Reese Kaplan -- The Mets and the Upcoming All Star Game

With one more week to go prior to the annual break for the All Star game taking place at Coors Field in Colorado, it’s probably a good time to reflect a bit on the pros and cons of this exhibition that for many years was dwindling in interest among the fans.  From 2003 through 2016 they changed the rules to make the winner of the game get his league the home field advantage for the World Series.  

That rule went away in 2017 and for the next three years (no game in 2020 due to the pandemic) the home field advantage now went to the World Series contending team that had the better record during the 162 game season.  

For the Mets of 2021 the sole representative of their surprising first place team will be Jacob deGrom and no one in baseball would disagree with his selection to the ceremonial game.  Where some debate may take place is among the fans of the Mets who stand on two different sides of the fence regarding whether or not he is used.  

The pure fan wants all of major league baseball to see what deGrom is capable of doing from the mount.  However, the fans of the club hoping to continue the unlikely run to the postseason are happier about the apparent decision not to have the multiple-times injured deGrom throw a single pitch in Colorado.  

There are times when Mets players contributed to the rare National League victories, but more and more people realize that it’s just a television event and not a game of any consequence.  For Mets fans there will be more attention paid to the 2019 Home Run Derby winner, Pete Alonso, who returns to defend his crown.  

To me, there is one glaring bit of hostility towards the powers that be for the accolades they bestowed upon the best players in the game.  Lee Mazzilli made a single All Star Game appearance for the Mets in 1979 as a reserve outfielder.  He was inserted late in the game as reserves often are, receiving two plate appearances.  With one of them he hit a game tying home run for the National League and in the other he forced in the winning run by taking a bases loaded walk to push the NL up 7-6 over the AL.  

Now you’d think that someone responsible for tying the game and getting the go-ahead RBI would warrant consideration as the MVP when it was time to make the award.  Apparently the National League didn’t think so, instead giving the award for a couple of outfield assists by the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Dave Parker who did go 1-3 with an RBI, but not when it counted like Mazzilli did.  

The other issue with the All Star game is that the rosters are often composed with a bevy of past achievement ballplayers rather than the ones who are actually doing the best right now.  This circumstance often occurs at the latter stages of a star player’s career where people think about what he’s done in years gone by rather than how he’s competing as his career approaches its end.  

While no one would object to a Yadier Molina making what could be a final appearance, the fact is his .257 average with 8 HRs in his age 38 season doesn’t suggest he’s the same player he once was.  

To me, I’ll tune in for the Home Run Derby coverage, but the game itself is really not of much interest.  I applaud Jacob deGrom not planning to pitch given his health and the needs of the Mets ballclub.  I’ll root for the NL but have no real expectations.