Matter of Opinion
It’s time to overhaul the MLB All-Star Game. I mean since the powers that be have made serious changes to the game in the past few years, maybe its time to reset the All-Star classic also. Let’s not make it a fan favorite popularity contest any more, but instead let the MLB players decide most of the selections that deserve to be on the All-Star team.
This year each All-Star team has a roster of 35 players, including 12 pitchers. My suggestion would be each MLB team select their top nine position players. The teams can use whatever criteria to decide which players are the top nine. With these selections, then let all the MLB players from each league vote on each of the nine positions. The highest number of votes at each position is the starter. The second highest number of votes at the position are the reserves.
This way the analytics that have ruined the game, er I mean driven the game these past few years will not have a voice in selecting the best players to date for the season. The total of players on each team would be 18. When those rosters are established, it will be up to the fans to vote in the remaining players. They have to choose 12 pitchers and from each league to fill out the rosters. Bringing the total to the 30 players on each squad.
The final five players for each team to be selected will be chosen by the league in making sure every team has a representative. This will be the only constant that remains from previous years. If every team has a representative, the manager of each All-Star team will then fill out the remaining spots on the rosters.
It’s the same result and more than just the fans making the decision on who is an All-Star caliber player. I know this will not be the popular consensus of baseball fans, but it is the best an option to get the most deserving players to the game. That’s a Matter of Opinion.
