Now I get the feeling that the three days off means more to the players than the game itself. Juan Gonzalez disappointed me last week when he dropped out of the All-Star lineup simply because he wasn't selected as a starter. I think that's pretty darn selfish. Then again, baseball has become a selfish game. Statistics and records are the marks of personal achievement and accomplishment.
Society is partially to blame.
People love to see the longball. Thousands of fans flock to stadiums to see a man named Mark McGwire take batting practice. No one expects a standing ovation for a guy who breaks up a double play. No one gets recognition when he grounds out to protect a runner. An athlete doesn't receive the Most Valuable Player award by being the backbone of his team through 162 games.