May has arrived (it’s gonna be May), and with it, the unveiling of the MLB All-Star ballot. It’s an annual tradition that reminds us: (1) it is insanely early to be picking All-Stars, and (2) the All-Star Game is just about fan service, and that’s OK if that’s the focus.
On that second one, I will remind you: the All-Star Game no longer decides home field advantage in the World Series.
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You can see the full All-Star ballot here, and you can vote up to five times every 24 hours (up to a total of 35 times if you are obsessive and/or a Royals fan).
Javy Baez IS on the ballot this year, and he’s the Cubs’ representative at second base. To accommodate that, MLB pulled off a Joe Maddon-like maneuver and shifted Ben Zobrist to the outfield. There, he joins Kyle Schwarber and Jason Heyward (no Albert Almora or Jon Jay).
Every other spot on the ballot has the Cubs’ regulars you’d expect, and I’d imagine, even after a down April, they’re going to see a serious outpouring of votes, beginning today.
The stats displayed on the balloting page, by the way, also offer a reminder that this is not meant to be a hardcore, who-is-the-best-of-the-best competition: batting average, home runs, RBI, stolen bases, and at bats. I guess there wasn’t enough room to fit sacrifice bunts and singles.
I kid, MLB. I kid. It’s all fun! Remember when Kris Bryant ripped a homer off of Chris Sale last year?