Baseball's Midsummer...Screwjob

As the first half of the 2008 baseball season ends, the only All-Star Game that actually makes matters is just around the corner.

This year's All-Star game is played in Yankee Stadium in its last year before being replaced by a gaudy $1.3 billion ballpark.

Of the big three sports and hockey, baseball has the worst All-Star game. Other parameters make will make this one the worst yet.

First, interleague play has diluted the nature of the All-Star game. The feeling of the game is to prove which league is overall better. Because of interleague play, we know the American League will win.

Only two teams in the AL didn't finish with a winning record in interleague play, the Toronto Blue Jays (8-10) and Cleveland Indians (6-12). No National League team broke double digits in wins, while 11 out of 14 teams in the AL had more than 10.

Even the Chicago Cubs, top team in the NL at 57-37 (plus one game against San Francisco), went a subpar 6-9 and a 5.20 ERA.

The only reason to watch the game is to see the player of your choice preform. That's good when your player gets two innings and possibly one at-bat.

And that even depends on what if your player is popular enough to go, not deserving enough to be there.

Baseball is unique that the coach of the World Series team picks the line-ups for the All-Star game. Every team must have at least one player and there are about thirty positions to fill, along with the fans.

It's a good thing the injured David Ortiz can start. I don't know what we would be able to do with an All-Star game without a injured designated hitter batting .252 starting.

Ortiz doesn't deserve it, but gets it because of his name. Credit to Entirely "Sports"* Profiting Network for only showing the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees.

*Sports includes, but not limited to; NASCAR, poker, pool, year-round NFL draft coverage and more poker.

Yes, All-Star games are for the fans. But the problem lies in how much weight the name "All-Star" carries.

Take former pitcher Bert Blyleven. In 22 seasons, he is 5th all-time in strikeouts (3701), 9th all-time with 685 starts and in shutouts with 60. His post-season stats are exceptional with an ERA of 2.47 and 5-1 with two world series wins.

The two strikes against him are his only two All-Star selection and no Cy Young awards. All-Star selections shouldn't carry into a call from Cooperstown, just because your team isn't on E"S"PN.

Who really loses out in the All-Star game? The fans.

New York is a fitting place for this game because of the last season in the "house that Ruth built." Hotels in the area are smiling while charging over $400 a night this week. Ticket prices, according to the Sports Business Daily, have soared between $150-$725 to watch your favorite player for two innings.

Last year's ticket prices at AT&T Park were between $75-$285.

MLB, I salute you. Way to screw your fans by inviting players that shouldn't be there and jacking up prices for everyone.

The only All-Star game that matters needs quite the overhaul.