Here is another article on the All-Star game and Baker's decision:

 

Here is the link

 

All-Star snub of Willis has Baker's fingerprints

COMMENTARY / GREG COTE

gcote@herald.com

 

Greg Cote

 

Baseball has become an easy target, a bull's-eye as big as America. But you can't blame the sport for this one. Can't blame the fans. Can't blame commissioner Bud Selig, steroids, labor strikes, crazy salaries, Wayne Huizenga, long games or Sammy Sosa's corked bat.

 

Blame Dusty Baker. Nobody else.

 

The Cubs manager left Marlins pitcher Dontrelle Willis off the National League All-Star roster announced Sunday evening.

 

Baker managed to find a place on the team for a Pirates reliever (Mike Williams) with a grotesque 6.29 ERA . . . yet justified overlooking Willis because he had not personally seen him pitch.

 

Hullo?

 

Dear Dusty:

 

Do they have TV in Chicago? Radio? Newspapers? The Internet? Word of mouth? Rumors?

 

Was there no way for you to hear that Willis, a 21-year-old rookie, had in slightly less than two months in the big leagues spun an 8-1 record with a 2.13 ERA and drawn favorable comparisons to phenoms of a Dwight Gooden/Fernando Valenzuela echelon?

 

Willis is the best story in baseball this year, Dustman, the feel-good antidote to whatever ails the sport. But you were lacking physical evidence? What, you thought that footage on SportsCenter was an elaborate hoax?

 

You saw the kid with the tall socks and the cartoon-high knee kick and (like so many batters) didn't quite believe it?

 

Believe this:

 

You blew it, Baker. Big time.

 

You have done the equivalent of fans absent-mindedly electing a dead man to start in left field.

 

You left the freshest breeze in baseball to watch the All-Star Game on TV, rather than giving the rest of us an added reason to tune in.

 

Complaining about All-Star selections is the national pastime, granted. But would it be too parochial to suggest the Marlins got screwed?

 

Never mind that Mike Lowell should have been voted in as starting NL third baseman over Cardinal Scott Rolen. That's quibbling. At least Lowell made the team.

 

But Luis Castillo, Alex Gonz?lez and Pudge Rodr?guez all left off in addition to Willis?

 

We temper the outrage somewhat by the fact Castillo still might be voted on by fans as a last-man addition. And injuries to selections such as pitcher Kevin Brown might give other Marlins, including Willis, another chance.

 

It's crazy, though, to think Willis might be a last-minute charity pick rather than an enthusiastic choice.

 

Also troubling is the implication behind the Willis snub.

 

You smell politics. Sour grapes.

 

The Cubs, remember, are the organization that let Willis go to Florida, including him as an afterthought in the six-player deal that sent pitchers Antonio Alfonseca and Matt Clement to Chicago and pitcher Juli?n Tav?rez here.

 

It would only heave salt in that raw Cubs wound to see their blunder result in Willis appearing as a rookie All-Star.

 

Similarly, the Cubs were the team that most sought to acquire Lowell by trade this month, only to be rebuffed when the Marlins surprisingly announced they wouldn't be dealing Lowell.

 

Another reason for Baker and the Cubs organization to think ill of the Marlins.

 

There is an argument against Willis making the team, of course. It has cobwebs on it. It says Willis has not ''paid his dues.'' It notes he has been in the bigs two months.

 

Baseball, though, is a sport desperate to be relevant, desperate for a positive buzz. It needed to find a way to get funky-fresh Willis into its All-Star Game, somehow.

 

Whether by merit or marketing, by stats or sizzle, he deserved to be there.

Yes, I read this in the paper this morning, I thought it was pretty funny. Cote has a habit of writing those kinds of articles, along with LeBatard. However, both always seem to be constantly critical of the Marlins.

Yes, I read this in the paper this morning, I thought it was pretty funny. Cote has a habit of writing those kinds of articles, along with LeBatard. However, both always seem to be constantly critical of the Marlins.

That's true, but I prefer Cote to LeRetard...

 

LeRetard :chair

I am getting pretty violent today... :whistle

 

CUBS :chair

oh, well...

The team is winning and doing a good job and you will see articles following like this.

 

 

Even from your hated LeBatard.

 

 

Watch.

The team is winning and doing a good job and you will see articles following like this.

 

Even from your hated LeBatard.

 

Watch.

Yeah, I know. There should be a law against writing stupid ideas, but then there would not be freedom of expression... oh, well...

 

STUPIDITY :chair

Man! this is getting quite addictive...

This story has been covered by a million other writers across the country, and they have a different (and more correct) slant than Cote.

 

It's not Baker's fault, it's inherent with the AS selection process. He had to take Williams b/c every loser squad needs one player. I'll spare going into the details, but I think everyone out there knows how this selection played out.

I'm still thinking our old friend Brownie will sit this one out, and Dusty will give into peer presure by taking Dontrelle as his replacement.

I think if Brown or any other player is hurt and Dusty goes to Dontrelle as a replacement, Dontrelle should say no. He wanted Wood instead of the best? Well now he is stuck with Wood. And they better win, I want to be in the stadium for Game 7 of the Series.

No, Dontrelle will say yes... I want him to say yes the country does, the team does...