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The All-Star Game is a TV show.Let’s stop all pretense of it being anything else. The whole nonsense about tying World Series home field to the winning league was done in hopes of juicing ratings. The AL just dominated interleague play for the ninth straight year, going 142-110 vs. the NL. That’s 252 games to determine the superior league rather than one game that could come down to, for example, Chase Headley of the last-place Padres singling in the winning run off Felix Hernandez of the last-place Mariners in the seventh inning.
There are just too many competing agendas for this game. Each team must be represented, which could foist an undeserving player ahead of a deserving one. In other words, good luck finding a deserving Cub, especially with Ryan Dempster on the disabled list.
Then the managers, as not to offend anyone, try to get everyone in the game, even if that makes folly of the mission statement that “this time it counts.” After all, would you really pinch-hit for Joey Votto in the fourth inning if the outcome were so uber-vital?
Then, again, the true mission statement — the one not talked about much — is to make sure no one gets hurt. Thus, pitchers are limited to, at most, two innings, and usually no more than one. Again, if winning is the priority, Justin Verlander would stick around for more than three outs.
In naming the team, there also is the angst of honoring historic greatness vs. first-half excellence vs. players fans want to see.
That is why it is easiest to just remember that it is a TV show. So let’s remove the hypocrisy and let’s honor the “Star” in All-Star Game and the “Classic” in Mid-Summer Classic. When there are debates, skew toward player(s) you sense would put on the most entertaining show.
That might not be the guiding principle when the teams are announced today. But it is for Hardball, which will honor the standard of 34 players for each league and a representative for every team. But then, for the tough calls, we will think like a TV director. The players with the best stories to tell — past, present and future — and the highest Q ratings go. If it is close at all, tie goes to the Star:
NL TEAM
The no-brainers are Joey Votto at first and David Wright at third. After that, you can have arguments everywhere, and I will start new ones by using a precious spot on Chipper Jones.
Again, this is a game for Stars. Jones is a star. He already has announced his retirement, and this feels like a proper send-off. Let him be the DH.
Carlos Ruiz is challenging for the batting title and is having the best year of any NL catcher. But Yadier Molina is an historic player (in the class picture for best defensive catcher ever), and he is showing last year’s offensive surge was no fluke.
Second base is a wasteland, so it is nice that the majors’ smallest player, 5-foot-5 Jose Altuve, can be introduced to the nation. As for a shortstop, Jed Lowrie is having the best season, but there is no way the starting double play combo for a star-driven team is going to be two Astros. Ian Desmond has broken out. But he has not outperformed Jimmy Rollins by enough to keep a long-time star out of the starting lineup.
In the outfield, a case can be made for at least 10 candidates, including all three Braves (Jason Heyward, Michael Bourn and Martin Prado). Prado gets the nod because his infield experience is valuable in an All-Star Game.
There may be a lot of bellyaching about Ryan Braun’s selection. But his presence near the top of the fan voting suggests America does not care about his ties to illegal performance enhancers. To the extent it does, well, there will be compelling stories about the process and also how Braun is outperforming his MVP season with a drug shadow, and without Prince Fielder as a sidekick.
There probably are no fewer than five right fielders (Heyward, Carlos Beltran, Andre Ethier, Carlos Gonzalez and Giancarlo Stanton) who have outperformed Bryce Harper. But, again, be pragmatic: Perhaps the No. 1 storyline of the first half was the so-young, so-talented breakouts of Harper and Mike Trout. Both need to start in Kansas City on July 10.
As for pitching, the NL opening act should be Stephen Strasburg’s lightning followed by R.A. Dickey’s knuckler — great stories at divergent speeds. The closing duo should be the lefty-righty thunder of Aroldis Chapman and Craig Kimbrel. Besides those two, no NL relievers really distinguished themselves enough to keep this from being a starter-centric staff, which should include Johan Santana, a star who went from shoulder hell to a no-hitter.
AL TEAM
Robinson Cano is the only true no-brainer on the squad. An outfield of Josh Hamilton, Trout and Jose Bautista is pretty hard to reject — though backers of Adam Jones, Mark Trumbo and Josh Reddick may try. Adam Dunn is having a terrific rebound year, but not better than David Ortiz, who also wins the DH role with Big Papi magnetism points.
On star power and very good seasons the catching job goes to Joe Mauer over Jarrod Saltalamacchia and A.J. Pierzynski (though we want a provocateur like Pierzynski around to spice up the game) and shortstop to Derek Jeter over Asdrubal Cabrera and Elvis Andrus. Half the commercials probably will feature Mauer and Jeter, so the game should feature them, as well.
Our one truly controversial choice is to add a utility infielder without an extra-base hit in Omar Vizquel. He has announced his retirement and, like Jones, has been a great ambassador to the sport — plus he was the wizard-like heir to Ozzie Smith. He has earned one last center-stage bow.
Paul Konerko, so underrated that he has become famous, gets the nod in a down year among AL first basemen. The position is so down that no first baseman had more than Koneko’s 14 homers. So it was easier to pick a star such as Albert Pujols as the backup since he had recovered enough from a putrid start to have 12 homers.
Even without Evan Longoria (injured), third base is complicated. Following the rules laid out, the pick should be Alex Rodriguez, equal parts famous and polarizing. But Adrian Beltre and Miguel Cabrera have enough status plus superior seasons to nudge him off the team, and the home crowd should get a homegrown player. So Mike Moustakas slides in front of on-the-rise Will Middlebrooks and Brett Lawrie.
Verlander is a huge star and arguably the best pitcher in the game. But for the international buzz, I would give the AL start to Yu Darvish, who was just the third rookie in history to have 10 wins and 100 strikeouts by July 1.
Like the NCAA tourney, the omissions will cause discussion and anger. So apologies in advance to players such as Edwin Encarnacion, Jim Johnson and, yes, A.J. Burnett.
joel.sherman@nypost.com
Sherman’s NL roster
STARTERS
C Yadier Molina – Cardinals
1B Joey Votto – Reds
2B Jose Altuve – Astros
SS Jimmy Rollins – Phillies
3B David Wright – Mets
LF Ryan Braun – Brewers
CF Andrew McCutchen – Pirates
RF Bryce Harper – Nationals
DH Chipper Jones – Braves
P Stephen Strasburg – Nationals
POSITIONAL RESERVES
Martin Prado – Braves
Giancarlo Stanton – Marlins
Carlos Ruiz – Phillies
Jed Lowrie – Astros
Carlos Beltran – Cardinals
Darwin Barney – Cubs
Paul Goldschmidt – Diamondbacks
Andre Ethier – Dodgers
Melky Cabrera – Giants
Buster Posey – Giants
Chase Headley – Padres
Carlos Gonzalez – Rockies
PITCHING RESERVES
Craig Kimbrel – Braves
R.A. Dickey – Mets
Johan Santana – Mets
Gio Gonzalez- Nationals
Cole Hamels – Phillies
Zack Greinke – Brewers
James McDonald – Pirates
Aroldis Chapman – Reds
Johnny Cueto – Reds
Wade Miley – Diamondbacks
Clayton Kershaw – Dodgers
Matt Cain – Giants
Sherman’s AL roster
STARTERS
C Joe Mauer – Twins
1B Paul Konerko – White Sox
2B Robinson Cano – Yankees
SS Derek Jeter – Yankees
3B Adrian Beltre – Rangers
LF Josh Hamilton – Rangers
CF Mike Trout – Angels
RF Jose Bautista – Blue Jays
DH David Ortiz – Red Sox
P Yu Darvish – Rangers
POSITIONAL RESERVES
Omar Vizquel – Blue Jays
Adam Jones – Orioles
J. Saltalamacchia – Red Sox
Asdrubal Cabrera – Indians
Mike Moustakas – Royals
Miguel Cabrera – Tigers
Austin Jackson – Tigers
A.J. Pierzynski – White Sox
Albert Pujols – Angels
Mark Trumbo – Angels
Josh Reddick – A’s
Elvis Andrus – Rangers
PITCHING RESERVES
Jason Hammel – Orioles
David Price – Rays
Fernando Rodney – Rays
Chris Perez – Indians
Justin Verlander – Tigers
Jake Peavy- White Sox
Chris Sale – White Sox
Ernesto Frieri – Angels
Jered Weaver – Angels
Felix Hernandez – Mariners
Matt Harrison – Rangers
Joe Nathan – Rangers