Where's This Year's Ellie Rodriguez?

The voters are taking all the fun out of the All-Star vote.

Seriously, the Royals obsession not withstanding, the fans have sapped the game of debate fodder. They've generally chosen the most worthy player, and when they haven't, the players and managers have bailed them out.

If you love to ridicule the gimpy veteran, the scuffling fan-favorite, the injured hometown hero, the lagging lone representative, you're out of luck this year. There's no .230 hitter making the Midsummer Classic because of his name. There's no first-half wonder whose star will have faded by Labor Day. Sadly, the best players will gather in Great American Ballpark.

There's no Ellie Rodriguez, a journeyman catcher who made the '69 All-Star squad despite a .236 average and two home runs that season. He produced less than a win against replacement.

I could quibble about this year's selections: Alcides Escobar is not the AL's best shortstop this year or for his career. Jose Iglesias is a superior fielder and is trumping him with the bat this season. And he's on the team.

Jason Kipnis and his 150 OPS+ is the best keystoner in the AL this year by the length of Jose Altuve.  But Altuve is an All-Star dynamo and the fact that he starts and Kipnis finishes is small potatoes. 

The over-abundance of relievers is a product of the game's new faux-significance. Managers choose guys who can light it up for an inning because that's what pitchers are called upon to do in the All Star game.

Cole Hamels (113 innings of excellence) should represent Philly rather than Jonathan Papelbon (33 innings of excellence). Welcome to All-Star hair splitting.

The biggest talk has surrounded Alex Rodriguez, but it's been pretty half-hearted. That's the best controversy we can muster. ARod has been a pleasant surprise but he's this year's third best DH who contributed nothing in the second half of last season. There's really no room for him in a game that won't feature a designated hitter.

So we'll have to content ourselves with all the nascent talent, all the first time All Stars, the future of the game. It's exciting and bodes well for baseball. Of course the youngest one of them all will make his third All Star appearance. That's still Bryce Harper.