The All-Star Controversy Continues

Rosters for next week's All Star game were announced, and of course there is a travesty to report. Dontrelle Willis, the game's hottest and most exciting pitcher was left off the National League roster by manager Dusty Baker. For all the meddling and the League office has done with this year's game, you wonder why they couldn't have done some puppet-mastering where it mattered, and created a fair voting system. Because the all-star selection system now incorporates input from players, managers and fans, MLB ought to reserve two roster spots that managers may use for obvious snubs like Willis. Instead of this we're stuck with Russ Ortiz and Armando Benitez. And it's not like Willis is all hype: he's 8-1 with a 2.13 ERA. And he's been in the majors less than two months.

The game hasn't had a pitching sensation like this since Hideo Nomo, and many fans, myself included, are dying to see this guy pitch live. Here's hoping an injury substitution will allow us to experience Dontrelle mania.