 12 innings or so) and accept the fact that not every single player will automatically be the best at his position in his league. Voting was given to the fans so that it could be their game. Give it back to them.

The whole thing is a sham. The teams that have the most bandwagon fans are the ones that will start the All-Star game. Too many deserving players won't be there. I don't even know how they get names on the ballot. Seriously, how did Coco Crisp make the ballot and Jacoby Ellsbury (league leader in SB) not? Even within their own teams it doesn't make sense. As for how it should be done, I think the analysts should look at who is having the better year and let them play. How is it that Ortiz and A. Soriano are even on this? They're both on the DL! Give someone else a shot.

The Internet has destroyed it. There was a time when they passed out ballots at all MLB games and each fan in attendance got 1 vote for each game they went to.

Now, there are too many people who vote 500 times per day. On one hand, the all star game is for the fans, so I understand the idea of letting fans choose the lineup. But then they should call it a "Fan Favorite Game."

The other problem with fan voting is that fans will pick players based on their career, not based on that particular year's performance. So you see a bunch of over-the-hill veteran players who were great at one time, but now they are mediocre, while younger players who have more talent this year are just given the weekend off.

There is no best way to conduct All-Star voting and no matter who winds up on the team there will always be an argument involving those that were left off. Since it is an exhibition game for the fans I believe the fans should select the team, just as they are doing now. While it is true that Josh Hamilton deserves to be on the team it is his own Texas fans who are not voting in sufficient numbers to get Hamilton on the team. He could still wind up on the team by being selected by the manager to fill a remaining open spot reserved for his selection.

I agree, Bud should take the fans out of the equation. The all-star game is not supposed to be a popularity contest. it's supposed to be a place where the best of the best compete. The stats speak for themseleves. Manny should not even be in the game, David Ortiz can hit homers but Hideki Matsui has a way better average and is quicker, much more important. And A-Rod at 3b? are you kidding me? even second place mike lowell. Has anyone even heard of joe crede? leading the al 3b in rbi and hr. it disgusts me.

It stinks. Ryan Braun of the Brewers is in 4th. How's that possible? 20 homers, doing great in the outfield...do people vote for the best? No they vote for their favorite.

Who's ahead of him: Ken Griffey, Jr., Cubs teammates Alfonso Soriano and Kosuke Fukudome

Do people even care about stats?