All Star Picks: The added edge of this year's All Star Game is that it will determine home court advantage in the World Series, which also will be the case next year as well. I really do not see this as mattering too much ... both teams generally play to win anyway, except in select moments, such as the somewhat noteworthy home run by Ripkin in his final appearance. On the other hand, I don't recall that being a nailbiter anyway. Also, overall, home team advantage is somewhat weaker in baseball ... it does matter to some degree, especially for certain stadiums. The picks also have been chosen differently in various ways: two more were added to help avoid another tie and allow for a bigger pool of players; also, managers, players, and the Internet all will have a new role this year. It is no big surprise, however, that the result was the same -- some dissatisfaction with the picks.

Some were upset that certain fan favorites, including Sosa, Clemens, and Mariano Rivera were not chosen, even though injuries and not too elite records factored into the equation. This is for the fans, after all, and they want some of these people. We aren't just talking about records here, which is why fans continued to pick Cal Ripkin, even when he past his prime. There is something to this, and my key criticism would be the absence of exciting rookie phenemom Dontrelle Willis . Though he just might get a spot through as an injury replacement or for some other reason, his absence from the first batch of players is annoying because there was really no reason why he could not be chosen, unlike some other picks perhaps mandated by the "every team gets a player" rule. After all, his numbers and record were as a whole more impressive than Braves Russ Ortiz, and that team surely had enough representatives. Also, since Dusty Baker is managing, including his ex-player smells of favoritism.

The need to pick a player from every team has received some criticism since it skewers the choices, but throwing bad teams a bone (usually, most bad teams have a good player anyhow) is not in my view a bad thing. We do have the unlikely (if given the alternatives, reasonable) pick of Armando Benitez as the Mets representative, but only because of the glut of good outfielders, and the injury to Mike Piazza. We also have the pick of Lance Carter, Tampa Bay's average closer, but the rule did not dictate this ... there were other people to pick, including a few decent pitchers. Also, I am not too upset that no Yankee pitcher was chosen ... the roster is still quite respectable, and the Seattle reliever chosen (perhaps over Rivera) actually is pitching lights out (ERA under .90). And, if the game is fairly close, and Benitez blows it in the seventh or eight inning (perhaps to one of the big bats from the Braves) ... Mets fans with a sense of humor can appreciate it.