Major League Baseball All-Star Voting Needs to Change

As the 2015 Major League Baseball season works its way toward the all-star break it has become evident that Major League Baseball needs to re-evaluate their procedure for voting players to the All-Star team.

I say this because, as of the latest tabulation of the fan voting, the American League team will feature 7 starters all from one team ….The Kansas City Royals. The Royals fans, like all baseball fans, can vote 35 times per each email address and they have apparently all done just that. The Kansas City fans are not doing anything to violate the voting system set up for choosing players, they are just taking it to the limit where other team’s fans are not.

I, for one, have never thought that the Major League Baseball All-Star game should be anything but an exhibition game. A few years ago, it was decided that the winning team will determine what league will get the home field advantage in that fall’s World Series. This was done to “make the game relevant”. In other words, to build up the ratings for FOX-TV.

The All-Star game should go back to being an exhibition game where all players selected, get to play. If needed, a catcher can be allowed to be re-inserted. All players should see some playing time.

If we are going to change procedures for the All-Star game then the players should be selected by the players and not the fans. It is time to take away the popularity vote by the fans in favor of those players who actually deserve to be there based on their on-field performance in the first half of the season.

If the fans MUST vote, let them choose the reserves for the team and not the starters. That’s the way I see it.