cjclong
07-11-2014, 09:19 AM
When I started watching All Star games in the 60's the players elected to the starting team frequently played the entire game. It wasn't unusual for a player like Willie Mays to still be playing in the 9th inning, especially if the game was still close. This led to the stories of players like Ted Williams winning a game in the 9th with a home run. Today the starters seldom get past the 6th inning, if that late, before they are replaced. The only limit back then was that the starting pitcher could only go 3 innings. What this amounts to is that in a close game in the late innings you may have a back up player in there now instead of a Mays, Williams, Musial, etc. In writing this I realize that the fans don't always select the best player and the guy replacing him might actually be better. But in some cases its obvious the best player is the one starting and why not leave him in for most or all of the game. Why have lesser players in at the end of a competitive game. I realize its an honor to be in the game and that the league wants to spread it around and let players from a lot of teams play. But it seems to me that when a true star player who is bound for the HOF is voted in as a starting player they should be left in for most or all of the game unless its a blow out. I'm sure there are different opinions on this as there are on what the All Star game is.