Site last updated: Saturday, November 7, 2026

Log In

Reset Password
Butler County's great daily newspaper

At least 1 All-Star Game has meaning

The All-Star Game means nothing to players these days.

Of course, that depends on which All-Star Game one is referring to.

Major League Baseball holds its annual event Tuesday night in Anaheim, Calif. The outcome determines which league will have the home advantage in the World Series.

Big deal.

Players couldn't care less about that.

Want to make the players care? Try the following steps.

•

Eliminate interleague play. If the AL and the NL didn't play each other until the All-Star Game, it would mean a lot more. This game used to be a point of pride between the two leagues.Now it's just an exhibition game in the middle of the schedule.•

Winners take all. No professional athlete wants to play for nothing. Increase the purse a little, give it all to the winning side and there will be a more competitive game.•

Unlimited rosters. No manager is going to go crazy here, but if a guy deserves to be an all-star and can help his league win, he should be in the dugout that night.•

Take the player, not the uniform. There's no reason every team should be represented. Some teams don't have any all-stars. If there's none there, you can't invent one.There is an all-star game that players care about: the Pennsylvania American Legion All-Star Game in Harrisburg.Players must advance through a series of Legion showcases to get to this game. Players who make it all the way to the state game get the opportunity to work out and play in front of numerous college and big league scouts.For players trying to attain college scholarships, that's a big deal.Mars pitcher Tyler Dean will be a senior this year. He wants to play college baseball. He needs exposure.He thought he earned such exposure at the Legion All-West Showcase Wednesday at Pullman Park.Dean faced seven batters and threw 17 of his 21 pitches for strikes. No one hit a ball in the air against him and he struck out three, including two of the batters who were selected to advance to Harrisburg.Only 21 of the 56 players at the All-West Showcase were selected to advance. Inexplicably, Dean wasn't one of them. Four other pitchers were chosen and none outpitched him.All-Star snubs at the major league level?No one cares.All-Star snubs at the American Legion level?Opportunity denied.

More in Sports

Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter

* indicates required
TODAY'S PHOTOS