All-Star Voting

A good friend who's a huge baseball fan refuses to vote for the All-Star game on the grounds that he disapproves of fan voting. He thinks it makes it just a popularity contest. I wouldn't go that far -- e.g. Lance Berkman is having a monster year, and rightly won out over the (deservedly) immensely popular Albert Pujols for the starting first base job for the NL.

There are certainly some travesties -- e.g. one starting shortstop in a particular city was the first player in Major League history to have 10 HR, 20 2B, 10 3B and 30 stolen bases before the All Star break, and is batting over .300 with an OPS over .850. Meanwhile the starting shortstop across town trails him in every single one of those categories and every other meaningful offensive category, but claims to drive a Ford Edge. The latter is starting the All Star game for the AL while the first guy will watch from his home.

Then again, what's the alternative? Player voting is no less a popularity contest -- see e.g. Jason Varitek's selection this year by the players, while having a truly sub-par year. Sportswriters? They're as big of homers as the fans sometimes. Hey, maybe SABR can come up with a formula.....