King Kaufman's Sports Daily
All-Star outrage shortage: It's hard to get excited about fans picking Polanco over Upton. Where are those crazy votes of days gone by?
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June 20, 2007 | I've just taken a peek at the latest baseball All-Star vote tallies, and I have to tell you I'm outraged! I can't believe the way so-called baseball fans don't have the slightest idea who the best players in the American and National leagues are.
For example: [Actually looks at ballot] ...
Oh. Hang on a second.
It may be time to change the template on the old mid-June All-Star column. You rubes out there have gotten a lot better at filling out your ballots. I blame the Internet and fantasy baseball.
This is a dirty shame because ranting about how some washed-up veteran shouldn't be the leading vote-getter at his position when there's a young star who has been better for three years running is one of the things that have buttered the early-summer bread of the typing and chattering classes since the baggy flannel days.
Also, I wouldn't have much of a leg to stand on, having helped my son Buster, the random All-Star votinest 4-year-old in the Lower 48, fill out his ballot a few weeks ago. Although I've been trying to work out an argument for Craig Biggio, All-Star, just in case.
Let's have a look at the leaders anyway, even if they are decent enough choices. I'll also tell you who I'd vote for and you'll pretend to care who I'd vote for. Sound good? I'm afraid Buster's picks are lost to history, except for Albert Pujols, whom Buster wants to marry.
American League
First base
The leader: David Ortiz, Boston
My vote: Ortiz
Outraged commentary: If I really tried I could work up some dudgeon over Ortiz leading at a position at which he's played three games this season. But there's no designated-hitter category on the ballot in years when the game's in a National League park, and if baseball can't bother itself to deal with this problem, I'm not going to worry my pretty little head about it.
Longtime sabermetric darling Carlos Pena finally putting together a big half-season in Tampa Bay and the emergence of Casey Kotchman in Los Anahangeles aren't enough to overcome the Pig Papiness of one of the game's best players.
Second base
The leader: Placido Polanco, Detroit
My vote: B.J. Upton, Tampa Bay
Outraged commentary: I'm not going to miss out on the chance to vote for a young hotshot playing for an obscure team -- fun fact: Tampa Bay is not an actual city, and the Devil Rays don't play in it -- over a crusty veteran who plays for the defending league champ. You people only know what you see on your TV!
But really I'm OK with Polanco. He's a longtime good soldier who's putting together an outrageous year at the age of 31, and it's nice to see him get some recognition for it. He also had a great year in 2005, but it was obscured because he played for two teams. The outrage here is Robinson Cano and Dustin Pedroia of the YankeeRedSoxRivalries getting more votes than Upton. Also Brian Roberts of Baltimore being nowhere in sight.