You can have it cheap, fast or quality; pick two.

So the Major League Baseball All-Star game is coming upon us and I must say I like that the fan's opinion matters. I like that this game actually means something. I don't like that the All-Star game uses both. I do like that the All-Star voting race can be rather exciting to a fan, but fans are to bloody stupid and biased to select an All-Star team for a game that means anything, that could decide anything for the sport. So the All-Star game is a popularity contest and depends greatly on the team's market. Fine, for a completely meaningless game or simply for the honor of being selected by the fans. That's great. But not for a game that means anything.

This is what I think should be done:

Still have this selection by the fans, but not for in the middle of the year, but as an end of the year honor. Call it the Fan's Voice All-League team. You have first-team, second-team, and honorable mentions. This can be a huge honor and can really show a player's marketability and appreciation for what they do by the fans. Have a huge ceremony and have the voting start at the middle of the year (when you can actually see who is having a great year, and who was just simply good last year) and go until the last week of regular season play, when the best players really do step it up.

Three weeks before the All-Star break, have an MLB-wide day or two off where every manager from each league meets together to decide an All-Star team for their league. Each league meeting would be presided by last year's pennant winner. These coaches by this point have seen all the players and can sit down and figure out the best team to try and win the game against the other league so that their league can win home-field advantage in the World Series. Coaches can argue for their player and when needed, it comes down to a vote. But if the game is going to mean anything, the team needs to be selected with that in mind. And completely do away with having every team represented in the All-Star game. Sometimes none of the players from a certain team are going to be the best of that league. *Cough* Mark Redman *cough*.

Okay, that's my rant, what do you think?