He's got eyes like a kewpie doll and one heck of a swing, but Dan Uggla can't get no respect from the All-Star voters.
The Marlins' second baseman isn't even in the top five at his position in the early results released yesterday by MLB, despite leading the National League in home runs (12), and ranking fourth in runs scored (32).
It's enough to prompt a guy's teammates and manager to wander about wondering what to do.
"I'm a little disappointed in that, because Danny is having a hell of a year," Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez told MLB.com. "He's got to be considered, to me...Maybe we can put a little press on that."
"No question about it," added Cody Ross. "He's having an amazing year."
So what gives? Blame a small market and droves of Phillies fans, who so skew the votes through blatant homerism that they have a player at first or second in each category and their former slugger Pat Burrell currently sits fourth in the American League voting for designated hitter despite being released by the Tampa Bay Rays in mid-May.
That's right, Burrell stunk last year, only made it 24 games this season, and is currently without a team -- yet he just might enjoy the sweet taste of accolade pie.
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The issue with that isn't that fans and whimsy don't have a place in baseball, because if left to itself the sport would bore everyone to death and humanity would end.
And for his part, Uggla says he "could [not] care less" if he's voted in or not.
The problem is that Selig & Co. are determined to take an exhibition game seriously by using it to decide home field advantage for the World Series, yet they've allowed a system in which that could be contested by the wrong people. If Dan Uggla can't be considered while Pat Burrell stands a chance, we might as well organize a write-in campaign for all the Muppets and at least get relief from Tim McCarver and Joe Buck for a night.
Janie Campbell is a Florida native who believes in the pro-set and ballpark hot dogs. Her work has appeared in irreverent sports sites around the internet.
