The All Star Game: Vote Early and Often

Don Wassall

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J.B.'s latest column:
THE ALL STAR GAME: VOTE EARLY AND OFTEN


(6/18/05) On July 12th, Major League Baseball is holding its annual mid-season popularity contest, better known as the All-Star game. The starting players, except for pitchers, are voted on by the fans. You can vote on punch cards at big league games or vote on the internet at:


http://www.mlb.com


go to the "FAN FORUM" pull down menu, select "ALL-STAR BALLOT"


The on-line ballot asks for a name, a zip code, and an e-mail address, as well as using an identifier to prevent automatic voting. The MLB site wants people to cast ballots: !VOTE AHORA! they exhort visitors and also have an invitation in Japanese characters. Yes, the American pastime......


Since everyone in the world votes it might explain why so few white players are elected in favor of so many hispanic players. But white fans have shown they are not especially eager to support white players anyway so it probably doesn't make a difference. The extreme hype given to foreign and black players insures that they will receive plenty of votes.


To offset this we at Caste Football are offering our own ballot. Caste Football choices are below. Note that these choices are similar to the ones made by hispanics and Japanese; they are purely based on players we would like to see in the game and who are having good years. We are not ranking our votes strictly on merit because no other race or group of people does that either. They are proud to vote for their own people as a sign of group solidarity and so are we.


Here is how the voting is stacking up and a mention where a flurry of votes from Caste Football supporters might make a difference. Also, higher vote totals, even though a player doesn't win, might help him be selected as a back-up.


In the (Latin) American League by position:


1st Base
Slumping Tino Martinez of the Yankees has a lead of about 130,000 votes on Mark Teixeira of the Rangers. Even though both are hispanic they're as white as my Dutch uncle. Martinez has the double blessing of playing in a huge city with two teams plus he has a hispanic surname. The Red Sox' Kevin Millar has an outside shot, trailing by about 150,000 votes. Paul Konerko, who has been a big force behind the resurgent White Sox, is behind by a couple hundred thousand. How Konerko, from a city with two big league teams, can be trailing by so much is beyond me but there it is. Caste Football recommends a vote for Konerko as late Chicago votes give him a better chance then Millar for overtaking Martinez/Teixeira.


2nd Base
Justice is being served as the majors' leading hitter, Brian Roberts of the Orioles, is currently in the lead. But Alphonso Soriano of the Rangers is within striking distance as he is only about 100,000 votes behind and you can bet all those white New York kids (he used to be a Yankee) and hispanic fans everywhere are going to boost his totals so Caste Football encourages any motivated voters to cast a vote for Roberts, a most deserving player.


Shortstop
Michael Young of the Rangers, with the 7th highest batting average in the league, gets our vote but he is nearly a million votes behind Miguel Tejada.


3rd Base
Alex Rodriguez is a shoo-in at third but former batting champ Bill Mueller can use the votes as he is running second.


Catcher
Jason Veritek, who is having another good year, is 250,000 votes up on Ivan Rodriguez so he could use some insurance votes. Varitek is the surest bet to be a starter for the American League this year.


Designated Hitter
Jason Giambi is the only white player in the top ranks of vote getters. David Ortiz of the Red Sox has a big lead. Giambi, last year's lone white starter for the AL, has suffered from the steroids fallout on the field and from the media and fans whereas teammate Gary Sheffield has not.


Outfield
Johnny Damon is currently fourth but only by about 50,000, and could finish within the top three which would give a white player a starting outfield position on the AL All-Star team for the first time since Mickey Mantle (at least it seems that way). Damon is off to a great start this year and last year's post-season hero should be recognized. Votes should also be cast for Trot Nixon and base stealing king Scott Podsednik, who are both in the top ten.


In the National League:

1st Base
Vote for Doug Mientkiewicz, who is having a splendid season. No one has a chance of catching Albert Pujols, who is way ahead in the voting.


2nd Base
Jeff Kent is well ahead in the voting, as he should be, playing in L.A. and racking up some good stats, not to mention his many years as a high level player. He is well ahead of Mark Grudzielanek, and Craig Biggio, which makes NL second base the most white friendly position in the All-Star voting process.


Shortstop
Here is where Caste Football voters can really make a difference. David Eckstein of the Cardinals, who is having a great year, trails the Dodgers' Ceasar Izturis by only 10,000 votes. Let's get a kid from Florida on the "American All-Star team" instead of another guy from Venezuela.


3rd Base
The most deserving of players, Scott Rolen of the Cardinals, has a lead of a couple of hundred thousand votes on Ramirez of the Cubs. Vote to keep it that way.


Catcher
Another white friendly position. Mike Piazza has a comfortable lead over Paul Do Luca. Either one is deserving.


Outfield
Jim Edmonds appears a safe bet to garner one of the three starting positions in the NL outfield. Larry Walker could use votes as he is currently 6th in the voting. Walker should be a frequent All-Star with the numbers he has put up in his career. He should have Ken Griffey Jr.-like fame but alas in diversity-loving America Walker is trailing Jr. by 70K votes. Griffey, who has been burned into the subconscious of American white kids by years of media overkill, will keep receiving huge chunks of All-Star votes even after he dies. Also worthy of votes are Jeremy Burnitz of the Cubs, or J.D. Drew of the Dodgers.


Please take a couple of minutes to cast votes for these deserving players.


Here is a list you can use to cast votes.


AMERICAN LEAGUE


1st Base: Paul Konerko, Chicago White Sox
2nd Base: Brian Roberts, Baltimore Orioles
Shortstop: Mark Young, Texas Rangers
3rd Base: Bill Mueller, Boston Red Sox
Catcher: Jason Varitek, Boston Red Sox
Designated Hitter: Jason Giambi, New York Yankees
Outfield: Johnny Damon, Boston Red Sox
Trot Nixon, Boston Red Sox
Scott Posednik, Chicago White Sox


NATIONAL LEAGUE


1st Base: Doug Mientkiewicz, New York Mets
2nd Base: Jeff Kent, LA Dodgers
Shortstop: David Eckstein, St. Louis Cardinals
3rd Base: Scott Rolen, St. Louis Cardinals
Catcher: Mike Piazza, New York Mets
Outfield: Jim Edmonds, St. Louis Cardinals
Larry Walker, St. Louis Cardinals
Jeremy Burnitz, Chicago Cubs,
(or J.D. Drew, LA. Dodgers).


Edited by: Don Wassall
 
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