Before I begin this rant, I have to say I love the all star game. I love the home run derby. It's a great spectacle, and it gives the fans a little more excitement. One of my favourite memories was in the 2005 all star game when Pudge Rodriguez and Bobby Abreu battled it out in the homer run derby. The Detroit fans were going nuts. Insane. However, the ballot and voting is just irrational and just stupid. What's to stop me say, getting 25 friends of mine and getting them each to vote 25 times for my favourite player even though he's having a completely sub par standard season? Automatically, this guy has 625 votes. It's nuts. The whole point of an all star game is to reward the guys who are having the best current seasons. Not the best careers. Or the guys who can hit the ball the fastest, or throw it hardest, the guys who are having the best CURRENT season in the majors. Just take a look at the current voting standings. At DH is David Ortiz, leading the way with over a million and a half votes. Yet he's having a .252 season with just 13 big flies. Does he deserve it? No way. But seeing as Red Sox nation covers about half the world, then it's no suprise. Evidently, they haven't forgotten how Ortiz hit just .198 in April? Apparently not. And how has Gary Sheffield even got 212,000 votes? Ridiculous. Oh yes and lets see our AL catching leader. Jason Varitek, .240 anyone? 7 Homers? Hell, I know there's alot more to a ballplayer than stats, and 'tek is one of the best leaders in the game, but come on, you've got to draw the line somewhere right? And look at the guy ranked no 3 in the second baseman voting. Cano. Absurd numbers. .228 batting average. There's no way he should even be in the top 5. And a guy who's having an awesome year for the White sox, Carlos Quentin, isn't even in the top 15 in voting for the AL outfielders. Nuts. If I had it my way, everyone would get one vote and that'd be the end of it. Because really, the current system just undermines the whole idea behind having an all star game in the first place. It's not like the fans won't come if you have Nick Markakis in right field instead of Vlad Guerrero, but at least let's remember that the fans can only vote for the starting lineups, and not the whole roster, that way, the guys who are deserving will still get on the rosters. but it'd be nice if they actually got some recognition from the fans.

Interleague play is upon us, and i don't care whether you're a Tigers fan or not, but you should give Clayton Kershaw a glance in today's game. Dubbed as the next Sandy Koufax, Kershaw has just got a rocket of an arm and a devastating breaking ball. A little raw right now, might remind some a young Randy Johnson, but worth a look all the same. For those interested in the '75 Reds/Red Sox world series, well, not quite the same I know, but cincy and boston wrap up their 3 game set this afternoon at Great American Ballpark. Homer Bailey will toe the rubber opposite Josh Beckett. 

Well i'm glad to say my commitments are done, and i can now (finally) focus on baseball fulltime. And i'm back enjoying the game. And does it seem like (finally) the Tigers are making a turn around? After yesterday's win against the Dodgers, Detroit has won 5 straight, and are getting some more dependable starting pitching. We're also now getting some consistency with the offense too. Just one game back of the Indians, the Tigers are creeping towards .500, and from there, who know. More good news is that Joel Zumaya and Fernando Rodney are making their respective ways back to the bigs, and that'll give the bullpen a solid boost as well. Maybe things are starting to round into shape.