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All-Star snubs Selections provide Midseason Classic's only drama
Updated: Friday July 06, 2001 9:16 PM
Sports Illustrated's Stephen Cannella checks in with his baseball thoughts every Thursday throughout the season on CNNSI.com. As the usual grumbling and sniping about All-Star selections began on Wednesday, managers Joe Torre and Bobby Valentine probably had the wise words of Whitey Herzog ringing in their ears. "The only bad thing about winning the pennant is that you have to manage the All-Star Game the next year," Herzog, who served as skipper at three midsummer classics, once said. "I'd rather go fishing for three days." It does seem like a cruel practical joke, "honoring" the previous season's World Series managers by having them choose the All-Star reserves and pitching staffs, a process guaranteed to bruise egos and create controversy. With the midsummer clash losing cachet faster than the Baha Men -- television ratings plummet year after year, there's no sense of urgency or rivalry, and most players are showered and on their way home before the game even ends -- bickering about who should and should not make the team is what now passes for All-Star drama. "It doesn't seem like much of a reward," Valentine said of his role in choosing the NL squad. "I doubt anybody who goes to the game will say thank you, and I'm sure at least some of the guys who aren't on are going to say something." They did. Giants closer Robb Nen was passed over even though he leads the NL with 25 saves. He responded by saying, "That's to be expected from Valentine. That's the way he is." "We have the best record. You would think we'd have the most guys," said Mariners reliever Jeff Nelson, who was excluded despite leading all AL relievers in strikeouts and batting average against. Six Seattle players were selected, while seven Yankees were chosen by Torre. "The only answer now is to win the World Series. We all have the motivation to win the championship every year, but now we all should have more." Nen and Nelson both deserve All-Star spots over the players chosen ahead of them, Dodgers closer Jeff Shaw and Yankees setup man Mike Stanton. Here are three other deserving players who will unfortunately miss out on the All-Star experience (and whatever All-Star bonuses they had in their contracts). To them we say better luck next year, and enjoy the fishing next week. Sports Illustrated staff writer Stephen Cannella covers the baseball beat for
the magazine. Touching Base appears every Thursday on CNNSI.com.
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