Yet Another All-Star Fiasco

Following this year's 15-inning MLB All-Star game (which, most people realize, should have ended in 11 innings if the secondbase umpire had actually been watching the game), there's the usual calls for expanded rosters, taxi squads, and other modifications so that the teams don't run out of pitchers as they did in 2002.

The solution -- at least a partial solution -- is rather simple: If you're physically, mentally or emotionally unable to play YOU DON'T GET TO BE ON THE ROSTER.

I mean, really -- all this nonsense about "so-and-so isn't available because he just pitched on Sunday" or "so-and-so is nursing a ruptured toenail so he'd prefer not to play" or "my brother-in-law's best friend went to elementary school with Clint Hurdle's agent's cousin's sister, so I'll just park my pathetic carcass on the bench and pop sunflower seeds for four hours."

It's so logical that Bud Selig and his minions will never figure it out (unless they're reading this, and we already know the answer to that). If you're not prepared to play in the game, then you get to stay home and someone else can take your place. Sorry -- if you want to be called an "all-star," it means you have to sacrifice a 3-day vacation and actually exert some effort.

So the Tampa Bay Devil Rays or whatever they're called this year don't want Scott Kazmir to pitch (if I heard that once, I heard it 50,000 times during the broadcast). Fine. Scott, you get to stay home and enjoy a 3-day vacation. I'm sure we can find somebody around here somewhere who actually wants to play in the game.

At least, it's a good starting point. Bud, are you listening? Never mind...