MLB Bullets Is Struck With A Case Of Apathy

I've got an issue with this episode of MLB Bullets, because most of the news this weekend revolves around the All-Star Game rosters and who made the team and who didn't. Honestly, I stopped caring who made the All-Star Game a while ago. Since no one even agrees what the criteria is for who should be on the team, I think arguments about who should be included are pointless. And of course, others have pointed out how the selection rules work against Bud's "This Time It Counts" mantra.

• If you're more interested in the All-Star Teams than I am, the rosters for both leagues are here.
• While I don't really care about who won the fan voting any more, I've got to admit that MLB revealing geographic data about the online voting is really cool.
• Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles says that Yasiel Puig must make the All-Star team. I don't think there's much chance of him losing the fan voting, but I don't think anything involving the All-Star Game "must" happen.
• Ken Rosenthal thinks that the Athletics got hosed in the All-Star selections. If that's the worst thing Oakland gets hosed in this year . . .
• Matthew Pouliot lists this year's All-Star snubs.
• Emma Span lists all the players she thinks got snubbed for the All-Star Game. Folks, it's easier if you just stop caring. Of course, then you'd have to think of something else to write a column about. May I suggest "I don't care who got snubbed for the All-Star Game"? Wait, I've taken that idea already.
• Adam Jones did make the All-Star team as a starter, along with starters Chris Davis and J.J. Hardy and reserve Manny Machado. But as David Schoenfield says, Jones's lack of plate discipline keeps him from being more than just a "good" player.
• Manny Machado, on the other hand, just did an amazing impersonation of Brooks Robinson. Except as Jonah Keri pointed out, that might be shortchanging Machado. Earlier this year, I linked to this article that talked about Machado's relationship with Robinson.
• Everth Cabrera is excited he made the All-Star Game, despite his connections to the Biogenesis Scandal. He maintains he has no relationship with the clinic.
• Bryce Harper texted Nationals manager Davey Johnson to "Play me or trade me." Thomas Boswell thinks that Johnson's handling of this "joke" (and it was a joke. Sort of) and his relationship to Harper shows why Johnson is such a great manager. He thinks the Nats will miss Johnson next season.
• An MRI on Yadier Molina showed no structural damage. Cardinals fans can now exhale.
• Maybe this is an optical illusion, but this picture of Miguel Cabrera literally crushing a baseball is very cool.
• Jered Weaver outdueled his former teammate and mentor John Lackey. This was just two days after he became a father for the first time. His wife gave birth to a son, Aden David Weaver, named after his late teammate Nick Adenhart. Seriously, two days after my wife gave birth, I was so out of it that I told someone that my wife gave birth to a boy. (She didn't.)
• Paul Hoynes lists the Cleveland Indians shopping list. Matt Garza tops the list. Trevor Bauer, anyone?
• Bud Shaw thinks that the Indians bullpen is in need of an upgrade.
• Jon Paul Morosi thinks the Blue Jays need to go into "sell" mode and build for 2014.
• David Schoenfield thinks that three relatively small market teams, Cleveland, San Diego and Pittsburgh, should all try to trade for Cliff Lee.
• Phillies GM Ruben Amaro does admit that the Phillies could end up as sellers at the trade deadline.
• Larry Stone thinks it's time the Mariners start selling players.
• The San Francisco Giants batted out of order. You could never win a World Series with a manager who makes those kinds of mistakes. Oh, wait.
• Joakim Soria has been taken of the DL by the Rangers and is set to pitch in the majors for the first time since Sept. 11, 2011.
• Ryan Braun is feeling "great." He's expected to be activated off the DL on Thursday.
• Derek Jeter started his minor league rehab assignment.
• David Price thinks his time on the disabled list allowed him to get his head back on straight.
• Rangers ace Yu Darvish is done throwing so many fastballs.
• Michael Pineda is off the disabled list and has been assigned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
• Ike Davis is back with the Mets after having been recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas.
• Small adjustments have made Jeremy Hefner a much better pitcher.
• The new international signing rules have hurt players like Eloy Jimenez as well as teams who scouted and were aggressive in signing Latin American players. Who was helped? Teams like White Sox, who argued that if they didn't want to spend money on international players, neither should anyone else.
• Finally, the Yankees did something classy, inviting around 4,000 residents of Newtown, CT to take in a Yankees game for free.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster.