Since pitching is still the name of the game, I think it’s only fair that the best pitchers make the all star team, not the pitchers who can fill in the roster merely because each team needs a representative.

Joe Torre has imposed a rule that you don’t make the team as a starting pitcher if you can’t work in the game that Tuesday.

Ridiculous. The best part of the game is the introduction of the teams and recognition of the achievements of the players.

Plus, the game should be played on Wednesday to avoid these issues. This way players can get to the game, everyone can play (with proper rest), the festivities can be extended to a true midseason break, and the season can start back on Friday (weekend) with some excitement.

The actual all star game for the last thirty years has been boring, low scoring, and anticlimatic. Why jam it in on Tuesday?

So here’s my list of pitchers who should be in Milwaukee. Click “Read More”Let’s start with the aces since they dictate the course of a game.

Boston: Derek Lowe threw a no hitter and has been spectacular all season long. He has given up a handful of homers lately after not surrendering one for two months. In today’s game that’s pretty good.

Pedro Martinez even in his rehab year is still one of the best, if not the best pitcher in the league.

Anaheim: Jarrod Washburn has carried the Angel staff with a good start almost every time out since the first week of April.

Ramon Ortiz isn’t far behind, but he gets to rest during the break.

White Sox: Mark Buehrle is the only reason Jerry Manuel has retained any of his sanity

when the White Sox staff takes the mound. Buehrle should have been on the team last year, but was overlooked, not this time, Joe.

Cleveland: See NL.

Detroit: Jeff Weaver has matched Lowe not giving up homers in a homer crazy league. Weaver probably will be traded this year for some inexplicable reason, but he may throw 230 innings in the process.

Kansas City: Paul Byrd got off to great start for one of the sorriest teams in baseball. He has won ten games this year which should qualify him for a lifetime achievement award.

Yankees: Roger Clemens has 288 wins, eight this year. He is a hall of famer, we all deserve another chance to boo him.

A’s: Barry Zito conjurs up images of some of the all time greats when he toes the slab. He has kept the A’s in the race.

Seattle: Freddy Garcia is the ace of the most balanced staff in the league. Eleven wins don’t hurt either.

Toronto: Roy Halladay has won more games than any other Blue Jay. He has dominated the best teams in the league. He is an all star.

Closers: Sasaki, Guardado (before his arm falls off), and Troy Percival (he gets the job done with little difficulty each night).

That’s a twelve man staff which could hold it’s own any day.

National League:

Here are my picks:

Dodgers: Ishii has surprised everyone with his terrific first half. Take a good look because his stuff ain’t that good, he won’t be on the end of the year all star team.

Arizona: Johnson and Schilling, all the way.

St. Louis: Matt Morris is still one of the best clutch pitchers in the game.

Pittsburgh: Kip Wells has done more to revive the Pirates than any other player.

Atlanta: Tom Glavine is being mentioned in the same breath with Whitey Ford.

Montreal: Bartolo Colon. You can’t forget him just because Cleveland became cost conscious just before the game.

Mets: Al Leiter is an example of what a big league pitcher should look like on the mound.

Philadelphia: Vincente Padilla is bigger than the president of Nicaragua, his homeland.

Closers: Robb Nen, the best in the league. Trevor Hoffman, he is still tricking them with his changeup. Eric Gagne, see Guardado comment. John Smoltz, more of the same.

Not a bad staff. They will be very tough late in the game.

Unless the league uses the juiced up the baseballs, this has the look of another 4-3 game.

By the way, I’ve seen enough of interleague ball.

Time to get back to the actual pennant races against the teams you have to beat.