Baseball this 'n' that

The All-Star rosters are out. The only question I have is, well, what's wrong with this picture?

American League:

STARTING LINEUP:

Outfield: Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
Outfield: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels
Outfield: George Springer, Houston Astros
Catcher: Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals
First Base: Justin Smoak, Toronto Blue Jays
Second Base: Jose Altuve, Houston Astros
Shortstop:  Carlos Correa, Houston Astros
Third Base:  Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Indians
Designated Hitter: Corey Dickerson,  Tampa Bay Rays

LIST OF AL RESERVES:

Mookie Betts, outfielder, Boston Red Sox
Michael Brantley, outfielder, Cleveland Indians
Avisail Garcia, outfielder, Chicago White Sox
Gary Sanchez, catcher, New York Yankees
Yonder Alonso, first baseman, Oakland Athletics
Jonathan Schoop, second baseman, Baltimore Orioles
Starlin Castro, second baseman, New York Yankees
Francisco Lindor, shortstop, Cleveland Indians
Miguel Sano, third baseman, Minnesota Twins
Nelson Cruz, designated hitter, Seattle Mariners
Chris Sale, starting pitcher, Boston Red Sox
Ervin Santana, starting pitcher, Minnesota Twins
Jason Vargas, starting pitcher, Kansas City Royals
Corey Kluber, starting pitcher, Cleveland Indians
Andrew Miller, relief pitcher, Cleveland Indians
Craig Kimbrel, relief pitcher, Boston Red Sox
Dallas Keuchel, starting pitcher, Houston Astros
Luis Severino, starting pitcher, New York Yankees
Yu Darvish, starting pitcher, Texas Rangers
Michael Fulmer, starting pitcher, Detroit Tigers
Lance McCullers Jr., starting pitcher, Houston Astros
Dellin Betances, relief pitcher, New York Yankees

National League:
  

STARTING LINEUP:
Outfield: Charlie Blackmon, Colorado Rockies
Outfield: Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals
Outfield: Marcell Ozuna, Miami Marlins
Catcher: Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants
First Base:  Ryan Zimmerman, Washington Nationals
Second Base:  Daniel Murphy, Washington Nationals
Shortstop: Zack Cozart, Cincinnati Reds
Third Base: Nolan Arenado,  Colorado Rockies

LIST OF NL RESERVES:

Cody Bellinger, outfield, Los Angeles Dodgers
Giancarlo Stanton, outfield, Miami Marlins
Michael Conforto, outfield, New York Mets
Ender Inciarte, outfield, Atlanta Braves
Yadier Molina, catcher, St. Louis Cardinals
Paul Goldschmidt, first baseman, Arizona Diamondbacks
Joey Votto, first baseman, Cincinnati Reds
Josh Harrison, second baseman, Pittsburgh Pirates
DJ LeMahieu, second baseman, Colorado Rockies
Corey Seager, shortstop, Los Angeles Dodgers
Jake Lamb, third baseman, Arizona Diamondbacks
Clayton Kershaw, starting pitcher, Los Angeles Dodgers
Max Scherzer, starting pitcher, Washington Nationals
Carlos Martinez, starting pitcher, St. Louis Cardinals
Robbie Ray, starting pitcher, Arizona Diamondbacks
Greg Holland, relief pitcher, Colorado Rockies
Kenley Jansen, relief pitcher, Los Angeles Dodgers
Zack Greinke, starting pitcher, Arizona Diamondbacks
Stephen Strasburg, starting pitcher, Washington Nationals
Wade Davis, relief pitcher, Chicago Cubs
Brad Hand, relief pitcher, San Diego Padres
Corey Knebel, relief pitcher, Milwaukee Brewers
Pat Neshek, relief pitcher, Philadelphia Phillies

The lone Met on the list, Michael Conforto, is currently on the DL, and might not be ready for the game next week. The Mets' best pitcher, Jacob deGrom, was given the el-snubbino by NL manager Joe Maddon, whose defending champion Cubs have just 1 player on the roster, too, in closer Wade Davis, which is, pardon the pun, maddening. The Yankees, meanwhile, have just 1 starter, rookie sensation Aaron Judge, and 5 players in all. So why are the Mets & Cubs getting the Rodney Dangerfield treatment? The starters are still voted on by the fair weather fans who will spam the internet with multiple votes. Fair weather because of this season's trendy teams (Colorado & Arizona in the NL, Houston  in the AL). Worse, there's no way deGrom gets on the team unless he's named at the last minute by Maddon, since he's not part of the Final Vote (which is a farce unto itself). Maddon, surprisingly, didn't pull rank to add more Cubs, although Kris Bryant is in the Final Vote, but there's always going to be someone getting snubbed for the big dance. There's no way around it.

On the upside, this year's game will not determine home field in the World Series. That farcical stipulation enacted by former commissioner Bud Selig was excised after last year's game.
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It's going to be a long summer for the Tri-City Valleycats. They've already lost the first two games of their series with Staten Island, and entering play tonight, are in 3rd place in the Stedler Division, in danger of falling into the cellar. Friday's game at Connecticut was suspended due to rain, and will be made up next month, when the 'Cats make their final trip to Connecticut. Tri-City comes home for their annual July 4 clambake Tuesday vs. Brooklyn. Too bad Spectrum Cable can't be bothered to give the 'Cats a TV deal.....!
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More Mets. After posting a respectable 4-2 ledger vs. Miami & Philadelphia last week, they go back on the road at Washington tonight, then St. Louis this weekend before the All-Star break. Terry Collins' crew needs to figure out how to shut down ex-teammate Daniel Murphy, who has had a hit in every game vs. the Mets dating back to last year. Someone should've taken away his playbook, because how else to explain it? They can't go a week without someone going on the DL, which makes one wonder if there really is someone putting a curse on the team.....!