Should Fans Be Allowed To Vote For All-Stars.
 

So here's my question, and I hope many of you weigh in with your opinions about this, but I really want to know if everyone thinks that fans should be allowed to vote for the All-Star starters in Baseball and Basketball specifically. The reason I ask this is because of the influx of Japanese players in both sports over the past couple of season. For example, Hideki Matsui is now second in the All-Star voting for American League Outfielders. Now, the last couple of years I haven;t thought it was that big of a deal that Ichiro got over a million votes with the help of the Japanese voters becuase I think he actually deserved to go, but Matsui? And then in the NBA last year you have Yoa Ming. Yes, I realize you can argue that he should have been an All-Star anyway, but what if his numbers did not warrant his selection but he was still voted to the team on the strength of the votes cast by the Japanese population.

So, in light of the expanded globalization of these American sports should the All-Star voting change?

Ok, let me add, that I realize that these are already "Global games" with players from many other countries in both sports, but I think the fact that Japan is such a technologically advanced country with a strong economy that affords it's population access to Computers and satellite television it changes things a bit.

I'm torn because, first off these sports do not define what warrants selection for the All-Star teams. IS it for the players having the best seasons, or is it for perenially high performing players?

It is pretty cool to have fan interaction in this way I think.

Perhaps the initial pool of all-star candidates should be determined by the fans and the final selections should be picked by experts?

Should fans be allowed? Who pays the salary of the players? It may not be directly but it certainly is the fans. So YES... they should have a say..

I don't like the fan voting becuase the system has been abused. In the early 90's there were the 5 or 6 Indian players being voted as starters in baseball and now the Japanese fans vote en masse for Ichiro and Matsui. The all star game should feature the best players not the ones with the biggest fan clubs. At the very least, fan votes should only count a fraction and not automatically determine who is a starter. As a fan, I want to see the best players playing the best game.

Fans should not be allowed to vote for all stars. I doubt Lebron James will average 15 points a game next season, but I guarantee you he'll start in the all star game. This and other factors have taken the all star game from something that acutally meant something, to a publicity stunt.

yes, fans should choose.

if somebody else chooses and fans dont like it, fans get to bitch at that person.

if the fans vote, there aint no bitching going on (other than by the fans of someone who didnt get picked, which happens either way)

I like to choose.

So I think fans should. But the line-ups are crazy. And its all about popularity. Some guys are even embarrassed to go to their all-star games sometimes, cause they are having an off-season.

I voted for players like Orlando Cabrera of the Expos. He's having a great year, and deserves to go. But nine out of ten people who vote don't know him.

NO; Because somehow Sosa is ahead of Sheffield and Pujols. How could Corky make it and them not?

Being an ALLSTAR isn't about popularity, its about being the best at your position.

Another problem with the the current system is that sometimes players have clauses in their contracts that reward them for an All-Star selection, and since it's not based entirely on performance, well, it just doesn;t seem right.

no, but voting for mvp or something could work.

Even though it seems that some people shouldn't be in there, I think the fans should vote. The fans are the reason we have an all-star game. Why shouldn't they choose? Without the fans there would be no reason to hold a game. I heard one reporter say that the players could care less about fan numbers as long as they get paid. I know that some feel that way but I hope that is a minority mind set. I think fans are the driving force in baseball, and we have no control over any other baseball operations so why not let us have some fun and let us pick who we want in one game?

Fan votes are a tad bais don't you think? Hell, most people like a team solely based on the fact that they're from the same city they are, not because they're good.

2001, 8 Mariners are all-stars.

2001, Ichiro's first year with Mariners.

Coincidence? Hell no.

Fans should not be allowed to vote by any stretch of the imagination.