How fantasy baseball makes the All-Star Game better

	No first baseman has had a better first half than Prince Fielder. AP

By John Rakowski, Special to SI.com, SportsGrumblings.com

The All Star Game used to generate a lot more interest than it does now. The advent of inter-league play and dish network has taken much of the steam from the mid-summer classic. Years ago seeing an NL pitcher, like Steve Carlton, face an AL slugger like Reggie Jackson, was a novelty. These days players move around much more often and also face the other league in inter-league play. There is nothing new anymore.

Back in the day, there was far less baseball on television, making the nationally televised All Star Game special. If you have dish network or MLB's Internet package you go see all the out-of-market games you are willing to pay for.

The All Star Game is not what it was, even with the gimmick of determining the home field in the World Series. The game is better in one important respect, however, and you can thank fantasy baseball for this. Fans are much better informed today than they were in decades past. It used to be that a typical fan knew his team very well, his league fairly well and often the other league barely at all. A large percentage of today's All Star voters participate in fantasy baseball leagues. They keep close tabs on a wider cross section of players, from both leagues, than did their fathers and grandfathers. In the past, All Star voters would usually select old favorites like Cal Ripken year after year and were slow to recognize rising stars. In fantasy baseball, you cannot afford to be so sentimental. Looking at the leading vote getters, it's obvious that fantasy has made the All Star voters a much better informed electorate. For the most part the fans are doing a very good job, with only a few selections to quibble about.

Let's take a look at the leading vote getters in the latest polls, which fans choices are for the better and which are for the worse.

For Better

1. Prince Fielder, 1B, Brewers: This is the best example of how fantasy baseball makes the All Star Game better. Before fantasy, Albert Pujols would have be an automatic selection for the NL at first base. Though Pujols' body of work is outstanding, he is not performing to his usual standards in 2007. Fantasy fans know this, especially the ones that drafted him first overall. Fielder's numbers are significantly better in homers, RBIs and runs scored. Fiedler is a rising star and just the sort of player that got the short-shrift in the past.

2. Russell Martin, C, Dodgers: For years this was Mike Piazza's domain. Martin, a rising star, is clearly the best in a thin field at catcher for the NL. Martin has been an awesome fantasy catcher in roto leagues. He leads all catchers in runs scored (42), is second in RBI (49) and he is tied for sixth in homers with eight. Here is the kicker: Martin has 13 steals which not only leads all MLB catchers but is nine more than the second catcher. Martin would be on any fantasy All-Star team and it makes sense that he is also a choice for the real thing.

3. Magglio Ordonez, OF, Tigers: The Tigers' cleanup hitter is second in the voting among AL outfielders and is on target to start with Vladimir Guerrero and Ichiro Suzuki. Ordonez leads the junior circuit in hitting (.377) and is third in RBIs with 68 and also third in runs with 65. Ordonez is the biggest thumper in a deadly Detroit lineup. It's great that then fans are recognizing his season.

4. Placido Polanco, 2B, Tigers: Polanco also has been a big part of the Tigers' offensive explosion in 2007. Last year's AL starter at second, Robinson Cano, has been a big disappointment. Polanco is outhitting him (.324 to .270) and has scored 20 more runs (52 to 32). The underappreciated veteran is a deserving choice.

Honorable Mention:

Jose Reyes, SS, Mets: Reyes was elected by the fans last year at precisely the moment when he became a dominant force. This year we'll give him an honorable mention only, because he is a well known commodity.

Chase Utley, 2B, Phillies: Utley, like Reyes, is a young superstar that deserves the recognition he is getting from the fans.

For Worse

1. Carlos Beltran, OF, Mets: Beltran is the leading vote-getter among NL outfielders. This is a big injustice if Beltran starts over several more deserving players. Beltran has been very damaging to his fantasy owners with his production down across the board from his 2006 levels. He has 10 HR, 40 runs and 44 RBIs. This is not what people were expecting when they drafted him high in the first round. A much better choice from both a fantasy and a real-life perspective would be Matt Holliday. Holliday's production is better than Beltran's in every category except steals. His 60 RBI and .349 average are considerably better than Beltran's. This looks like a swing and a miss by the voters.

2. David Wright, 3B, Mets: Wright's lead is much more defensible than Beltran's. Wright has performed well after a slow start, but the fans have had him as the frontrunner all along, even when he was struggling. Miguel Cabrera has had a better season with more runs (46 to 42), more HR (17 to 12), more RBIs (55 to 40) and a much higher average (.326 to .285). In Wright's defense he has 16 steals to Carbrera's zero. This feels like an old-fashioned fan-favorite selection, bucking the trend of more deserving selections.

3. Ivan Rodriguez, C, Tigers: Pudge is one the exception to the Tiger rule. Ordonez, Polanco and Gary Sheffield are having fantastic seasons. Rodriguez is having a nice season, but far from the best among AL catchers. Any fantasy owner would prefer to have Victor Martinez or Jorge Posada at this point. Both Martinez and Posada have better batting averages and more runs, RBI and HR than does Rodriguez.

Honorable Mention

Brian Roberts, 2B, Orioles: Polanco's lead among AL second basemen is well deserved and the fans get a pat on the back for that. However, we can boo the fans for not giving Roberts any love. Roberts is not even among the top five vote getters at 2B despite a terrific season. If you have him in a roto league you really appreciate his production. Roberts leads all MLB second basemen with 24 steals and his .323 average trails only Utley (.325) and Polanco (.324). It speaks volumes about the good job the fans are doing that I'm complaining about Roberts not finishing second to Polanco rather than griping about another undeserving starter.

John Rakowski is a senior writer at Sports Grumblings, a fantasy sports hub offering articles, advice, player rankings, forums and more.